'There is help and community for you': Columbia Walk to End Alzheimer's is Saturday

In April 2012, Chris Cottle's father was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease at the age of 52.

His family soon would welcome those from the Alzheimer's Association Greater Missouri Chapter into their home to explain the brain disorder.

"They let us know what they do and about the Walk to End Alzheimer's," Cottle said. "The first time I went out there, it was just kind of amazing to be around people who understood. Because when the diagnosis happened, you kind of just feel like you are on an island by yourself with your family.

"Getting out there with people who have lived it, are living it, I had a massive sense of relief that you are not the only one and that there is help and community for you."

He now works for the Greater Missouri chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, which is preparing for Columbia's Walk to End Alzheimer's on Saturday from Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. He also manages walks in the Macon and Moberly area, and in Kirksville.

"This is my 11th walk season and it is just as impactful every time I am there," Cottle said.

Columbia has hosted a Walk to End Alzheimer's for at least 30 years, likely originally in connection to the University of Missouri's Sigma Kappa sorority, whose national philanthropy project is the Walk to End Alzheimer's, Cottle said.

Registration starts 9:30 a.m. from parking lot J between the Hearnes Center and Faurot Field with opening ceremonies at 11 a.m. from there. The walk starts at 11:15 a.m.

Registration still is open online through the Alzheimer's Association website. Around 76 teams already are registered equaling about 575 people.

Meghan Drakas from ABC 17/KMIZ is the opening ceremony emcee. She also is the marketing and outreach chair for the Alzheimer's Association Greater Missouri Chapter.

"She is a former Sigma Kappa from Penn State and so when she moved to Columbia, she walked in our office and said, 'I want to keep volunteering,'" Cottle said.

From lot J, walkers will take the Tiger switchback path, through the tunnel and then out onto the track around Faurot Field.

"You are welcome to walk as many or as few times as you like," Cottle said, adding a promise garden ceremony will close out the opening ceremonies.

"We have different colored flowers, which represent your relationship with Alzheimer's, and you can grab one of those and decorate it," Cottle said.

There are a variety of other activities that will happen in addition to the walk, Cottle said.

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"We'll have a kids zone, some face painting activities and a memory wall where you can write why you walk," he said, adding an onsite informational tent will have support group moderators and others providing information on free Alzheimer's Association programs.

The Greater Missouri Chapter aims to raise $220,000 from the Columbia walk and as of Thursday was just over halfway there. Some donations are not yet factored into the total amount, Cottle said.

"Hopefully on Saturday we'll have moved the online needle quite a bit. I have full confidence that we'll be able to make it because Columbia always shows up," he said. "We hope to see everyone on walk day. Even if you don't have a loved one that is directly connected, it is a way to see and engage and meet a neighbor and your smile and presence means the world to a lot of people."

Charles Dunlap covers local government, community stories and other general subjects for the Tribune. You can reach him at cdunlap@columbiatribune.com or @CD_CDT on Twitter. Subscribe to support vital local journalism.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Registration still open for Columbia's 2023 Walk to End Alzheimer's