Helping out in the community and participating in charity-focused events is almost always rewarding, but even more so when the cause is one that’s important to us personally and which we can truly get excited about. That was the case on Saturday, September 24th for many of the Give Back Crew members who walked in The Monroe County, Pennsylvania and Red Wing, Minnesota Walk to End Alzheimer’s events. It was also the case for 15.9 million caregivers and the over 5 million people in the United States living with the disease. While the disease is devastating for those affected by it, the hope of a better future encouraged the GBC and walkers in more than 600 communities across the U.S. to hit the pavement in September in order to raise money and awareness for the nation’s 6th leading cause of death.
At the outset of our campaign in later August, we set what we felt was an attainable yet challenging fundraising goal of $2,000 to be reached over the next few weeks. While at times it seemed as though we would fall short of both our fundraising goal, support from our community surged in the week prior to the walk, propelling us past our target and ramping up the excitement going into the event. It served as a great example of the generosity and willingness to contribute that our friends and family consistently show.
The WPRP Rockstars took a break to grab a team photo at the Monroe County Walk to End Alzheimer’s
A Team Effort
At East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania, the WPRP Rockstars of Linda, Rich and Jackie were joined by Josh, his sister Mandi and brother Rory, as well as Linda’s mother Laura and daughter Brianna. In Minnesota, Jake, Andrea and Dave teamed up as the AK Superhero Squad to walk in Red Wing, Minnesota on the Missippi River bluffs. Both walks were short and sweet, each navigating about 1 mile of walking path, but provided a great opportunity for team building and a little Saturday morning fun while pitching in on the effort to end a disease that impacts nearly everyone in one form or another.
The East Coast team of WPRP Rockstars were part of a larger group of just over 300 participants in the Monroe County Walk to End Alzheimer’s, with the AK Superhero Squad strolling with a group of 171. Together, the two communities raised a high five-worthy $71,845 over the course of the 2016 campaign.
Jake and Andrea stopped by the flower garden at the Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Red Wing
We want to once again thank everyone who showed support for the Give Back Crew, our members and, most importantly, the fight against Alzheimer’s. We wouldn’t have met our fundraising goal without your help. Giving back not only requires the teamwork of Give Back Crew’s members, but the ongoing support and enthusiasm of our friends, family members, industry peers and community members. We had a great experience participating in this year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s and will no doubt be involved with Alzheimer’s Association events in the future.
The Walk to End Alzheimer’s is held annually in communities across the United States, and is the largest event in the world aimed at raising awareness and funding for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. To learn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer’s or the Alzheimer’s Association and how you can participate, visit act.alz.org
