WHEELING — The hot weather was no match for the participants in the annual Upper Ohio Valley Walk to End Alzheimer’s at Wheeling Park on Sunday afternoon.

Tate Blanchard, vice chair of the Upper Ohio Alzheimer’s Association Board of Directors, said the 0.6-mile walk is the largest fund and awareness raiser in the country and keeps growing every year.

He said that this year’s goal was $100,000. He thought that may have been a little bit overzealous, but before the walk even began, $120,000 already was raised.

“A large portion of that money helps all of our local Alzheimer’s and dementia patients,” Blanchard said. “It’s not like it’s going to a national chapter where the money will never be seen in our area. It actually helps people here in our community.”

He added that the prevalence of

See Full Page