Individuals across the Bay Area gathered for the San Francisco Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s event on November 5, 2022, raising nearly $900,000 for research, care, and support.
The annual event, emceed by Grant Lodes of KRON4 and Reggie Aqui of ABC7, started with a community gathering at Pier 27, where participants enjoyed a heartfelt Promise Garden Ceremony. This beloved tradition allowed participants to showcase different colored flowers to represent their promise to remember, honor, care for, and fight for those living with Alzheimer’s.
The San Francisco Police Department Lion Dance Team provided pre-ceremony entertainment with music from UCSF Global Brain Health Institute’s Memory and Aging Center Band, “Swingin’ Synapses & Friends.” Additional entertainment included walk route Zumba and music from CVS Health and WorkoutTemps, plus a photo area with San Francisco Giants mascot Lou Seal.
Participants got their bodies moving during a Zumba warm-up with Denise Lum before embarking on a 1-mile or 2-mile scenic route through the Embarcadero, home to several waterfront attractions on the city’s eastern shoreline.
The event was not only a great fundraising opportunity, but it also brought together several well-known San Franciscans. Congressional Representatives Calvin Ho, Zahra Hajee, and Sarah Crow from the Congressional Offices of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senator Alex Padilla, and Senator Dianne Feinstein were in attendance to support the Alzheimer’s Association’s mission.
The leadership team behind the successful fundraiser includes Community Engagement Volunteer Chair Kim Lundgren, Event Experience Volunteer Chair Stan Wong, Senior Director of Walk to End Alzheimer’s Drue Banta, and Manager of Walk to End Alzheimer’s Lindsay Ward.
The event wouldn’t be possible without its national presenting sponsors, Edwards Jones and CVS Health. Additional sponsors include Dolby Laboratories, the San Francisco Chronicle, Coterie Cathedral Hill, and Atria Senior Living. The organization would also like to thank Dignity Health, Prothena, Frank Residences, Charles Schwab & Co., Make It Better Media Group, ABC7, Genentech, CPMC Ray Dolby Brain Health Center and Sutter Care at Home, Institute on Aging, San Carlos Elms, The Trousdale, Kaiser Permanente, Wilson Sonsini Foundation, Bailard Foundation, MUFG Union Bank, On Lok, PicnicHealth, AppsFlyer, and Merrill Gardens.
Held annually in more than 600 communities, the Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the nation’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support, and research. More than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, and more than 600,000 people are facing the disease in California alone.
In addition to support groups and individualized family consultation services, the Alzheimer’s Association offers free educational workshops, presentations, and training. A $200 donation offsets the cost of 50 individuals attending an hour-long ALZ workshop.
The San Francisco Walk will continue to fundraise until December 31, 2022. You can donate here.
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Jessica Braun Gervais is a Chicago-based freelance writer specializing in health, wellness, and fitness. She earned a B.A. in Journalism from Columbia College and has written content for various health and wellness institutions. Jessica Braun’s passion for wellness comes from her life as an elite athlete competing in Muay Thai kickboxing competitions across the country. In addition to sharing her expertise through writing, Jessica Braun also works as a group fitness instructor and personal trainer. When she’s not writing or training, Jessica Braun enjoys reading historical fiction novels, discovering new coffee shops, and cuddling with her cattle dog, Brady.
