Walk to End Alzheimer’s Sept. 16 at Hodag Dome

The Alzheimer’s Association is inviting area residents to join the fight to end Alzheimer’s by participating in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s® - Rhinelander presented by MP Systems to be held on Sept. 16 at the Hodag Dome, 863 Hodag Dome Drive, Rhinelander.

The event will open at 8:30 a.m. with the Opening Ceremony at 9:40 a.m. immediately followed by the Walk at 10 a.m. 

“We’re very excited to be kicking off the event at the Hodag Dome, which is the largest air-supported high school dome in the nation,” organizers said in a press release. “Duff Damos from NRG Media, will serve as master of ceremonies to welcome individuals, families, and members of the community.”

The Walk is chaired by Jim Brust, Brust Consulting. 

“We’re so excited to be joining together this year as a Walk community,” said Brust. “The need is stronger than ever to support all those affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementia. With the dollars raised, the Alzheimer’s Association can continue to provide care and support to families on this difficult journey, while also advancing critical research toward methods of treatment and prevention.”

In this new era with Alzheimer’s treatments advancing, walkers are fighting for a different future for families facing Alzheimer’s and other dementia, organizers said. They walk in honor of loved ones impacted by the disease and future generations. The walk begins with a poignant Promise Garden ceremony where walkers hold a colored flower representing their personal connection to the cause. They may have lost someone (purple), be fighting the disease (blue), a caregiver (yellow), or an advocate for the cause (orange).

“We are also excited to share that Craig Coshun, sportscaster covering the Brewers and the Bucks, will be the Honorary Chair for the 2023 Walk to End Alzheimer’s supporting all Wisconsin Walks,” the release continues. “Coshun lost his mother to Alzheimer’s and is active in the Sportscasters Against Alzheimer’s initiative.”

To register and receive updates on this year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s, visit: act.alz.org/rhinelander. Pre-registration is encouraged. For questions or assistance, call 800-272-3900.

The Alzheimer’s Association Wisconsin Chapter thanks the volunteers and sponsors of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, including National Presenting Sponsor — Edward Jones, local presenting sponsor MP Systems, and media partner NRG Media.

More than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease — a leading cause of death in the United States. Additionally, more than 11 million family members and friends provide care to people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. In Wisconsin, there are more than 120,000 people living with the disease and 191,000 serving as caregivers. In Oneida County alone, more than 1,000 individuals age 65 and older are living with dementia.