Yuma Walk to End Alzheimer's Draws 350 Participants, Raises Funds

Residents and community leaders filled West Wetlands Park Saturday morning for Yuma County's 2025 Walk to End Alzheimer's, an event that combined public outreach, fundraising and visible political engagement. The opening ceremony began at 9:00 a.m., offering a community Zumba class, and the walk officially started at 9:30 a.m. The Alzheimer's Association presented a white flower before the walk to symbolize the first survivor of Alzheimer's.

The event drew 350 participants, according to Kristen Moore Bennett, Regional Director for the Southwest Arizona Alzheimer's Association, who said the county faces a concentrated burden from the disease. "Yuma County is has the largest prevalence per capita of Alzheimer's patients," Bennett said. "If you were to look at a heat map, you would see that there's a lot more people living with some sort of dementia in Yuma County." Organizers said they hope to grow participation to 500 people at next year's walk.

Yuma City Council member Karen Watts and Arizona State Senator Tim Dunn, who represents District 25, served as guest speakers, signaling local government and legislative interest in supporting families affected by dementia. Their presence underscored the event's role as both a fundraiser and an advocacy platform, where residents and officials can discuss local service capacity, caregiver supports and public health planning.

The walk used a flower color system to reflect the diversity of participants and experiences. Yellow flowers represented those supporting or caring for someone living with Alzheimer's. Orange represented people supporting the cause and the Alzheimer's Association's vision for a world without Alzheimer's. Purple honored loved ones taken by the disease. Blue represented people living with Alzheimer's. The visual structure helped personalize fundraising and public education efforts during the event.

Fundraising remains a central focus. The overall donation goal is $60,000, and organizers have raised $42,903 to date, leaving a gap of $17,097. Those funds support research into treatments and community programs that assist caregivers and patients. The Alzheimer's Association page linked from the original article provides donation options for residents who missed the event but want to contribute.

For Yuma County, the walk highlights broader policy choices about how to allocate resources to aging services, caregiver respite, and public health outreach. Local officials who attended have an opportunity to translate the event's momentum into concrete steps, including coordination with county health agencies and state representatives to address service capacity and funding shortfalls. As the county copes with a higher than average prevalence of dementia, the visibility of events like this can shape civic engagement and inform voters about the needs facing older residents and their families.

The turnout this year demonstrates community commitment, but the fundraising gap and stated goal for expanded participation next year signal more work ahead. For now organizers continue outreach, while advocates and elected officials have a clear line of sight to local concerns that may affect policy and budget discussions in coming months.