MUSCATINE, Iowa–Though downtown Muscatine burst at the seams with activities Friday, Sept. 24, a large group of people gathered to take part in this year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s. In addition to increasing awareness about the prevalence of Alzheimer’s and other dementias, and the importance of finding treatments for them, the walk also exceeded organizer’s fundraising goals.

For the first time in two years, the Walk to End Alzheimer’s stepped off from the Red Brick Building (Pearl City Station) in person. Though organizers did not know what to expect, they welcomed the more than 100 people who chose to participate in the walk. “We had 126 registered walkers, and despite everything going on in town that night and the continued concerns with the COVID-19 pandemic, we had a wonderful turn out for walkers showing wonderful support for those living with Alzheimer’s, caregivers, and those who have lost someone to Alzheimer’s,” reported Walk to End Alzheimer’s organizer Megan Francis.

Together, the walkers raised $24,265, surpassing the walk’s original goal of $22,000. These funds will go directly to the Alzheimer’s association, which funds research to find cures for Alzheimer’s and other dementias and also provides local and national support to people with Alzheimer’s or dementia and their caregivers. For a second year in a row, Sunnybrook at Muscatine’s Making Memories team raised the most money, with individuals Megan Jones, Willie Leza, and Victoria Francis receiving honorable mentions as well.

Though the Walk to End Alzheimer’s represents the biggest push each year to raise awareness and funds, the walk’s organizing committee will have several other initiatives over the next several months to maintain support for their cause. If you would like to donate on behalf of an individual or team who participated in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s you may still donate online through the end of December. Additionally, walk organizers will announce plans for other fun awareness and fundraising activities that will take place later this fall and into the holiday season. For those who would like to help plan these or future events, Francis recommends reaching out to committee organizers by email.

In a year when organizers felt unsure about how the community would receive an in person walk, they feel elated to have raised such a large amount of funds and to have helped more people learn about Alzheimer’s and the work to find a cure for it and other dementias. “This has been an amazing year of fundraising; this is the “first year since the walk came back in 2019 that we have passed our fundraising goal, but just as important is the awareness and support we are bringing to the Fight against Alzheimer’s,” said Francis.