Participants of this year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s leave Chase Palm Park to begin their walk on Saturday.
The Walk to End Alzheimer’s returned to Chase Palm Park in Santa Barbara on Saturday after a hiatus in 2020 due to the covid-19 pandemic.
More than 500 participants walked all over Santa Barbara, starting at 9 a.m., to raise money to end Alzheimer’s disease.
The majority of participants, about 400, walked the 3.1 mile loop along E. Cabrillo Blvd, starting from Chase Palm Park. There were two additional teams walking at different locations in Santa Barbara County, with one team walking at Lake Los Carneros and another in Carpintera.
The event featured a poignant Promise Garden – a mission-focused experience signifying solidarity in the fight against the disease. The colors of the Promise Garden flowers signify their connection to Alzheimer’s – their personal reasons to end the disease. Purple signifies having lost someone to the disease, blue means you are currently living with the disease, yellow signifies that you are a caregiver or loved one and orange signifies that you have no personal connection to the disease but support the fight against it.
This year’s event is supported by the 2021 Santa Barbara Walk to End Alzheimer’s Committee, a strong committee of local professionals and residents who have joined together in a collaborative effort to engage the Santa Barbara community for this important cause. The Committee is spearheaded by honorary chair Gerd Jordano and co-chairs Rhonda Henderson, Leigh Cashman and Katina Zaninovich.
“Alzheimer’s disease is tragic and irreversible and has become a national crisis and global epidemic. Having witnessed the enormous emotional, medical and financial challenges it has created for friends and family caring for their loved ones with dementia has caused me to be a part of finding a solution,” said Ms. Jordano.
Ms. Jordano, Ms. Henderson, Ms. Cashman and Ms. Zaninovich are all members of the Alzeheimer’s association as well as the Alzheimer’s Women’s Initiative. The Women’s Initiative is a subcommittee of the California Central Coast Chapter. The Women’s Initiative was founded by Ms. Jordano, who also MC’d Saturday’s walk. The Women’s Initiative also walked as a team in the event. It was the largest fundraising team bringing in over $30,000.
“I think we all have that passion to find a cure when we are hit hard with the disease. The Walk is a great opportunity to keep everyone engaged in this fight; it doesn’t end because of other things going on and we are here to make a difference,” said Ms. Cashman.
“Imagine what we could accomplish if we had tremendous community involvement in our Walk. We could be part of the solution for a horrible disease that affects so many of our family and friends,” said Ms. Zaninovich.
“This walk means more than just another quick morning walk along the beach. It’s about raising awareness. It gives me the opportunity to honor my grandmother who I lost to this disease and my grandfather who has been diagnosed with dementia. I encourage everyone to come out and feel the support and love for all who are affected by dementia. I’m in the fight to end Alzheimer’s, one walk at a time!” said Ms. Henderson.
A recent report released by the California Department of Public Health shows that the number of people aged 55+ with Alzheimer’s disease in Santa Barbara County is expected to nearly double from 2019 to 2040 – up to a staggering 16,758 people.
In California alone, there are more than 690,000 people living with the disease and 1.12 million family caregivers. Nationwide, more than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease. Over 11 million family members and friends nationwide serve as caregivers to those living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias.
Janelle Boesch, Communications Manager for the California Central Coast Chapter, joined the association partly for professional reasons, but she also has a personal connection to the disease in that her grandmother succumbed to it when she was in the 7th grade. “For me it’s a mixture of being connected to memories of grandma, and wanting to help individuals and families that are struggling with this disease,” Ms. Boesch told the Newspress.
The Alzheimer’s Association surpassed their fundraising goal of $190,00 for today’s event bringing in over $200,000. The money raised during the walk goes to research and support of local families struggling with the disease.
Dessiree Searl
The News-Press was able to interview Dessiree Searl who participated in the walk this morning for the 16th year.
She says the fight against this disease is close to her heart because she has lost several family members to it, including her husband Keith Searl, who passed away in March 2010. Ms. Searl also lost her mother-in-law and two sisters-in-law as well as her youngest son, Brian, who passed away in 2008 just two months shy of his 50th birthday.
“It’s just such a sad disease and you really don’t want to have to see anyone else go through that or have to see their families go through that,” Ms. Searl told the News-Press.
Ms. Searl first started walking because her support group introduced her to Jackie Marston, who at the time ran Villa Alamar Memory Care in Santa Barbara, the same facility where Ms. Searl’s husband was cared for until he passed. Ms. Searl first started walking in 2005 with the Alamar Angel’s team. This team disbanded after a few years and Ms. Searl walked alone or with the support of family and friends. Ms. Searl eventually started the Cambridge Driver’s team. Ms. Searl walked alone this year at Chase Palm Park, but the Cambridge team walked at Lake Los Carneros.
“There has been a good turnout every year. Sack lunches have been provided for participants after the walk in a pre-Covid world as well as more interaction before the walk, including booths for the sponsors of the walk. The Walk has had great venues in past years, mostly at the beach or fairgrounds. The walk is a nice walk, it’s very easy, about 3.1. miles,” said Ms. Searl.
