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Walk to End Alzheimer's held in Rehoboth Beach

The Rehoboth Beach WETA event co-chairs Sarah Gilmour, left, and Tawnya Dennis pause for a photo prior to the walk. BY STEVEN BILLUPS
Steven Billups
October 14, 2014
Members of the Sussex County branch of Alzheimer’s Association Delaware Valley Chapter are (l-r) volunteers Jill Brittingham and Valerie Birkett, Sussex County Program Coordinator Jamie Magee and volunteer Lillis Avery. BY STEVEN BILLUPS
A small part of the large group of walkers from Delaware State University stop for a photo. Shown are (l-r) Carlin Simpson, Kierra Jackson and Surayyah Fluellen. BY STEVEN BILLUPS
Mary's Melody, the top fundraisers for the Rehoboth walk, gather before the opening ceremonies. Shown are (l-r) Kent Liddle, Donna Tanquay, Kim Skotzko, Donna Murray, Marie Curran, Aubre Duncan, Jimmy Fagan, Danette Travaglini and Eddie Duncan. BY STEVEN BILLUPS
WBOC correspondent, host and event emcee Sean Streicher  talks to the gathered walkers during the opening ceremony. BY STEVEN BILLUPS
Alzheimer’s Association Delaware Valley Chapter Senior Vice President Claire Day accepts a check from John Wood of Fenwick Island. Wood has been holding dances over the last year to raise funds to fight Alzheimer's. BY STEVEN BILLUPS
Walkers raise a Promise Garden during the opening ceremonies.The blue flower represents someone with Alzheimer's or dementia. The purple flower is for someone who has lost a loved one to the disease. The yellow flower is for caregivers and the orange flower is for everyone who supports the cause of a world without Alzheimer's. BY STEVEN BILLUPS
The walkers make their way out onto Rehoboth Avenue beginning their 3.5 mile walk. BY STEVEN BILLUPS

Alzheimer's Association Delaware Valley Chapter held its annual Walk to End Alzheimer's Oct 4. Starting at The Grove park in Rehoboth Beach, and making a loop by way of the Boardwalk, 396 walkers helped to raise over $75,000 so far. WTEA is the Alzheimer’s Association Delaware Valley Chapter’s signature fundraiser.

The dollars WTEA participants raise help fund research, caregiver support groups, early stage initiatives, consumer education, community outreach, and many other programs and services the chapter offers to as many as 26,000 Delawareans who are affected by Alzheimer's or a related disorder.

Every 67 seconds someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s, a degenerative brain disease that affects more than five million people across the country. Approximately 200,000 are younger than 65, and in rarer cases, some as young as 30.

Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia, is the nation’s sixth-leading cause of death, and the only top-10 cause of death that has no cure, can’t be prevented or even slowed. The disease causes severe memory loss, confusion, and changes in thinking and behavior, eventually leaving the person with dementia unable to care for him or herself.

For more information go to www.alz.org/delval.



 

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