The annual Cooperstown Walk to End Alzheimer’s, which took place in November, surpassed its fundraising goal by 33%, according to walk organizers.
Hosted by the Northeastern New York Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, the walk saw 171 participants, including 30 teams. Held at the Clark Sports Center, its initial fundraising goal was $35,000. The walk raised a total of $46,446, the event website stated.
Development Events Manager Andrew Sagarin said Monday, Jan. 5 that a good portion of the money raised will go toward local programs and services through the Northeastern chapter, which covers 17 counties, and a smaller percentage will go into research funding.
Sagarin said the association is very grateful toward all participants and sponsors. He attributed a lot of the event’s success to the volunteer planning committee, which Sagarin said did a “phenomenal job this year.” It consists of five volunteers and two Alzheimer’s Association staff and meets monthly. He added that he hopes to grow that number to 10 or 12 people this coming year.
Commitment entails attending a one-hour meeting once a month, alternating between in-person and virtual, and about one to two hours of volunteer time between each meeting, Sagarin said.
The additional volunteer time would vary depending on what time of year it is, he added. The first committee meeting would likely be in April, with commitment running into the fall when the walk is held.
“They did a really great job and recruited a good amount of people to participate,” Sagarin said. “Our sponsorship surpassed our goal as well, which is also great. We are really grateful to all of the families and sponsors that helped us get so far past the goal.”
In 2024, Sagarin said the walk raised $29,273 with 136 participants, so the increase seen in 2025 was significant. Sagarin said the chapter hopes to continue holding the walk at the Clark Sports Center, where it has been held for about three years now.
“The structure of the day has gone well, so I think we will pretty much repeat things as they have been,” Sagarin said. “Of course we always invite new people to join us and participate in the walk, and we are always looking for businesses that might want to sponsor or put a team together to participate as well.”
Ann Thayer, who raised $7,022, was the top individual fundraiser for the 2025 walk. She serves as the chapter’s senior program manager and was a member of team ElderCare Advocate, the top team, which raised $7,647.
According to Daily Star archives, the walk, which used to be held in Oneonta, is the biggest world event to raise money for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. It included a Promise Garden Ceremony, where walkers carried four different pinwheel flowers that represented a different journey with the disease.
One of the most rewarding aspects of seeing the walk’s growth, Sagarin said, is the “amount of people and families that we are able to help with the funds raised.”
“You get to know a lot of people through doing what I do, and many people share their personal stories,” Sagarin said. “It’s a challenging disease to put it mildly. The biggest reward is definitely the people and families that we are able to help.”
To learn more about volunteering with the planning committee, reach out to Sagarin at ansagarin@alz.org.