Lenawee County's annual Walk to End Alzheimer's returns Sunday to Adrian College

ADRIAN — Lenawee County residents are invited to join the fight with the Alzheimer’s Association as the county’s annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s returns to Adrian College Sunday, Oct. 2.

Registration for the walk begins at 12:30 p.m., with a ceremony following at 1:45 p.m. and the walk commencing at 2 p.m.

Last year, the Lenawee County Walk to End Alzheimer’s raised more than $117,000 for Alzheimer’s and dementia care, support and research, according to a news release from Michigan Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. Lenawee County has conducted a Walk to End Alzheimer’s for 11 years.

Individuals and teams come together at the walking events to pursue a world without Alzheimer’s disease, the release said.

The Alzheimer’s Association’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest fundraiser for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. In Michigan, the event takes place in 25 locations across the state in September and October.

“For 11 years, Lenawee County has hosted a Walk to End Alzheimer’s,” Tammy Jewell, who co-chairs the walk along with Samantha Miller, said in the release. “To date the Lenawee County community has raised more than $700,000 to provide support, education and research to help end this disease which affects too many. This is such a great community and our walk is a heartwarming experience honoring those affected and those we have lost to Alzheimer’s disease.”

With the COVID-19 pandemic causing concern over the past couple of years, some of the most recent walks have been conducted virtually. This weekend’s walk will be in person at Adrian College, but registered participants will still be able to walk for the cause at home or virtually if they choose to do so, the release said. For information about registering, donating and walking virtually, visit tinyurl.com/yzer52yc.

“We encourage people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds to help us take the first step toward a world without Alzheimer’s by joining us for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s,” Jennifer Lepard, president and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association Michigan Chapter, said in the release. “More than 6 million people in the U.S. are living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, and it is estimated that, this year alone, the disease will cost the country $321 billion. This event helps us provide care and support for the more than 190,000 Michiganders affected by Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia and helps us to fund important research to end this terrible disease.”

Sponsors of the Lenawee County Walk to End Alzheimer’s include Charlotte Stephenson Manor, Cambrian Memory Care and Assisted Living, Lenawee Medical Care Facility, Lenawee County Department on Aging, Region 2 Area Agency on Aging, Blissfield Place Assisted Living and Touch of Home Adult Daycare.

National presenting sponsors of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s are CVS Health and Edward Jones.

Sunday’s walk is 1 mile around Adrian College’s campus. The goal for this year’s Lenawee County walk is to raise $124,000. As of Wednesday afternoon, $58,475 has been raised, and 223 participants are registered for the walk along with 25 teams.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Lenawee County's annual Walk to End Alzheimer's returns Sunday, Oct. 2