On Nov. 4, I had the honor to attend Miami-Dade’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s. It’s an event created by the Alzheimer’s Association that raises awareness and funds for this horrible disease that doesn’t just affect the ones who are diagnosed, but also their loved ones. This was the third time I attended the event and I still get goosebumps. Seeing all the families and friends come together for such an important cause makes me think of how powerful we are when we put aside our differences and come together for a common goal. Even though I don’t walk for a specific person, I walk in hopes of finding a cure in the future.
The event began with a morning workout to get the blood pumping and our booties moving. Then they had different people on stage to share their personal stories about their loved ones who currently have or had Alzheimer’s. One of the people that shared their story was one of the members of Florida’s House of Representatives, David Richardson. On stage, they also announced some recognitions to the groups and people who constantly give their support to the walk. At 9am, the walk began and everyone came together to walk around the Museum Park at Biscayne Blvd. It was a sea of purple (Alzheimer’s color) and many blue, yellow, purple and orange flowers. The participants of the walk get different colored flowers depending on your association with Alzheimer’s. For example, blue means you are a person with Alzheimer’s or dementia, purple is for the ones that have lost someone to the disease, yellow represents someone who is currently caring for someone with Alzheimer’s and orange is for everyone who supports the cause and visions a world without Alzheimer’s.
FIU participates in this walk every year through two different Greek organizations. Sigma Kappa and Sigma Alpha Mu has Alzheimer’s as one of their main philanthropies. Before the walk, they raised funds for the event by fundraising or asking for donations. This year Sigma Kappa raised $9,726. Greek life may have negative connotations (i.e. partying), but when it comes to philanthropy, they go above and beyond. As hard as it may be to wake up at 7am on a Saturday morning to walk under the blazing Miami sun, if it’s for a good cause that can lead to a better future, there shouldn’t be any hesitation and there wasn’t!
Sigma Kappa Kappa Omicron Chapter of FIU
Sources: http://act.alz.org/site/TR?sid=23932&type=fr_informational&pg=informational&fr_id=10302