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Walk To End Alzheimer's Smashes Goal Before One Step Is Taken

About 500 people showed up Saturday for the third annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s in the Wasatch Back. It’s their first time at the Basin Rec and Melissa Allison said, it was a sea of purple:
 

The colorful flower pinwheels were not just a decoration at Saturday’s event. Each color represented someone who has or is currently dealing with Alzheimer’s.

The goal three years ago was to raise $35,000 to bring awareness and support for those dealing with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers.

The goal this year was $96,000 and Event Co-Chair Debbie Morton says they exceeded it the night before the event.

“This year our goal was $96,000 and we reached it last night," Morton said. "Yeah, so we’re entering - the first year, I think we barely made the $35,000 so, its grown immensely.”

Morton said one in 10 people over 75 are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and that it takes a team of three to care for them and Park City is not immune.

Director of Development Laura Wall said you’re not alone. 

“Everyone here is affected by Alzheimer’s disease somehow, somewhere in their family or friends or whatever," Wall said. "You don’t have to face this disease alone - we’re here 24/7. You can call our 800 number which is 1-800 272-3900. Two-hundred-forty-six languages and dialects so we’re there. And we’re raising money for care and support, we’re raising awareness.”

Executive Director Ronnie Daniels said their event does more than raise money.

“It brings people together," Daniels said. "And they look around and say, ‘Man, there’s so many other people that are going through what I’m going through, they know what I’m living with and they’re here to help.’ That’s the beauty of this event.”

Hope Malloy was walking with Team Lutherans Walk Boldly and was joined by her children. She held a poster with a picture of her mother Linda Bird who lived in Park City at the time of her diagnosis.

“She was a model, she was an interior designer," Malloy said. "She was so creative and talented, and she just was taken from us way too young at the age of 72.”

She was her mother’s caregiver along with her aunt Jane Williams. Both agree being a caregiver takes a lot of patience and taking care of yourself is important.

“Get respite care for yourself," Malloy said. "Get a lot of people to go behind you and support you and really, all be together. Try to get through it one day at a time, because it was definitely harder in the years after the diagnosis and there to the end.”

Team Basin Rec Dance has 20 members and Co-Captain Charlene Johnson said they want to make Alzheimer’s a thing of the past.

“We feel that dance helps our brains and so you can see we’re from various ages," Johnson said. "Some of us have had knee replacements, hip replacements, we just, want to make it so that we don’t ever need a brain replacement. So, learning different steps, it helps our brains.”

By the end of the walk – they had raised more than $100,000 and Wall said by the time they close their books – they’ll probably hit $110,000.

I’m Melissa Allison, KPCW News.

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