Recreational and serious walkers alike are gearing up to “take their mark” for the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s® in New Jersey. Central and Northern New Jersey’s scenic venues include Newark’s Weequahic Park and Ridgefield Park’s Overpeck Park this September and October.
As the Alzheimer’s Association’s largest annual fundraising event, the Walk to End Alzheimer’s attracts over 500,000 walkers nationally. This year’s Essex-Hudson-Union Walk is being held on Saturday, September 23rd at Weequahic Park, located at Meeker Avenue & Empire Street in Newark, and the Bergen-Passaic Walk is slated for Sunday, October 15th at Overpeck Park, located at 199 Challenger Rd. in Ridgefield Park. Both are being organized by the association’s Greater New Jersey Chapter.
Walk-day events include a live DJ, team photo opportunities, and post-walk refreshments. In addition, each person that raises $100 or more will receive a 2017 Walk To End Alzheimer’s t-shirt. Both events kick-off with check in at 8:30 a.m., followed by opening ceremonies at 9:45 a.m. and a 10 a.m. start time. Individuals, private and business groups and corporate teams are welcome. There is no fee to start or join a team or participate as an individual. Participants need only set a personal fundraising goal, kick-start it with a self donation and reach out to family, friends and colleagues to reach the pre-established fundraising milestone by walk day.
Corporate, foundation and individual sponsorships also are being sought to join National Presenting Sponsor Edward Jones. To assist individuals, local businesses, corporations and organizations with their fundraising efforts, the Greater New Jersey Chapter provides a free recruitment/fundraising marketing kit, complete with donation canisters and “Casual for a Cause” stickers. Paper flowers, which can be used to create a display in the walk-day Promise Garden, also are available as a team-organized fundraiser.
The color blue represents someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia, purple is symbolic for those who have lost a loved one to the disease, yellow reflects those who are currently supporting or caring for someone with Alzheimer’s and orange reflects the efforts of all those who support the cause and vision a world without Alzheimer’s.
In addition to providing vital funding for face-to-face and online education programs and worldwide research initiatives, the Walk to End Alzheimer’s® events are a critical source of funding for the association’s 24/7 Helpline, a vital round-the-clock, full-service resource for people with memory loss, caregivers, healthcare professionals and the general public. It is the only free, immediate service of its kind available in more than 200 languages. It also is staffed by Alzheimer’s specialists who live in the communities in which they serve as a vital referral resource.
To register for the Essex-Hudson-Union and Bergen-Passaic Walk to End Alzheimer’s or for more information, visit www.alz.org/njwalk.
About Alzheimer’s Association Greater New Jersey Chapter
Formed in 1980, the Greater New Jersey Chapter is the local arm of the national nonprofit organization with a regional office at 999 Riverview Drive in Totowa (Passaic County). The chapter serves constituents in Central and Northern New Jersey who are affected by Alzheimer’s or a related disorder. The Alzheimer’s Association Greater New Jersey Chapter is not affiliated with any New Jersey-based Alzheimer’s-related nonprofit or for-profit entity that does not bear the official, registered trademarked Alzheimer’s Association name. For information about the chapter and the disease, visit alz.org/njwalk, or call the 24/7 Helpline at800.272.3900.
