THUNDER BAY – Taking last year’s Walk for Alzheimer’s outdoors last year proved to be such a big success organizers decided to do it again in 2017.
Randy Moore, president of the Alzheimer’s Society of Thunder Bay, on Thursday said their first venture to Prince Arthur’s Landing brought in a record $60,000, so this time around they’re shooting for $70,000.
“It’s basically the biggest fundraiser we have every year,” Moore said. “The walk brings together families and individuals who have been affected by dementia and Alzheimer’s, and people who are just supportive of the organization.
“We raise funds and do a walk around the waterfront.”
The money is a key component to the local chapter’s ability to provide services to clients in the city, where there is about 2,300 people living with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
“Them, and their care partners, both need a lot of support and we help provide a lot of knowledge and lot of the information that helps them along that path,” Moore said.
“This fundraiser is imperative. We couldn’t function without it. This walk alone raises almost 10 per cent of our annual budget and every dollar that’s raised stays in Thunder Bay. The funds are used to provide counseling, group support, public education – any one of the numerous programs we offer at the Alzheimer’s Society of Thunder Bay.”
The walk is scheduled to take place on May 27 at Prince Arthur’s Landing.
Moore said they launched the fundraising component three months in advance to give participants an opportunity to collect pledges.
For more information, visit www.walkforalzheimers.ca or phone 345-9556.
