A Walk to Remember

September is here, and with that brings many different connotations…the beginning of the academic year, the beginning of fall, beginning of football season…I could go on and on. But September is also World Alzheimer’s Month  and always brings with it the annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s.

Boston and the Charles River

I have a lot of fond memories of the walk. From my collegiate days at Boston University where the Delta Chapter walked a beautiful route along the Charles River that also happened to go right by campus and our dorms for those who maybe needed a bit more beauty rest on a Sunday morning. As an alumna, I loved returning to the Boston walk with fellow sisters and seeing how Delta had grown over the years (we went from new member classes of 10 to 50 in about 10 years!).

When I became involved in the European Alumnae Chapter (http://skeac.wordpress.com), it was an honor to participate in the first walk held by the chapter in Belgium. The locals may not have quite understood at first why a big group of American women were marching around their town with balloons and banners, but it created a tradition of holding a walk in a different European city every other year (this year is London!), further spreading awareness of the Alzheimer’s Association and its important work.

Lake Michigan in Chicago

As a new transplant to Chicago this past year, the walk served as a great way to meet fellow SK alumnae and check out the Chicago Alumnae Chapter. The Walk to End Alzheimer’s is often a main event for many alumnae chapters and a great way to get involved in alumnae events. The Chicago walk also has the advantage of a picturesque route along Lake Michigan and being close to many great places to grab brunch afterward.

Life has taken me to quite a few different places, but one of the things that always remained constant is the walk. So, no matter where you are in the month of September (or October in some parts of the country), whether close or far from home, there’s a Walk to End Alzheimer’s (http://www.alz.org/walk)  happening near you. If you aren’t able to make a walk, consider creating your own to support this important cause and the Sigma Kappa’s philanthropic legacy. Resources like  TrailLink (http://www.traillink.com/) or GPSmyCity (http://www.gpsmycity.com/) can help you design you own walk with detailed maps and search options as well as smart phone apps.

So, put on some purple and get out there!