LEESBURG, Ga. — The Alzheimer’s Association is inviting Albany and Leesburg area businesses to a networking event next week focused on supporting the fight against Alzheimer’s and participation in the organization’s fall fundraiser.

The “Sip, Bloom and Grow” Alzheimer’s Awareness social will take place April 9 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Oaks at Oakland Plantation in Lee County. The event will feature light refreshments and networking opportunities for business leaders.

If want to attend the event, please RSVP by Saturday, April 4, by calling (229) 603-4939.

“As part of that Walk to End Alzheimer’s, we’re inviting different companies in the community to come out and have a little networking mixer with us at the Oaks at Oakland Plantation,” said Mallory Thompson, Walk to End Alzheimer’s manager.

The event will connect business leaders with information on supporting the fight against Alzheimer’s and how the walk promotes advanced research moving closer to a cure. Businesses can learn about forming teams or becoming corporate sponsors for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s.

Expanding mission beyond elderly care

“It’s called a company kickoff, but we’re framing it as an Alzheimer’s awareness social—networking social—and so, we’re inviting all the businesses and business-adjacent members of Albany and Leesburg to come out on April 9 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. for some light bites, some tasty little drinks and just a little bit of networking, just to kind of hear about our mission,” Thompson said. “Our goal and intent is to put our mission out to different companies in Albany and Leesburg in order to show these companies all of the resources that we have for the Alzheimer’s Association.”

Thompson said the organization’s focus has expanded beyond traditional elderly care.

“The Alzheimer’s Association kind of used to be known as an elderly-type resource, but now we are so passionate about brain health and early diagnosis and risk reduction, that we are so much motivated to get our brain-healthy habits out to major companies because we know that they are the ones that work with the communities the most,” Thompson said. “So that is the intent and purpose behind this event.”

New treatments available

Thompson said recent research developments make early awareness critical.

“The research is going crazy right now. We have new updates when it comes to testing. And now, there are two treatments that are available for early to mid-stages,” Thompson said. “So that’s why it’s so important that we get businesses and individuals alike involved with us because if people don’t know this information, they may miss out on their window of opportunity to do something about it.”

The fall walk is a celebration where participants walk together to raise awareness.

“The October event is a celebration and we walk together. It is not a race. It’s a celebratory walk,” Thompson said. “It’s just showing the community how much it means to bring awareness to the fact that Alzheimer’s is not going anywhere, but neither are we. The fight remains with us.”

Thompson said businesses can partner with the organization by forming company teams, sponsoring the walk or hosting awareness events.

“These businesses that we are trying to get out there, we know that South Georgia is built on community, and we know that community wants to help community, and so when you choose to partner with us in some way, that’s either forming a company team, maybe even entertaining a sponsorship of the walk, or just simply letting us do some awareness or advocacy maybe at your place of business, it helps to push that message that South Georgia is not letting go,” Thompson said. “We are going to get rid of this disease and we hopefully will have that first survivor very, very soon.”

While the event targets businesses, Thompson said individuals are welcome to attend.

“Though it is targeted towards businesses, I am open to having any individual come out, especially if it’s something that you’re interested in and you just weren’t quite ready to make that phone call or take that next step,” Thompson said. “But you would like to come out, please come out. And we also just want to show off the beautiful Oaks by Oakland Plantation since they are being so gracious as to host us.”

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