Bonnie Blair Cruikshank, five time Olympic gold medalist in speed skating will be the honorary chair person at the first ever Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk on Saturday, Sept. 11 at Fowler Park in Oconomowoc. Blair Cruikshank will kick off the event during the opening ceremony that morning.
“I’m excited to be able to participate in Oconomowoc’s first walk,” Blair Cruikshank said. “I got involved with the organization back in 2003 at a time when my mom had been diagnosed with dementia. I’ve done it every year since and have also been involved in the Champions of Alzheimer’s Group to raise awareness about the disease.”
Blair Cruikshank hopes to bring enough awareness and notoriety for the cause that eventually a cure will be found.
“One hopes that we can find a cure,” she said. “It’s a really difficult disease for everyone involved, for the person who suffers and knows that something isn’t quite right and for everyone around that person, it’s really crummy, but that’s what the walk is about. To celebrate the progress we’ve made and hope for more progress in the future.”
In 2009, The Alzheimer’s Association of southeastern Wisconsin raised just over $500,000 for the cause. This year, the organization will host six memory walks across south eastern Wisconsin and try to surpass last year’s goal. Participants can register and get information online at www.alz.org/sewi, and onsite registration is also available the day of each walk, beginning at 9:30 a.m. The walks begin promptly at 11:00 a.m.
“Hopefully we can gather some really great numbers get some excitement surrounding the event,” Blair Cruikshank said. “That is something we can build upon in the future-; the more money you raise the more people are aware, the more excited they get, the bigger and better opportunities you have in hopes of ultimately finding a cure.”
