AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) — The Alzheimer’s Association will be hosting its annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s event on Sept. 30. The walk will take place at the Hodgetown Stadium at 6 p.m.

Julie Gray, the Alzheimer’s Association’s director of development, said the walk is the largest awareness and fundraising event the association does, but it means more than that.

“It’s really a morning that we get to bring the community together so that we can honor each other that have walked the journey of Alzheimer’s and Dementia because it’s really difficult. This is what I like to call the world’s largest support group or you know the community’s largest support group,” said Gray, “It’s just a beautiful morning of inspiration where we get to celebrate each other as loved ones and caregivers. But also we are celebrating and honoring our family that has been affected by Alzheimer’s and Dementia.”

Gray said people of all ages and abilities are welcome to participate.

“We want everyone to come out and celebrate our loved ones who have walked this journey, the families, and the caregivers. But this year is really a momentous occasion for the Alzheimer’s Association and our mission of a world with no Alzheimer’s or Dementia because we are now in the era of treatment. We have FDA-approved drugs on the market now that treat early-onset Alzheimer’s. We don’t have a cure yet. We’re still fighting for that for survival, but now more than ever we need the community to rally around the association, our advocacy efforts because we’re increasing the funding and increasing research projects,” she said.

According to Gray, the walk is a starting point for people to learn the benefits the association offers.

“We know that in Randall and Potter counties, about 12 percent of the population over 65 is living with Alzheimer’s or Dementia right now, So it’s important that we reduce the stigma. We’re talking about the new treatments. How to access the new treatments. Of course, advocating for continuing that research and things like that. So I like to think of it almost like a grassroots effort. We do this across the nation to rally our communities so we can love on each other and honor each other, but we also get to push our mission forward because Alzheimer’s isn’t stopping and neither are we,” she said.

Gray said registration to participate in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s event can be found online and it only takes five minutes to complete. She said the webpage for the event will also have details about the event and sponsors.