Woodstock and area raised $270,000 for dementia support

Participants gather at the annual IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s in Woodstock. This year, walkers in Woodstock, London, St. Thomas and Tillsonburg raised $270,000 for the Alzheimer Society Southwest Partners. (Contributed Photo)

Connor Luczka, Echo Correspondent

With about 14,500 people in Elgin, Middlesex and Oxford counties living with dementia – and an annual price tag of $2 million to provide free services for that community – the Alzheimer Society Southwest Partners needs to rely on the wider community to keep its lights on.

Because of that community, they rallied together to raise $270,000 in its 2025 IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s on May 24.

Jen Davidson, manager of communications and marketing for the Alzheimer Society Southwest Partners (which includes London, Tillsonburg, St. Thomas and Woodstock in its coverage area), said the annual walk is the organization’s biggest fundraiser and vital to the organization’s success.

“By and large, (the walks) went really well,” Davidson said. “Last year saw torrential downpours, so we were really thankful that it was only cold. It's amazing to see the community spirit that comes out and the enthusiasm, and they're all just such joyous events.

“This year, across our four walks, we had 700 walkers and we raised in total $270,000,” Davidson went on to say. “It's a little short of the goal. It's a bit of a trend, I think a lot of charities are seeing. It's very uncertain economic times that we're living in. It's still a tremendous amount of money. We are so grateful for the fundraising that's done by the community to support the organization.”

Davidson added that in Woodstock, there were 100 walkers who raised $40,000.

Apart from raising money for the organization, the walk is also a time to connect with others going through a similar (though not the same) experience. Clients, care partners, volunteers, family members, community figures and those on the board of the society all gathered for the walk, connecting with each other and their loved ones.

The money raised stays in the community and goes to the local society’s services, which are provided free of charge.

As Davidson explained, the society offers a plethora of services for clients and care partners. They offer client education sessions on care essentials, first steps, ambiguous loss and grief, support groups for all stages a care partner will go through, and therapeutic recreation sessions like Minds in Motion, where clients and care partners can join together for physical, social, and mind-stimulating activities in an 8-week program.

The organization just expanded into the township of Zorra, providing its Minds in Motion therapy sessions in Thamesford. Now, those living in that rural community won’t have to drive far to join their peers.

For more information on services offered by the society, including the new services offered in Thamesford, visit the society’s website at https://alzswp.ca/support/.

The amount raised by the community this year was incredible, Davidson said; however, it is not enough to support the baseline work that they provide to caregivers. As previously mentioned, the organization needs to raise $2 million a year for its base operating expenses.

While the organization works behind the scenes to secure grant funding each year, Davidson said that more baseline government funding would go a long way to make sure its programs and services are stable.

Dementia illnesses are on the rise in the country and demand for the society’s services is increasing in tandem. Each year, 200 more people, senior or otherwise, join its waitlist.

Although Alzheimer’s and other dementia illnesses are commonly thought of as something only affecting seniors, that is a misconception. Early-onset dementia is a prominent illness and its numbers are on the rise as well. By 2050, the society’s research indicates that 40,000 people under the age of 65 will be living with a dementia-related illness.

While the 2025 walk is officially over, those interested can still donate. The window to donate to the walk closes at the end of June and other donations are accepted year-round.

Those interested can donate at https://alzswp.ca/wfa/.