Kelowna volunteers are needed to make memories matter at next spring’s Investors Group Walk for Alzheimer’s
Looking for a way to make a difference? The country’s biggest fundraiser for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias is looking for volunteers for the Kelowna walk.
The fun and family-friendly walk looking for a volunteer to chair this year’s event, which takes place on the first Sunday of May. Other volunteer positions also need to be filled, organizers said.
Marg Rodgers, who has been a volunteer walk chair for more than a decade, says of her experience: “The personal rewards are many. The best reward is to see residents of our community joining us on the day of the event to share that common cause. They have an opportunity to bring help and hope to those in our community facing dementia.”
It’s estimated that 70,000 British Columbians live with Alzheimer’s or another dementia, and that number is expected to more than double in the next generation.
Carly Gronlund, the support and education coordinator for the non-profit Alzheimer Society of B.C. for Kelowna and the North and Central Okanagan region, says the Walk plays an important role in helping local residents and caregivers whose lives have affected by dementia.
“People who volunteer can make a real difference in Kelowna. It’s so satisfying for them to know that the funds raised here help support the programs and services of the Alzheimer Society of B.C. in our community,” said Gronlund.
The 2016 Walk in Kelowna raised $111,875.
“There is no better feeling than sharing a common cause with a group of volunteers,” Rodgers said.
The Alzheimer Society of B.C. provides in-depth training, resources and ongoing support, to ensure committee leaders have the best event experience possible.
“I always tell people who are interested in joining a Walk committee that it’s like baking a cake,” said Rodgers. “You have a recipe to follow. Gather the needed ingredients together in the right order. Mix in the proper order. Follow the method. Bake at the right temperature for the right amount of time and you will have results. It is just that easy.”
Candidates for the chair position should have some organizational skills, live or work in Kelowna, and be enthusiastic, driven and community-minded. Other volunteers may also be needed to serve on the Walk committee.
If you are interested in volunteering, or would like more information, contact Melanie Munroe at mmunroe@alzheimerbc.org or 604-742-4915.