Barton County Courthouse Square was filled Saturday afternoon not only with stories of lives lost, but of memories lost.
The square was the site of the 2013 Barton County Walk to End Alzheimer’s. A total of 10 teams and 63 walkers participated the event to raise awareness of the insidious, mind-robbing illness.
In addition, the venue was filled with purple banners and colorful pinwheel flowers. Participants wrote names of those they were honoring on the flowers and either “planted” them in a Promise Garden or carried them as they walked around the courthouse.
“This disease will touch every single one of us here,” said Missy Pflughoeft. Pflughoeft was the event chairperson and is the executive director of County Place Senior Living in Hoisington.
As a caregiver, she sees everyday what Alzheimer’s does to people and it is scary. “I could be affected by this disease myself.”
Alzheimer’s Disease is the sixth leading cause of death in America, she said. “And there is no cure.”
In addition, she said one in three seniors dies from some for of dementia and someone develops Alzheimer’s every 68 seconds. Alzheimer’s currently affects over 5 million people in the United States.
But, she said, it is not only the victims who suffer. It is also the family and friends who watch as those they love slip into oblivion.
“Remember, it’s not their fault they can’t remember,” said Jan Evans, outreach coordinator for the Alzheimer’s Association of Central and Western Kansas. She covers 68 counties, including Barton.
Such walks are sponsored by the association and are the nation’s largest event to raise awareness of the disease. The events are held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide.
Amy Mellor knows all to well what Alzheimer’s can do and shared her story. She watched helplessly as her mother’s memories faded until the retired teacher got the official diagnosis in 2009.
She also watched as her father went from an avid hunter and fisherman to doing laundry and making sure his wife took her many medications. “This is not the dad I grew up with.”
The disease, she said, took her mom’s dignity.
Pflughoeft said their goal was $9,593 and by the end of the afternoon had unofficially reached that target. The top fundraising team was Country Place Senior Living - Hoisington and the top fundraising individual was Linn Hogg.
Other teams for the local event included: Country Place Senior Living- Larned, River Bend Assisted Living,  Sterling House, Turning Point Rehabilitation,  Good Samaritan Society-Lyons, Just Mor’ Rumors, Clara Barton Hospital and Clinics, Great Bend Pilot Club and First Christian Church Youth Group.