January is Alzheimer Awareness Month, and warmer communities across North America will be hosting Walk For Memories events to draw attention to the disease and raise money for treatment and research.
Although it’s too cold to plan an outdoor event in Whistler for this time of year, Whistler Tri Club members Paul and Christine Suter are hosting the community’s first ever Swim For Memories event at Meadow Park Sports Centre.
The Swim For Memories will take place from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 8. Individuals and families are invited to take part by swimming a few lengths, or by pledging donations to swimmers at the arena. Diana Rochon of Dynamic Core Fitness is volunteering to take donations.
Christine and Paul are planning to swim 10 km and 5 km respectively in honour of Paul’s mother Margaret. Marie-Anne Prevost is planning to swim 4.5 km in memory of her grandmother.
If you can’t come to Meadow Park, the public is encouraged to make donations at www.walkformemories.com – follow the link to the Whistler event to make your pledge.
Christine Suter is also planning to be at Lululemon on Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. to educate people on Alzheimer’s and the programs funded by the Alzheimer Society and collect donations.
"We didn’t get back east to visit (Margaret) this Christmas so this is my present to her," said Christine. "I have always wanted to use my athletic abilities to help someone else and I thought that swimming 10 km would be something to catch people’s attention and get them interested and involved."
Suter has gone that distance before, with open water swims from Lighthouse Park at Horseshoe Bay to Kits Beach while being trailed by a support boat. This is the first time she’ll attempt the distance indoors, making 400 lengths of the Meadow Park pool.
