EDINA, Minn. — The Waters of Edina hosted its own "Walk to End Alzheimer's" fundraising event at Countryside Park in Edina on Tuesday afternoon.
"Hosting our own community walk is a great way for [residents] to participate in the worthy cause of the Alzheimer's Association," said Judy Mathis, the active life manager at the Waters of Edina.
The community has hosted similar walks in the past, but Mathis says this is their biggest event yet because neighboring schoolchildren from Countryside Elementary took part as well.
"It's a little extra special having the intergenerational piece," said Mathis.
Although the Twin Cities has its annual walk in downtown Minneapolis, Mathis said it is not accessible to everyone who wants to participate.
"In the past, we have taken residents to Target Field for the walk but logistically, it's a little hard. Not everyone is able to navigate the entire walk," Mathis said. "Having it at the Waters was the perfect resolution to being able to have everyone participate where they normally wouldn't have been to."
Including Waters of Edina resident, Carolyn Schroeder, who says the walk is personal.
"If you live as long as most of us who live here, you do know someone with Alzheimer's. It is just the saddest thing in the world to have someone who was vibrant and extremely intelligent start losing their way … it's tragic," said Schroeder.
Each participant was given a flower and a purple necklace as they completed the quarter-mile walk in support of Alzheimer's research and the American Alzheimer’s Association.
On its website, the association says the purple represents "combining the calm stability of blue and the passionate energy of red makes a statement about the Association's members and supporters."
"The Waters of Edina is a very engaged social community. They are a philanthropic community and they love to support causes near and dear to them," said Mathis.
The Twin Cities' annual Walk to End Alzheimer's will take place on Sept. 17 at Target Field.
The event has already raised over $800,000 out of its $1.4 million goal. All proceeds will be going to the “care, support and research efforts of the Alzheimer's Association.”
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