Triple Your Impact This Holiday Season
Triple Your Impact This Holiday Season
Celebrate the holidays with a year-end gift that can go 3x as far to help provide care and support to the millions affected by Alzheimer's disease, and to advance critical research. But please hurry — this 3x Match Challenge ends soon.
Donate NowAlzheimer's Association invites La Crosse area residents to join 2025 Walk to End Alzheimer's, Sept. 20
This year’s Walk will also feature the third annual School Spirit Competition, with more than 400 students from across La Crosse County clubs and teams expected to participate. On Walk morning, each student will receive a Dementia Friends certification from the Dementia Care Specialists of La Crosse County, the largest mass certification ever conducted.
The walk features the inspiring Promise Garden Ceremony, where participants carry colorful flowers, each representing a personal connection to the disease. At 10:00 a.m., the La Crosse Walk will include a Dementia Friendly Wave, featuring a shorter walk route where participants will show their support using the ASL sign for “cheer.” The loud walk wave will begin shortly after.
The Walk is led by dedicated volunteer chairs Terry Erickson, Retired CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater La Crosse and a member of the Alzheimer’s Association State Board of Directors; Brit Walz, President of the ENDALZ Fest Foundation & Instructional Services Director – CESA 4; Sara Wrobel, Executive Director at Causeway Caregivers of La Crosse and OASIS Respite; and Tami Chafer, Senior Sales & Support Specialist at Associated Bank. The Alzheimer’s Association extends its heartfelt thanks to these incredible community leaders for their commitment, passion, and leadership in making this walk possible.
“Walk day is always a moving reminder of the strength and spirit of our community,” said Terry Erickson, Walk to End Alzheimer’s Chair. “Seeing families, students, caregivers, and neighbors walk side by side gives us hope and shows that together we can make a real difference. It’s a day of love, remembrance, and determination to end Alzheimer’s.”
More than 7 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer’s, one of the nation’s leading causes of death. Over 11 million family members and friends provide unpaid care for those affected. In Wisconsin, more than 110,000 people are living with Alzheimer’s, and tens of thousands of caregivers are supporting them every day. In La Crosse County alone, over 2,826 residents age 65 and older are living with dementia.
Exciting progress in both treatments and early detection has brought new hope to millions of families. Breakthroughs in medical science, fueled by decades of research, advocacy, and community support, are helping people receive answers sooner and benefit from new ways to slow the progression of the disease. These advances strengthen our determination to keep moving forward toward a world without dementia.
Professional photographer Tory Kale Schulz will once again be on hand to capture the memorable moments of Walk day. Be on the lookout for the official 2025 Walk highlight video, set to be released this winter.
This year, the Alzheimer’s Association proudly welcomes Bill Schroeder, former Milwaukee Brewers player and longtime television color commentator, as the Honorary Statewide Chair for all 2025 Walk to End Alzheimer’s events in Wisconsin.
To register and receive the latest updates on this year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s, visit: act.alz.org/lacrosse. Pre-registration is encouraged. For questions, please contact CJ Werley, Manager of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, at 414-296-5102.
Sponsors
The Alzheimer’s Association Wisconsin Chapter thanks the numerous volunteers and sponsors of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, including National Presenting Sponsor Edward Jones, Local Presenting Sponsor WalzCraft, and many other local sponsors including Ashley, Associated Bank, Emplify Health by Gundersen, ENDALZ Fest Foundation, J.F. Brennan Company Inc., Mathy Construction Co., O'Brien Physical Therapy & Wellness, S&S Distributing, and Small Towns Doing Big Things, as well as our local media partner Mid-West Family Broadcasting, and statewide media partner Hearst.
Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s®
The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Since 1989, the Alzheimer’s Association mobilized millions of Americans in the Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk®; now the Alzheimer’s Association is continuing to lead the way with Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Together, we can end Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer's Association®
The Alzheimer’s Association is a worldwide voluntary health organization dedicated to Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Its mission is to lead the way to end Alzheimer's and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. Visit alz.org or call 800.272.3900.
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