Everyone walks for a reason.
For some, that reason is a bit closer to home than others.
Each year, the Alzheimer Society Walk for Memories is the largest fundraising event in the province dedicated to increasing awareness and raising funds for vital programs and services that support people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
This year, the Alzheimer Society of Guelph-Wellington held not just one, but two walks – one in Guelph and one in Mount Forest.
Like other chapters throughout Ontario, its mission is “to alleviate the personal and social consequences of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders and to promote research.”
Its role is “to improve the quality of life for those with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias, their families and those who provide care, through support, information, advocacy, education and promotion of research.”
Its vision is “a world without Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders.”
The Alzheimer Society of Guelph-Wellington is a member chapter (since 1987) of the Alzheimer Society of Ontario which has been serving Guelph and Wellington County since 1980.
Jim Tye, board president of the Alzheimer Society of Guelph-Wellington, was at this year’s Walk for Memories event in Mount Forest on Jan. 29. He explained one walk was held at Old Quebec Street in Guelph, while the other was at the Mount Forest Sportsplex. The upstairs walking track in that facility provided the ideal venue for the event while providing a well-lit, comfortable environment.
Tye said that between the two walks, 219 people took part and raised $39,000 – of which $5,000 came as a result of the “Art’s Girls” team in Mount Forest.
“This is about the sixth year a Walk for Memories has taken place in Mount Forest, with probably over 20 years running it in Guelph,” Tye said.
The area to which the local chapter provides support is all of Wellington County, including Guelph, Fergus, Elora, Erin, Rockwood, Arthur, Palmerston, Mount Forest and all the surrounding areas.
“We have five full-time staff that would provide public education to people affected with Alzheimer’s and related dementias, as well as a volunteer companion program where volunteers are lined up with caregivers to give them some time off,” Tye said.
He added the organization “also has a number of support groups for people in the early stages of dementia, as well as caregivers, parents and children.”
He pointed out the walks began as part of a national initiative which ties in National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month in January.
“The walks have been going on for quite some time and include all the chapters across the country,” he said.
Tye explained the reason for the northern walk in Wellington County is, “It’s an area that we support and we wanted to make sure we had representation in both the urban and rural areas.”
As for those taking part in the walk, Tye said, “A lot of them are people who are affected by Alzheimer’s who are still active and mobile, a lot of their families, caregivers and the general public who are out to support the work that we do.”
He noted people can register individually or as teams.
Diane Turk has seen first hand the impact the disease has had on local residents.
Originally employed at the Birmingham Retirement Home, she started with the walk in Mount Forest at that time.
Since then, she’s seen a number of changes, one of which being the switch from an outdoor to an indoor event. She commented that once the new Sportsplex was built, the walk moved indoors.
Now Turk works at the Saugeen Valley Nursing Centre, “so I work very closely with a lot of residents who have Alzheimer’s.” As a result, “this is very near and dear to my heart.”
She’s seen the change in people because of the illness, partly because of her move from one facility to the other over the years.
“I had the chance to know the residents when they were really good in the retirement home. When I moved over to the nursing home, some of them followed over eventually, and I saw the change in them as a result of the Alzheimer’s.
“It’s slowly degraded them, and it’s so hard to see. In my heart it told me I needed to go out and do what I could to help to raise money so we could prevent it from getting that bad.
“The stages are utterly horrible to watch.
“You stop and think about it … the people that they used to be … to the people they are at the end. It’s sad because they are not there anymore.
“It’s so cruel, when you know they had such vitality before that.”
On the day of the walks, “I see a lot of love in people … because they live with it.”
Many of the walkers who participate have been touched by the disease, whether it is a family member, within the community or with friends who have family that are affected by it – they just want to be there to support them in any way they can.
As the event began, Tye told those gathered in the Plume Room, “What an awesome turnout today. We’re probably larger than last year, so this is really great to see.”
Turk then led warm up exercises before participants headed off to the track.
Art’s Girls
Taking part in the event that day was a group affectionately known as Art’s Girls. The group has been a big part of the walk for the past three years.
Art Morrison, formerly of Arthur, was a resident of the Saugeen Valley Nursing Centre.
Muriel and Peggy Morrison spoke briefly of their involvement. Peggy Morrison explained, “Dad has Alzheimer’s and he’s at the Saugeen Valley here in Mount Forest. We started as a result of that.”
Muriel Morrison said people are very supportive.
“It’s warm and encouraging,” Peggy added. “There’s nothing else you can do. At least you feel like you are doing something. I think that is the main thing.
“There’s nothing you can do about the disease, it’s going to progress as it does. This is the uplifting side of it.”
She added it was nice to have the walk in Mount Forest because people from the retirement home are involved.
Muriel said the centre would bring a bus load of people in later that day to take part. Each of Art’s girls had photos prominently attached.
Peggy said this year the team was hoping to raise $4,500. The final tally was $5,000 – just over one-eighth of the total funds raised in Guelph-Wellington.
The first year, the group raised $1,400 as a team, and last year $2,700.
“It’s been an incredible year and everyone was very generous. We we overwhelmed by how generous people are,” Peggy said.
“A lot of people knew Art,” Muriel added.
“He was very well liked,” Peggy said. “Dad was born and raised in Arthur. He always had horses and we had a barn in our backyard, that was his hobby.”
Art also had a trucking company for many years, and in the last few years prior to his retirement, he worked for the United Cooperatives driving a truck.
“What’s funny about that, it was his grandfather who was one of the founders of the United Cooperatives, so it was kind of neat that he ended his career working for them,” said Peggy.
“He was just an all-round great guy. Nobody deserves Alzheimers and he certainly didn’t.”
Sadly, the Sunday following the event, Art passed away.
For more information about the Alzheimer Society of Guelph-Wellington, call 519-836-7672 or check out its website at alzheimer.guelph.org
