By LOIS KINDLE
On Saturday, Oct. 4, neighbors, families and friends will gather for a morning of remembrance, hope and action at the 18th Annual South Shore Walk to End Alzhei-mer’s.
Hosted at the United Methodist Church of Sun City Center, 1971 Haverford Ave., the event begins with a brief ceremony at 8:30 a.m., followed by a moving Promise Garden tribute at 8:45. By 9 a.m., walkers of all ages will set off on a two-mile walk, rallying together in support of an urgent cause.
OBSERVER NEWS FILE PHOTO
The Promise Garden flowers represent each participant’s personal connection to the cause: blue for those living with the disease, purple for those they’ve lost, yellow for caregivers and orange for supporters who envision the end of Alzheimer’s.
This walk isn’t just about raising funds. It’s about raising awareness, honoring loved ones and standing in solidarity with those affected by Alzheimer’s. Every registered participant receives a Promise Garden flower, each color representing their personal connection to the cause: blue for those living with the disease, purple for those they’ve lost, yellow for caregivers and orange for supporters who envision the end of Alzheimer’s.
“I’ve been involved with the Walk since 2021,” said Edward Jones financial advisor Sean Andrews, who became the event’s committee chairman three years ago. “My interest in Alzheimer’s goes back to 2011, when it took my grandmother. It also took all three of her sisters and her father.
“This disease touches us all so closely,” he continued. “It truly is, as it’s called, the Long Goodbye. You watch this person you’ve known and loved mentally deteriorate before your eyes until there’s nothing left of them. It’s absolutely heartbreaking.”
PAT JONES PHOTO
Connie Lesko, left, founder of the South Shore Walk to End Alzheimer’s; The Rev. Cynthia Weems, pastor of the United Methodist Church of SCC; and Sean Andrews, the walk’s commitee chairman, invite you to support this year’s event in any way you can.
Noelle Bramble and her family show up to walk year after year.
“We do this to honor my grandmother and my husband’s parents, who died from Alzheimer’s,” she said. “Finding a cure is important to us.
“Doing the walk makes us feel we have power against a disease that makes you feel helpless,” she added. “We feel we’re actually able to do something.”
Registration is required for all participants, including children, and although there’s no fee to join, walkers are encouraged to make personal donations and help raise funds. Strollers and leashed, well-behaved dogs are welcome.
Rain or shine, the walk goes on, unless severe weather forces a cancellation.
ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION
Save this date. The 18th Annual South Shore Walk to End Alzheimer’s will kick off at 8:30 a.m. at the United Methodist Church of Sun City Center, 1971 Haverford Ave. Whether you walk, donate, cheer others on or lend a hand behind the scenes, your support has a meaningful impact.
Make a difference
There are so many meaningful ways to be part of the 18th Annual South Shore Walk to End Alzheimer’s.
Whether you walk, donate, cheer others on or lend a hand behind the scenes, your support has a meaningful impact.
You can form a team and register it online, then rally your friends, family, neighbors or coworkers to walk and raise funds with you. Or you can support an existing team by visiting alz.org/SouthShoreWalk/ and making a donation.
Even if you’re not walking, your presence matters. Come out on Oct. 4 to support those who are and make a tax-deductible donation while you’re there. Area businesses and organizations are also invited to get involved as sponsors or vendors.
You can also attend any of the walk’s upcoming fundraisers:
• Billy Elvis Lindsay Concert, 7 p.m., Sept. 19, United Methodist Church of SCC, $20 in advance/$25 at the door, 813-634-2539.
• Glen Campbell’s “I’ll Be Me” movie screening, 1:30 p.m., Sept. 23, Kings Point Veterans Theater, $10 donation requested, 813-387-3447.
• Aston Garden’s “Pasta on the Run” Dine & Dash, 2 to 4 p.m., Oct. 2, Aston Gardens at the Courtyards, advance orders only, $10, 813-634-4497.
Or if you’d rather support the cause from afar, you can write a check to the Alzheimer’s Association, earmark it for the South Shore Walk and mail it to
Florida Gulf Coast Chapter
14010 Roosevelt Blvd., No. 709
Clearwater, FL 33762.
“Year after year I’m more amazed by this community, the committee and dedicated sponsors of the South Shore Walk to End Alzheimer’s,” said Beth Weest, of the Florida Gulf Coast Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. This year, the Greater SouthShore Chamber president (Andrews) and staff hosted our kick off event at Salty Shamrock with two local bands and new sponsors, Grease Monkey, Stretch Zone and Flooring Masters. And each year our most dedicated sponsors come back with such passion: HCA Florida South Shore Hospital, United Methodist Church of SCC, Freedom Plaza, SunTowers, Aston Gardens and more.
“I can’t leave out members of the community,” she added. “They attend every fundraiser and give so selflessly time and time again. The walk means so much to so many.”
Last year, the South Shore walk raised $103,000.
For questions or to help in getting involved, call Weest at 518-937-8584 or email beweest@alz.org/.
Why your support matters
SHARON RUIBAL PHOTO
Now in its 18th year, the South Shore Walk to End Alzheimer’s welcomes participants of all ages to raise critical funds for the Alzheimer’s Association’s continuing research, advocacy and support for families coping with the disease.
The Alzheimer’s Association provides the latest, sobering snapshot of Alzheimer’s disease in the United States:
• More than 7 million Americans, aged 65 and older, are living with Alzheimer’s.
• By 2050, that number is projected to nearly double to 13 million.
• One in three older Americans dies with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia.
• Since 2000, deaths from Alzheimer’s have increased by 142%, while deaths from heart disease have declined.
• The projected cost of Alzheimer’s care in the United States for 2025 is $384 billion and is expected to exceed $1 trillion by 2050.
• The lifetime cost of care for one person with dementia is estimated at $405,000, with 70% of that burden falling on families.
• 11.5 million caregivers provide 19.2 billion hours of unpaid care annually, a contribution valued at $420 billion.
Alzheimer’s isn’t just a medical issue – it’s a societal one, touching families, workplaces and entire communities. Although the numbers are staggering, so is the strength of those who show up to fight back.
However you choose to help, your support matters. Stand with the Alzheimer’s Association in advancing research, advocacy and care for families facing this devastating condition.
Do it for those you love. Do it for friends and neighbors. Do it for yourself. Alzheimer’s touches all of us.