Bowdoin students, staff and faculty members will come together for the 20th annual Memory Walk tomorrow at 9 a.m. The Memory Walk seeks to raise money to find a cure for Alzheimer's disease, as well as to promote overall awareness of the disease.
Memory Walk, which is organized by the Alzheimer's Association, is a nation-wide event occurring in all 50 states. This year, four walks will occur in Maine, with the closest being held at Topsham Town Hall. The three other Maine walks will take place in Lewiston, Lincoln and Portland.
This is the seventh year the Bowdoin community will participate in the Memory Walk. Bowdoin's involvement with the event is a result of the efforts of Sherrie Bergman, President of the Board of Directors of the Maine Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. The Memory Walk is the largest fundraiser for the Chapter, which not only raises money towards research for a cure but also provides a 24-hour support hotline for anyone who is affected by the disease. In Maine, one in seven people have Alzheimer's disease—the highest percentage nationwide, according to Bergman.
Two teams, each comprised of twelve people, will represent Bowdoin on Saturday. The teams will be headed by Instructional Media Services Librarian Carmen Greenlee, and Deputy Chief Information Officer Rebecca Sandlin. One team comprises Bowdoin students, staff and faculty members and hopes to raise $1,700; the other team comprises members of the women's ice hockey team and hopes to raise $500.
All are welcome to join and there is no fee to walk. Those who prefer to run may participate in the "Run For Safe Passage," a separate event which will occur on Sunday at 10 a.m. All proceeds of this event will support Safe Passage, an organization founded by Hanley Denning '92, which works to combat poverty through education.