Aiken’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s steps off at 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, capping weeks of local fundraising ahead of the annual event that draws walkers to raise money for Alzheimer’s research, education and support services.
Organizers have been building toward the walk with a series of community fundraisers, including a Purple Push Party fundraiser hosted this week at Cumberland Village, a senior living community that rallied residents, staff and supporters for a final fundraising push. The event combined an awareness-building gathering with last-minute donation collection ahead of Saturday’s walk, tying the senior community directly into the broader Alzheimer’s Association fundraising effort taking place across the area.
The walk itself follows the format used in past years, with participants gathering to walk together in a show of support for people affected by Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers. Photos from previous years show walkers gathering in matching purple gear, a color widely associated with Alzheimer’s awareness campaigns nationally.
Money raised through both the walk and lead-up events like the Cumberland Village gathering goes toward Alzheimer’s Association research funding and local support programs, including caregiver resources and educational outreach for families navigating a diagnosis. Organizers have encouraged residents who have not yet registered or donated to do so before Saturday’s walk begins.
