Wesley Memorial to host annual Alzheimer's fundraiser
Sep. 20—HIGH POINT — "Autumn Lights," a candlelight prayer vigil and worship service to raise awareness and financial support for the fight against Alzheimer's disease, will be held at Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church on Sunday.
Sponsored by the church's Senior Adult Council, the outdoor event will be an evening of songs and prayers, illuminated by candlelight.
The event will take place outdoors on the back campus from 7:30 to 8 p.m. Cars may enter beginning at 7 p.m. Should it be raining, the event will take place inside the sanctuary.
Upon arrival, participants will be given a glass jar candle votive, which will be lit at dusk.
Participants are invited to make a donation in honor or memory of a loved one, and all proceeds will go to the Alzheimer's Association of Guilford County. A commemorative prayer booklet listing all honorees and donors will be published in October, and donors will receive a free copy of the booklet by mail.
Participants may sit in church folding chairs or may bring their own lawn chair or picnic blanket. Masks are encouraged, as well as maintaining a 6-foot distance from anyone outside your household.
Last year's contribution from Wesley Memorial families and community friends totaled $8,585, making the church the top fundraising team in the county.
Approximately 6 million people in the United States have Alzheimer's disease, and deaths from the disease have increased 146% since 2000. It is projected that by 2050, some 14 million people will have Alzheimer's. In 2021, Alzheimer's will cost the United States $355 billion. This number is projected to rise to more than $1.1 trillion in 2050.
