The Midlands Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association plans to walk this weekend in Shelby County. The walk to end Alzheimer’s will be held on Saturday morning at Pioneer Park in Harlan. Registration begins at 8am with the opening ceremonies at 9. Rosalie Sheppard with the Midlands Chapter says there are some staggering stats when it comes to who is affected by Alzheimer’s. According to Sheppard,  “One in every three seniors has Alzheimer’s or dementia. Worldwide or nationwide, every 67 seconds someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.”

She says the fundraising helps continue many different local programs. “We want to have the funding that we can have to enable the Association to continue our education programs here, our support groups that we have had for a number of years. We have an 800 number that people can call 24/7 and talk to a live person. It helps.”

For the Alzheimer’s walk at Pioneer Park, Sheppard says something new is planned: “We’re gonna have a promise garden. It’s where people will get a big flower forget me whirly gate type of thing and we will ask them to plant it in the garden. It makes an impressive thing.”

If you would like more information about Alzheimer’s disease and the association, visit www.alz.org/midlands or contact them at 1-800-272-3900.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)