Petrolia will hold its first IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s on Saturday, May 13 and organizers are hoping to see a good turnout to mark the occasion.
Alzheimer Society of Sarnia-Lambton Manager of Fund Development and Communications Marie Marcy-Smids said the fundraising walk has grown "exponentially" over the years.
"We looked at the demographic of Petrolia, we have a lot of clients in that area and so it made sense to go to Petrolia," she said. "We've had such a wonderful reception from the Petrolia businesses."
The walk will start from Black Gold Brewery at 11 a.m.
All registered participants will receive a T-shirt and will be offered a lunch for $10 that includes a hamburger or sausage, salad, and a drink.
Since this is the first year the walk is taking place in Petrolia, Marcy-Smids said they're hoping to attract 100 walkers and raise $5,000.
The Petrolia walk will also include an incentive. Participants will be given a passport to get it stamped at businesses in the downtown core during the five-kilometer walk.
"Each one of those businesses has donated a significant prize, most of them are over $100, so when they get back, they can put their passports in ballots to win the prizes," Marcy-Smids said.
The Walk for Alzheimer's in Sarnia is structured differently and goes by monetary donations for first, second, and third prizes. Marcy-Smids said the top prize for the Sarnia walk is a bicycle.
Money raised through both walks will stay in Lambton County and go toward programming and research. Marcy-Smids said one of their programs focuses on education and training first responders.
"So that when they come into a situation [where] they're dealing with somebody with dementia, they have the tools to deal with it effectively," she said.
Alzheimer's and other dementias affect over 3,000 people (over the age of 65) in Sarnia-Lambton.
"So that [number] doesn't account for all the ones under 65," she said. "Then, because dementia is such a long disease, it takes years, so there's the care partners... the people that are living with people with dementia so we support the entire family throughout their journey. So that number then swells to 9,000 for Sarnia-Lambton."
Participants can register online or at the walk itself.
Sarnia's walk will be held on Sunday, May 28, beginning at 9 a.m. from the Suncor Agora at Centennial Park.
A $10 breakfast will be offered after the walk courtesy of Chef Phil Washington. Breakfast will include pancakes, sausage, orange juice, and a Starbucks coffee.