October 19, 2009

Care Wisconsin laces up for Alzheimer's Association
Memory Walks

When Care Wisconsin started out as the area’s first adult day center in 1976, the need became clear for help, research, support and respite for those affected by Alzheimer’s disease, including their families and caregivers.

Thirty-three years later, our organization now serves the health and long-term care needs of more than 4,000 frail seniors and adults with disabilities in 10 counties. But Alzheimer’s disease is still at the forefront for our organization and its employees.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, every 70 seconds someone develops this fatal, progressive disease which has become the country’s seventh-leading cause of death. The association’s Memory Walk is the nation’s largest event to raise awareness and funds to fight Alzheimer’s disease.

Many of us at Care Wisconsin are affected in our jobs—and in our personal lives—by caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or by supporting someone who does. Last year, Care Wisconsin fielded teams for Memory Walks in Portage and Madison, with employees donating more than $1,800.

As an organization, Care Wisconsin stepped up its commitment to fighting Alzheimer’s disease in 2009 by sponsoring Memory Walks in six south central Wisconsin cities: Portage, Berlin, Baraboo, Fond du Lac, Madison and Milwaukee between September 12 and October 3. This $4,000 sponsorship contribution laid the foundation, but employees, along with their families and friends, took that and ran with it.

While official tallies are still underway, about 65 of our employees and 35 of their friends and family members participated in Wisconsin Memory Walks. The Volunteerism Committee provided huge support with a variety of local fundraisers including sales of donuts, pizza, baked goods, bracelets, forget-me-nots and flags in our offices to raise additional money for the cause.

In all, Care Wisconsin employees raised $4,500—more than matching our own sponsorship dollars and giving us a grand total of $8,500 given toward Alzheimer’s research for this year!

Special thanks to Mark Lamkins and Julie Sholts for their help organizing the six teams, as well as to team captains Connie Becker, Jennifer Eisenga, Julie Hagen De Keyrel, Jodi Borst, Erika Pearson, Nicole Tackes and Sowmya Nagaraj for all their time and hard work in organizing walkers and fundraising.

Of notable mention: In our first years walking in Baraboo, Fond du Lac and Milwaukee, 23 Care Wisconsin employees recruited 7 family members or friends to boost our presence in those counties. The Care Wisconsin team won special honors at the Berlin Memory Walk, where we placed first in number of walkers (25) and second in money raised ($1,072). In its second year of participation, our Care Wisconsin team in Portage held strong with 12 walkers. And in Madison, we had 33 walkers, nearly double the 17 walkers we had last year.

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