SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC NEWS) — Hundreds of participants gathered at Onondaga Community College on Sunday for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, carrying colored flowers as symbols of loss, support and hope in the fight against the disease.
The event, organized by the Alzheimer’s Association Central New York chapter, drew walkers from across 14 counties to honor loved ones and raise funds for care, research and advocacy. Funds from the walk support free education, caregiver consultations and social programs like ALZTOGETHER, which connects those affected by dementia through meaningful activities, according to the chapter’s website.
Ava Giglio, co-captain of Team Ginny, walked in memory of her grandmother, Virginia Aires, who died in 2022 from Alzheimer’s.
“My grandmother Virginia Aires was a really special person in my life,” Giglio said. “I always remember her being so important to me growing up and just having such an impact and unfortunately we lost her in 2022 due to Alzheimer’s.”
Giglio said she discovered the walk a year after Aires’s death and rallied her family to join. The team finished among the top fundraisers, with organizers recognizing their efforts during the opening ceremony.
“I think in the year after, I was just looking for something, and I found the walk to end Alzheimer’s right here in Syracuse,” Giglio said. “I thought it’d be a great thing for the whole family to get in on.”
The walk’s Promise Garden ceremony served as the emotional core, with participants selecting flowers in purple, orange, yellow or blue to represent their connection to Alzheimer’s. Signs throughout the venue explained the colors: purple for those who have lost someone to the disease; orange for supporters committed to ending it; yellow for current caregivers; and blue for those living with it.
New York ranks second among states for Alzheimer’s prevalence, with 12.7% of adults 65 and older affected, according to a 2024 report from the state Office for the Aging.
Alex Canavan, a volunteer and the 2025 orange flower representative, picked up an orange bloom to signal her dedication.
“The orange flower really just represents the broader community coming together to help put an end to Alzheimer’s,” Canavan said.
Canavan said the stories shared during the ceremony underscored the event’s power.
“I really enjoyed listening to some of the stories that we covered in the opening ceremony,” she said. “It’s just so touching to hear about everyone’s different experience and different connection to the disease … and also just seeing all of the community members come out to support.”
Nationally, nearly 10 million Americans provide unpaid care for those with Alzheimer’s and other dementias, costing New York state around $18.9 billion annually in care and support, the Alzheimer’s Association reports.
Fundraising remained a key focus, with teams like Ginny emphasizing how even small contributions build momentum. Giglio highlighted the warmth of modest gifts from friends.
“I’ve had a lot of close friends Venmo me $5, $10, $15, and that sums up way more than you’d think,” she said. “I think that almost warms my heart more than some of the big donations … like I remember even this year— just seeing so many of the fives, the tens come through.”
Her mother, Juliet Giglio, co-captain and a top individual donor, said the response revealed the disease’s reach.
“One thing that surprised me about fundraising for Alzheimer’s is how many lives it has touched,” Juliet Giglio said. “And so when you’re asking people for money, everybody seems to know somebody who has Alzheimer’s. And that’s why, sadly, why people are donating.”
The Giglios credited persistence in outreach — from emails and calls to Facebook fundraisers — for nearing their goal closer than in previous years. This marked their third walk, with Ava traveling from Los Angeles to join.
Marilyn Niland captained Team Tom in honor of her brother, who died last October from early-onset Alzheimer’s. She chose orange over purple to channel her grief into action.
“I captained one of the teams today, Tom’s team,” Niland said. “I did it in honor of my brother Tom who passed away last October of early onset Alzheimer’s.”
Niland, a retired nurse who had walked before, but not personally affected until her brother’s diagnosis, pointed to recent medical advances as a source of optimism.
“There is hope,” she said. “We are making strides with medicines, you know, slowing down the effects of Alzheimer’s, and I think that at some point, there’s going to be a cure.”
Her team included family and friends, with one brother wearing a photo of Tom around his neck. Niland urged those touched by the disease to contact the association for resources.
“The association has a lot of different lines of help for people,” she said. “So they should reach out and get as much information and as much help as they’re able to.”
Corporate donors like Wegmans and Peregrine Senior Living led contributions, with Peregrine Senior Living topping teams at $7,220, according to the event fundraising page. All proceeds advance the association’s mission, including research toward prevention and treatment.
Walkers crossed the finish line to cheers, tribute walls lined with notes like one for Ginny reading simply her name, and group photos amid the flowers. Donations continue online through December.For more on the event and ways to support, visit the Alzheimer’s Association Central New York chapter at https://www.alz.org/centralnewyork.