The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s takes place on Sunday, Oct. 19 at Jack Kilby Square. The venue opens at 10 a.m., and the opening ceremony will begin at 10:45 a.m., followed by the walk.

The Walk to End Alzheimer’s Car Show for a Cause will be going on at Lakin Ave. between Kansas and Main Street, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Slade Mohr Racing will be there, so people are invited to see Mohr’s car and take a photo with him. The show is sponsored by A1 Automotive and Joe’s Plumbing. Mohr is a Great Bend High School graduate, now attending Kansas State University. He is participating in the car show in honor of his grandmother.

Deklyn Craven said he is accepting entries for a $10 donation to the Alzheimer’s Association. As of Thursday afternoon, there were 15 entries. For more information about entering a vehicle, email djmcraven2004@gmail.com.

People will also be able to buy homemade cookies and enter a raffle to win a vehicle from Rusty Eck Ford in Wichita.

The Great Bend goal is to raise $20,000, said Angela Delgado-Sycz, executive event chair and community educator for the Alzheimer’s Association, Central & Western Kansas. As of Thursday morning, teams had raised $16,618 – 83% of the goal.

“We would love to make the goal this year and we are not far behind,” she said.

Fundraising efforts and sponsorships allow the Alzheimer’s Association to offer a wide variety of services free of charge for those in need, Delgado-Sycz said. The Walk is the major fundraiser of the year and most of the funds raised will stay in Barton County. Services include a 24/7 helpline (800-272-3900) with assistance from multilingual, Master level clinicians; monthly Caregiver Support Groups at the Volunteers In Action office at 1025 Main St., D-114, Great Bend, and at the Ellinwood Community Hospital; online training (www.alz.org/cwkansas); and care plan consultations.

“This is a pivotal moment in the fight against Alzheimer’s. There are now treatments that can change the course of the disease,” said Fe Vorderlandwehr, executive director for the Alzheimer’s Association Central and Western Kansas Chapter. “We hope that everyone in our community can join us by starting a team to help the Alzheimer’s Association raise awareness and funds for families facing the disease today, take more steps toward treatments and finally ending this disease.”

On Walk day, participants honor those affected by Alzheimer’s with the poignant Promise Garden ceremony – a mission-focused experience that signifies our solidarity in the fight against the disease. During the ceremony, walkers will carry flowers of various colors, each color representing their personal connection to the disease.

Walk Manager Annalynn Kirkhart manages the relationships with national sponsors such as Edward Jones Financial Services (which has sponsored the Walk in Great Bend for the past 10 years) and Brookdale Senior Living, as well as local sponsors such as the University of Kansas Health System, P&S Electric and Delgado’s Restaurant. Organizers also connect with local civic organizations such as Pilot Club and Rotary to strengthen national partnerships. Local Rotary Club President Tory Blew recently scheduled the Alzheimer’s Association to attend a meeting, and Pilot Club member Rhonda Knudson is a board member of the Alzheimer’s Association and a grand champion fundraiser.

Barton County volunteers have stepped up their presence at community events in the past year, walking in parades and serving as greeters at Final Fridays on Forest events (including the one this past Friday).

“My main goal – aside from fundraising – is to increase our volunteerism and community awareness of the free resources available,” Delgado-Sycz said. “There is support to help families and caregivers.”

Education has also been a major initiative. Recently, volunteers and community educators connected with first responders, including the Ellinwood Police Department, to provide free training and tips on how to respond in situations involving a person living with dementia.

More than seven million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease – a leading cause of death in the United States. Additionally, nearly 12 million family members and friends provide care to people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. In 2020, there were 54,000 Kansans living with Alzheimer’s, including 5,200 (more than 11%) in Barton County. One in three senior citizens dies with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. 

Anyone who would like to invite the Alzheimer’s Association to speak to a group, is interested in volunteering, or would like to donate can email Delgado-Sycz at adsycz@gmail.com or Walk Manager Annalynn Kirkhart at ankirkhart@alz.org.