Partners for Good: Lebanon Businesses Are All in on the Walk to End Alzheimer’s

Last year, the Upper Valley Walk to End Alzheimer’s found a new home in Colburn Park. More than 600 walkers gathered for the one- and two-mile routes through Lebanon’s downtown neighborhoods and finished with festivities in the park. This year, the walk — one of more than 600 across the nation that benefits the Alzheimer’s Association — is back, and Lebanon is coming out in force.

Breck Taber, co-owner of Omer and Bob’s on the Lebanon Mall has lost track of how long the shop has sponsored the event, but, “It’s been a long time,” he noted. “It’s just such a worthy cause and a terrible disease.” The Walk is the single largest fundraiser for the Alzheimer’s Association, which funds free services such as a 24/7 helpline, education programs, and care consultations for families facing a diagnosis. It also drives vital research toward emerging treatment, prevention, and, the ultimate goal, a cure.

Every year, in addition to sponsoring the walk, Omer and Bob’s “Goes Purple” the week before the walk, displaying purple flowers and walk posters to build awareness. Taber also coaches the Lebanon girls’ soccer team, which has supported the cause by wearing purple socks in games and practices during walk week. The shop also stepped up with a SAG (Support and Gear) wagon to provide mechanical support for last year’s UV Bike to End Alz team in its inaugural pre-walk event. The company will again support that scenic 20- and 30-mile ride along the Connecticut River on Oct 3.

Partners in Brain Health

CCBA and event sponsor Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital (APD) support the event in many ways, especially by championing brain health year round. The two organizations have teamed up for a Brain Health Series, which runs from June to October. APD geriatrician Dr. Lisa Furmanski was among the panelists at the walk’s kick-off event in June at Dartmouth Health’s Geriatric Center of Excellence.

CCBA has its own walk team and encourages members with fundraising incentives, such as free guest passes. The two organizations also partner to provide free educational resources to the community. These programs are a natural fit for the walk, as they address many of the 14 modifiable risk factors — such as lowering LDL cholesterol and diabetes risk, and building muscle mass and cardiovascular health — that can significantly reduce an individual’s lifetime risk of Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

As with so many people, CCBA Executive Director Kerry Artman’s connection is personal. Her father had dementia and passed away in 2024, and she has close friends who are caregivers touched by the disease. “Nobody wants this,” said Artman. “Nobody wants to watch their loved one go through it.”

Artman notices the changing conversation around Alzheimer’s and dementia — from resignation to hope — due to the increasing agency around the disease. “The disease is still horrible, and I hope that we get more advances in research and have better medical interventions, but eating whole healthy food and moving your body — these are really important things,” she said.

She noted how much access Lebanon offers for healthy living, including facilities like CCBA, as well as the Farmers Market, the Northern Rail Trail, and a vibrant community with a diverse mix of art, education, and recreation opportunities. When it comes to brain health, “We’re really in the midst of all these great things,” she said. “Exercise and wellness and nutrition, they’re all tied together. We can help with the strength building in this facility, but we want to talk about the whole conversation.”

Brain Health Basics

The Alzheimer’s Association’s “Ten Ways to Love Your Brain” draws on the latest research for how to lower your risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias. These stem from the recommendations from the Lancet commission report in 2024, which identified 14 modifiable lifestyle factors that together (by conservative estimates) can prevent or delay nearly half of all cases of Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

Included in those recommendations are heart-healthy lifestyle practices like managing obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes through regular cardiovascular exercise and healthy eating. Elevating your heart rate increases blood flow to the brain and body while eating a balanced diet lower in fat and processed foods, and higher in fiber and whole foods can greatly reduce risk. Prioritizing good sleep, mental health, and stress management are all important, and are all improved with exercise.

Another major component of cognitive health is social engagement. The surgeon general called out loneliness as an epidemic because lack of social connection is a major risk factor for many diseases, including dementia. One recent large scale study from the National Institute on Aging found that loneliness, or lack of social connection, increases the risk of dementia by 31 percent — more than physical inactivity and smoking combined!

Staying Connected

Artman notes that for many people, the CCBA welcome desk may be their first social interaction of the day. “You’re going to be greeted, and we’re going to say goodbye to you, and that matters,” she said. She added that people tend to stick with group fitness because of all the benefits of exercise but also for that social component. “They know each other. They build connection. What’s nice about an environment like this is that you can actually meet people and have relationships that go beyond our walls.”

Leading up to the walk and beyond, APD and CCBA maintain their partnership through educational series and information in their free newsletter. At the end of the day, they want that the community to be healthy, we want the community to be healthy, and so does everyone around us,” said Artman. “There are better outcomes for everyone when we take care of each other like that.”

The 2026 Upper Valley Walk to End Alzheimer’s will take place on Sunday, October 26 in Colburn Park.

Want to join in? Here’s how:

• Join or start a team or walk on your own (registration is free but all walkers are encouraged to fundraise and support the work of the Alzheimer’s Association)
• Volunteer the day of the event
• Donate to a team or with a general donation to the event
• Encourage your business to “Go Purple” leading up to the Walk or to display a poster

Register or learn more at http://act.alz.org/uppervalley. Questions? Contact Lucy Moore at lhmoore@alz.org; (617) 420-5427