Rogers to walk in 19th Alzheimer’s event
By Sam Waller
The Walk to End Alzheimer’s is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 9 at Grover Nelson Park in Abilene.
Beverly Rogers of Albany is once again heading up fundraising for the Alzheimer’s Association in Shackelford County.
“There are 14 counties that make up the Abilene regional chapter,” Rogers said. “Shackelford is just one of 14 counties that fundraise for Alzheimer’s in the Abilene area.”
Rogers said registration for the Walk will begin at 8:30 a.m. the day of the event with the Walk to start at 9:00 a.m.
Rogers is in her 19th year of helping raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s.
“Alzheimer’s is the sixth-leading cause of death in America,” she said. “Every 65 seconds, someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. There are 5.8 million people with Alzheimer’s in the United States.”
Rogers has raised more than $85,000 over the last two decades and is determined to reach a $100,000 total. She said she’s already raised more than $4,700 this year.
“I’ll be at $90,000 by the end of this one,” she said.
Rogers became involved in the cause while working as a caregiver.
“Helen Lieb was the first lady I took care of who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s,” Rogers said. “She helped me fundraise for Alzheimer’s through Home Instead Senior Care. Ever since then, all our walks are dedicated to her memory.”
Lieb died in 2006.
Rogers said she still helps off and on with caring for Alzheimer’s patients.
“Right now, I’ve been volunteering trying to get the support group back in Albany,” she said. “We’re trying to get a program set up at the senior center to help awareness. They have so much information to help caregivers and people who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.”
Rogers said her work is made much easier thanks to the assistance of Tracy Sullivan, Mary Beth Jones, and fellow volunteer Randy Hayes.
“I want to give God all the glory for this,” Rogers said. “We just ask that God bless everybody because we couldn’t have done this without His help.”
Contributions may be made through Rogers’ participation page at http://act.alz.org/goto/Beverly Rogers or by calling her at 325-762-4293.
“I know there’s going to be a cure,” she said. “My prayer is that Albany will have the first person cured of Alzheimer’s.”
