Montana's Walk to End Alzheimer’s at Centene Stadium returning after pandemic

Nicole Girten
Great Falls Tribune
The 2021 Walk to End Alzheimer's will take place at Centene Stadium this Saturday.

The Montana Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association will be hosting their Walk to End Alzheimer’s at the Centene Stadium this Saturday after holding last year’s event virtually due to the pandemic, according to a release. 

“COVID-19 kept us apart in 2020, but the Montanans who share our commitment to finding a cure for Alzheimer’s are ready to gather together in honor of their loved ones and raise funds to find a prevention or cure for this horrible disease,” said Denise Smith, Executive Director for the Montana Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.

The Association’s fundraising goal is $46,000 and they are working towards recruiting walkers and team sponsors for the event. The proceeds from the event fund programs and services for those with an Alzheimer's diagnosis, along with services for family and caregivers. 

The release said more than 22,000 Montanans and 6.2 million people in the U.S. live with Alzheimer’s  and that it’s the sixth-leading cause of death and the only major disease without a prevention or cure. More than 16,000 family and friends in Montana are serving as unpaid caregivers, providing an estimated 24 million hours of support in 2020 valued at more than $425,000, according to the release.

“The six Walks to End Alzheimer’s across the state are the primary source of funds for services offered through the Montana Chapter,” Smith said. “Combined, we have a statewide fundraising goal of $421,000 for 2021.”

The event will start with registration at 9 a.m. and opening ceremonies will follow.

For more information, call the free 24/7 Alzheimer’s Association Helpline at 800-272-3900. To register, volunteer or make a donation to Great Falls Walk to End Alzheimer’s, go to www.alz.org/walk.

Edward Jones and CVS Health are national presenting sponsors of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Local sponsors include BeeHive Homes, Benefis Health System, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Century Gaming Technologies, Discreet Solutions, Ed and Sue Warren, Northwest Farm Credit Services, Sletten Construction, and Underriner Motors.

Nicole Girten is a Government Watchdog Reporter at the Great Falls Tribune. You can email her at ngirten@greatfallstribune.com. To support coverage of Great Falls and Cascade County subscribe to the Tribune by finding the "Subscribe" link at the top of the page.