Hundreds Walk To Support Alzheimer’s Research
October 15, 2018
By PETE DELEA
Daily News-Record 10/15/18
HARRISONBURG — About 10 years ago, Bridgewater resident Mary Kay Adams started to notice little things about her husband, Gary Adams.
The most obvious was forgetfulness, which was unusual for the Bridgewater College professor emeritus of music, now 74.
In 2016, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
“Emotionally, it is very difficult,” his 64-year-old wife said. “It’s a roller coaster. You see the person you love losing ground every day. You’re losing the person while they are in front of you.”
On Saturday morning, the Adamses joined 600 other people for the annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds.
This is Mary Kay Adams’ third year walking in the fundraiser with her team, “Hope for a Cure.” Her team raised roughly $10,000.
Joni Runzo, the Alzheimer’s Association’s development manager for the Harrisonburg and Greater Augusta area, helped organize this year’s walk.
Runzo said the walk’s goal is to raise money and awareness of the degenerative brain disease.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 5.7 million adults suffer from Alzheimer’s. It’s the sixth- leading cause of death among adults.
“It’s the only cause that you can’t really slow down or cure,” Runzo said.
It’s important, she said, that people talk about the disease.
“There’s not a lot of awareness,” she said. “For so many years, a lot of people didn’t talk about Alzheimer’s. But, with these walks, folks see that they are not alone.”
This year, the local event raised roughly $145,000 of the yearly goal of $180,000. Donations are still being accepted through the organization’s website, www.alz.org/cwva.
Of the money raised, almost half was raised by James Madison University’s Sigma Kappa sorority.
Each year, the national sorority focuses on raising funds for Alzheimer’s research. Each chapter is tasked with raising money in their communities.
This year, JMU’s chapter raised about $64,000, leading all Sigma Kappa teams throughout the country.
Melanie Sill, vice president
of philanthropic service for JMU’s chapter, said the sorority of about 200 women bonded through the experience.
“Most of the girls have some type of connection to the disease,” said Sill, a 21-year-old senior from Sterling. “It affects them personally. We’re all pretty passionate about it.”
The psychology major said many of the Sigma Kappa members held individual fundraisers, and the sorority itself held several this semester.
The sorority hosted a taco night, selling tickets to fellow students for $5. The group raised $4,000 that night.
“It’s really rewarding to see my sisters step up and show how passionate they are,” said Sill, who attended the walk for all four years she’s been at JMU.
Daily News-Record 10/15/18
HARRISONBURG — About 10 years ago, Bridgewater resident Mary Kay Adams started to notice little things about her husband, Gary Adams.
The most obvious was forgetfulness, which was unusual for the Bridgewater College professor emeritus of music, now 74.
In 2016, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
“Emotionally, it is very difficult,” his 64-year-old wife said. “It’s a roller coaster. You see the person you love losing ground every day. You’re losing the person while they are in front of you.”
On Saturday morning, the Adamses joined 600 other people for the annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds.
This is Mary Kay Adams’ third year walking in the fundraiser with her team, “Hope for a Cure.” Her team raised roughly $10,000.
Joni Runzo, the Alzheimer’s Association’s development manager for the Harrisonburg and Greater Augusta area, helped organize this year’s walk.
Runzo said the walk’s goal is to raise money and awareness of the degenerative brain disease.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 5.7 million adults suffer from Alzheimer’s. It’s the sixth- leading cause of death among adults.
“It’s the only cause that you can’t really slow down or cure,” Runzo said.
It’s important, she said, that people talk about the disease.
“There’s not a lot of awareness,” she said. “For so many years, a lot of people didn’t talk about Alzheimer’s. But, with these walks, folks see that they are not alone.”
This year, the local event raised roughly $145,000 of the yearly goal of $180,000. Donations are still being accepted through the organization’s website, www.alz.org/cwva.
Of the money raised, almost half was raised by James Madison University’s Sigma Kappa sorority.
Each year, the national sorority focuses on raising funds for Alzheimer’s research. Each chapter is tasked with raising money in their communities.
This year, JMU’s chapter raised about $64,000, leading all Sigma Kappa teams throughout the country.
Melanie Sill, vice president
of philanthropic service for JMU’s chapter, said the sorority of about 200 women bonded through the experience.
“Most of the girls have some type of connection to the disease,” said Sill, a 21-year-old senior from Sterling. “It affects them personally. We’re all pretty passionate about it.”
The psychology major said many of the Sigma Kappa members held individual fundraisers, and the sorority itself held several this semester.
The sorority hosted a taco night, selling tickets to fellow students for $5. The group raised $4,000 that night.
“It’s really rewarding to see my sisters step up and show how passionate they are,” said Sill, who attended the walk for all four years she’s been at JMU.
