Hundreds to walk Saturday to end Alzheimer's

Kevin Ellis, The Gaston Gazette
·2 min read
Sandra Alexander, team captain of Hospice Cleveland County Cherubs, walked with her family as part of the 2020 Walk to End Alzheimer's held Sept. 12 in Gaston, Cleveland and Lincoln counties.
Sandra Alexander, team captain of Hospice Cleveland County Cherubs, walked with her family as part of the 2020 Walk to End Alzheimer's held Sept. 12 in Gaston, Cleveland and Lincoln counties.

Hundreds of people will hit the streets in downtown Gastonia on Saturday to raise awareness and raise money to help end Alzheimer's.

The Alzheimer's Association's annual Walk to End Alzheimer's for Gaston, Cleveland and Lincoln counties will include walks of both one mile and two miles along Main Avenue and Franklin Boulevard, with a starting point for both at the Rotary Pavilion at the intersection of South Street.

Details

When: Registration and check-in at 9 a.m., opening ceremony and walk at 10 a.m. (rain or shine)

Where: Rotary Centennial Pavilion, 107 N. South St., Gastonia

Parking: Standard and handicap accessible parking is available on either side of Rotary Centennial Pavilion. Additional parking available in lots directly across the pavilion.

Why: Participants of all ages and abilities join the fight against the disease, with funds raised helping the Alzheimer's Association to provide care and fund research programs.

Michelle Mills, team captain, is shown walking with her team members at Vestibule AME Zion Church in Kings Mountain as part of the 2020 Walk to End Alzheimer's held Sept. 12 in Gaston, Cleveland and Lincoln counties.
Michelle Mills, team captain, is shown walking with her team members at Vestibule AME Zion Church in Kings Mountain as part of the 2020 Walk to End Alzheimer's held Sept. 12 in Gaston, Cleveland and Lincoln counties.

Radio personalities

Ramona Holloway from the Mix 107.9 Matt & Ramona Show and Pete Kaliner with WBT 1110AM Radio will emcee the event. Holloway, a board member for the Alzheimer’s Association, lost her mother, Wheezy, to dementia in 2021. Kaliner, who has supported the Alzheimer’s Association for about two decades, lost his grandfather to Alzheimer’s when he was in high school.

"On Walk Day, participants will honor those affected by Alzheimer's disease with Promise Flowers during the poignant Promise Garden Ceremony – a moving display of hope to represent the personal reasons participants join together to fight Alzheimer’s. Participants can join a team or register to walk as an individual at act.alz.org/GastonClevelandLincoln," according to walk organizers.

The Alzheimer’s Association hosts 17 walks across North Carolina during the months of September through November. The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research.

You can reach Kevin Ellis at 704-201-7016 or email him at Kellis@GastonGazette.com.

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Alzheimer's Association walks Saturday for Gaston, Cleveland counties