Central New York Chapter News & Action Center

The end of Alzheimer's begins with you.

Category Archives: In The Media

Support World Alzheimer’s Month on eBay

In September, eBay is supporting the Alzheimer’s Association® with efforts to raise funds and awareness during World Alzheimer’s Month.

From Sept. 17-27, the Alzheimer’s Association will host two celebrity auctions on eBay. One auction will featured a guitar signed by musician Glen Campbell, who is living with Alzheimer’s and currently touring. The other is a “Hilarity for Charity” package, including a meet and greet with Alzheimer’s Association Celebrity Champions Seth Rogen and Lauren Miller next spring.

In addition, eBay will sponsor a $5,000 Tweet Challenge Match. During World’s Alzheimer’s Month @ebaygiving will engage their Twitter audience with a message about the cause. For each retweet of this message, they will donate a $1 to the Association, up to $5,000.

“Change for a Change” Brings Hope for a Cure

Nickels and dimes. Quarters and pennies. Alone, they are coins in our pocket or purse. When it adds up, spare change can bring real change.

The students at Sherman Road Elementary School in Watertown came up with “Change for a Change.” This fundraising project motivated the school’s students to collect coins in a contest between classrooms. The end result more than $1,000 donated to the Chapter on behalf of the school. Here’s coverage of the event from WWNY-TV:

The project was led by the Widrick family. The Widricks walk each fall with the team name “Walking for Nana,” in honor of Stephanie Widrick’s mother, who has Alzheimer’s. Widrick and her husband live in Watertown and send their children to the school.

Alzheimer’s Association Announces Dates, Locations and Presenting Sponsors for Walk To End Alzheimer’s 2012

The nation’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research returns to Central New York in 2012. The Alzheimer’s Association, Central New York Chapter is proud to announce the dates, locations and presenting sponsors for the six Walk To End Alzheimer’s events that will take place this August and September.

Since 1989, the Alzheimer’s Association mobilized millions of Americans. Now the Alzheimer’s Association continues to lead the way with the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Together, we can end Alzheimer’s – the nation’s sixth-leading cause of death.

Start or join a team today at alz.org/walk or 800-272-3900.

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Make Your Voice Heard

The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voice in Albany and Washington on issues related to Alzheimer and dementia care and research. Advocates from Central New York recently visited Washington and Albany to make their voices heard on behalf of the millions of Americans affected by Alzheimer’s. The ripple effects of their calls for action are now echoing in the media.

On Sunday, The Post-Standard dedicated space on its editorial page to call for continued progress on the National Alzheimer’s Plan. This initiative has been the centerpiece of the Alzheimer’s Association national advocacy platform. The final plan was released on May 15. The Post-Standard wrote:

The need is urgent: an estimated 45,000 people in Central New York have Alzheimer’s, and the national number is expected to increase to 13.5 million by 2050. People with the disease eventually lose the ability to eat, to speak, to remember. It also exacts a devastating toll on the millions of family caregivers.

Today’s edition of The Legislative Gazette (the newspaper of record for happenings at the State Capitol) featured a piece on The Rally To End Alzheimer’s. Last week’s rally received prominent placement in the paper and a lengthy interview with Chapter CEO and Coalition of New York State Alzheimer’s Association Chapters Co-Chair Cathy James.

Our advocacy efforts never end. We work hard to raise our voice all year round. You can get involved by becoming an advocate. Learn more by visiting alz.org.

Missing Adult Alert Remains Active

We have been following the disappearance of 81-year-old Johanna Kirkwood since it was first reported late Saturday. The Lansing (Tompkins County) resident, who has “advanced dementia,” wandered from home on foot and was last seen at Noon on Saturday, March 3.

According to the alert issued through the Missing Persons Clearinghouse, Johanna Kirkwood:

  • Stands 5-4 and weighs 128 lbs.
  • Has white hair and brown eyes
  • Was last seen wearing a black padded coat and sneakers, and carrying a purse.
  • Was seen walking north along Triphammer Road midday Saturday and may have been seen walking south on East Shore Drive later in the day, according to The Ithaca Journal.

Anyone with information as to Kirkwood’s whereabouts is asked to call 9-1-1 or the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Department at (607) 272-2444.

According to the report in the Journal, search and rescue teams were bolstered by a number of volunteers who turned out to assist. Undersheriff Derek Osborne told the paper that “the outpouring of support has been outstanding.”

We’ll update our Twitter feed and the blog as more information on the search is made available.