By Susan Thompson | Lake Panorama Times
For the fifth year in a row, Panora will host the Raccoon River Valley Walk to End Alzheimer’s. This year’s walk is Saturday, Sept. 20. These fundraising events are held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide and constitute the world’s largest fundraiser for Alzheimer’s care, support and research.
There are 19 walks scheduled in Iowa this fall with the Panora walk being the smallest town to host one. Others are in cities such as Ames, Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Des Moines, Fort Dodge, Harlan, Iowa City, Muscatine, Storm Lake and more.
The Raccoon River Valley Walk begins at the Michael Mills Memorial Park at Southeast Fifth Street in Panora. Registration starts at 8:30 a.m. Raccoon Valley Radio will be broadcasting and playing music. New this year is a breakfast food truck to help fuel participants.
An opening ceremony will begin at 9:30 a.m. That will be followed immediately by the two-mile walk that includes a portion of the Raccoon River Valley Trail.
Melissa Borgeson, executive director at The Lakeside Village, is the local committee chair for the Panora walk.
“My mom was diagnosed with vascular dementia the first year we did the walk here in Panora,” Borgeson says. “So, not only do I work with Alzheimer’s, I also now face it personally with my mom. I would love nothing more than to see a world without the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.”
Alzheimer’s kills more than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. One in three seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or another dementia. More than seven million Americans are living with the disease. In 2025, Alzheimer’s and other dementias are projected to cost the United States $384 billion. This number is projected to rise to nearly $1 trillion in 2050.
While there is no fee to register for the walk, all participants are encouraged to raise funds that allow the Alzheimer’s Association to provide 24/7 care and support, and advance research toward methods of prevention, treatment and, ultimately, a cure. The Alzheimer’s Association is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization. All donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.
Every registered participant who achieves the fundraising minimum of $100 will receive by mail an official Walk to End Alzheimer’s T-shirt.
Anyone interested in volunteering to help with the Sept. 20 walk, or who would like to start a team, join an existing team, or make a donation, can get more information and register online at https://act.alz.org. Under “Find a Walk,” enter the Panora zip code of 50216.