A walker supports community members and loved ones coping with Alzheimer's or related dementias.
Each spring in Alaska, as the snow softens and the light returns, something else begins to stir across our communities. Stories.
At Alzheimer's Resource Alaska, we hear them every day. A daughter describing the first moment she realized her mother was forgetting familiar places. A husband learning how to become a caregiver after decades of partnership. A friend who simply refuses to let someone they love face dementia alone.
These are the stories that bring people to Amblin'.
If you have never been, you might wonder about the name. "Amblin'" means walking at an easy, steady pace. Not rushing. Not competing. Just moving forward together.
And in many ways, that is exactly what the dementia journey looks like.
Families do not sprint through it. They move step by step. Some days slowly. Some days with help. Always learning how to keep going.
That spirit is at the heart of Amblin' for Alzheimer's, Alzheimer's Resource Alaska's annual community walk and our largest fundraiser of the year.
At first glance, it looks like a joyful spring gathering. Teams arrive in matching shirts. Music drifts across the course. People greet each other with coffee in hand and the relief of seeing familiar faces who understand this experience.
But if you pause for a moment and look closer, you realize something deeper is happening.
People are carrying memories.
Some walk in celebration of someone they love who is still living fully with dementia. Some walk in honor of a parent, partner, or friend whose story with the disease has already ended but whose presence still shapes their lives.
Others walk because they are still in the middle of the journey.
Dementia changes the rhythm of a family. It can bring grief, uncertainty, and exhaustion. But it also reveals extraordinary resilience. Caregivers who show up day after day. Neighbors who step forward. Communities that decide no one should walk this road alone.
That is why Amblin' matters.
On Saturday, May 2, our community will gather at the Anchorage Golf Course, 3651 O'Malley Road, for the 21st annual Amblin' for Alzheimer's. Families, friends, businesses, and advocates from across Alaska will take meaningful steps together in support of Alaskans living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.
It is a morning built around connection. A welcoming walk open to all ages and abilities. A chance to gather with people who understand the impact dementia has on individuals, families, and entire communities. Even if you cannot be in Anchorage, you can still be part of Amblin'. Supporters across Alaska often join us by walking wherever they are and sharing their steps in solidarity. Community members and businesses can also participate by becoming sponsors and helping expand the impact of this event as every dollar raised through Amblin' stays here in Alaska. Those funds support education programs, caregiver support groups, care coordination, and resources that help Alaskans navigate dementia with dignity and support.
Because while dementia can feel isolating, no one in Alaska has to face it alone.
That is what makes Amblin' so powerful. It is not just a fundraiser. It is a reminder that behind every diagnosis is a family, and behind every family is a community that can choose to show up.
You will see it in the teams walking side by side. In the photos people carry. In the quiet hugs exchanged between caregivers who finally meet someone who understands exactly what their days look like.
Step by step, story by story, those moments become something stronger than the disease.
If dementia has touched your life in any way, this event is for you.
Join us on May 2. Bring your family. Invite your friends. Start a team in honor of someone you love. Or simply come walk with a community that believes every Alaskan impacted by dementia deserves support, understanding, and hope.
Because Amblin' is more than a walk.
It is how we move forward together.
Learn more or register here. We hope to see you there.
Lisa Sauder is the CEO of Alzheimer's Resource of Alaska.
