Page 53 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2022 - Online Magazine

SENIOR RESOURCES

THE ALZHEIMER’S

ASSOCIATION

he Alzheimer’s Association Lubbock
office is part of the West Texas Chapter Heather Simmons is the Walk Manager in Lubbock and can be
Tof the Alzheimer’s Association, which serves 80 reached at 806-412-0729 or hesimmons@alz.org for sponsorships,
counties throughout West Texas. Locally, the Alzheimer’s team sign-ups, and volunteer opportunities. More information
Association hosts two major annual fundraising events can be found at alz.org/walk.
to provide our community with Alzheimer’s and other
dementia care, support, and research. Funds raised through The Longest Day and the Walk to End
Alzheimer’s are used locally to provide support groups,
The Longest Day (TLD) is our peer-to-peer fundraising education, community outreach, and our 24/7 helpline. We
campaign where individuals, local organizations, and know that a day in the life of a person living with Alzheimer’s
businesses host individual fundraisers in support of or dementia, or even a day in the life of a their caregiver, can be
the Alzheimer’s Association West Texas Chapter. TLD very challenging to navigate.
participants can choose an activity of their choice, using
their business model, hobbies, or passions to raise funds and Although recent research has led to medication to help slow the
awareness. The Longest Day campaign culminates on the progression and symptoms of the disease, a cure has yet to be
Summer Solstice each June, but events happen within the found. Our hope is to be a guiding light and resource to those in
community all year long. Anyone can participate! the Lubbock community who are affected by Alzheimer’s and
all other dementia-related diseases and to continue to fund local
Leyna Little is the Longest Day Manager for the Lubbock research efforts, until a cure is found.
office. Leyna can be reached at 806-205-6824 or lrford@
alz.org. More information can also be found at alz.org/ Join the fight for the first Alzheimer’s survivor!
thelongestday.
Our largest and longest-running fundraiser is the Walk to
End Alzheimer’s, which has been active in the community
for over 20 years. The route is an accessible one-mile walk
for all ages and capabilities. The Walk to End Alzheimer’s
thrives off local sponsors, company teams, family teams,
and individuals who fundraise and participate in the event.
It is so encouraging to see our supporters back each year to
join our fight for the Alzheimer’s “first survivor.” Miniature
ponies, food trucks, free coffee and donuts, a kids’ corner,
the Corvette Club, and more come together to make the
Walk to End Alzheimer’s fun for the whole family.

Each participant at the event gets to hold a colored flower
during the ceremony, then plant it in the Promise Garden.
Each color of flower represents something different:

Blue a person living with Alzheimer’s or other dementia
Yellow a caregiver of someone living the disease
Purple someone who has lost a loved one to the disease
Orange someone who supports our cause and vision for a
world without Alzheimer’s.

During the ceremony, a single white flower is introduced,
and traditionally held by a child to signify our vision for
the first survivor of Alzheimer’s or other dementia-related
diseases.

We hope to see you at the 2022 Walk to End
Alzheimer’s on November 5, 2022, at the Moonlight
Musical’s Amphitheatre at 9:30am.

Lubbock Senior Link 53