This is the WFHB Local News for Tuesday, September 14th, 2021.

Later in the program, we revisit a feature report from WFHB Correspondent Brianna Devin on the history of PCB Contamination in Bloomington. Also coming up in the next half hour, the Bloomington Walk to End Alzheimer’s Raised Over $100,000 Over the Weekend. WFHB News spoke with Kyle Davern, manager for the Bloomington Walk to End Alzheimer’s.

Bloomington Walk to End Alzheimer’s Raised Over $100,000 Over the Weekend

Nearly 440 people participated in the Bloomington Walk to End Alzheimer’s over this past weekend.

The walk happened in-person at Switchyard Park, and remotely by watching an online ceremony where people participated in a local walk in their own neighborhoods.

Participants raised over 100,000 dollars to help the care, support and research of the Alzheimer’s Association.

WFHB News spoke with Kyle Davern, manager for the Bloomington Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Davern shared some of the work the Alzheimer’s Association does.

“We’re the leading voluntary health organization for Alzheimer’s care support and research,” he said. “We work with families who are impacted by Alzheimer’s and all dementias.”

Davern says participants in the walk were “energized” and “excited” to take part in the in-person portion of the event.

He said that level of excitement helped the fundraising effort. Davern explained how the 100,000 dollars raised over the weekend will be spent.

“The biggest thing is funding for research on how to find a cure for this disease,” he said. “It doesn’t have a way to cure or slow down the progression of the disease.”

More than six million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease - a leading cause of death in the United States. In addition, more than 11 million family members and friends provide care to people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias, according to data from the Alzheimer’s Association.

Davern touched on the effect Alzheimer’s has on one’s life and how it impacts family and friends providing care for their loved ones.

“Being able to equip caregivers with those tools and knowledge of the disease so they can help better prepare and provide a better quality of life for the individual living with the disease,” he said.

He elaborated on how Alzheimer’s disease impacted him on a personal level.

“It gave me a new perspective on just being able to understand the different stages of the disease, how to properly care for someone living with the disease,” he said.

Davern says more information for local in-person and virtual programs are available at alz.org/indiana/programs. You can also call the 24/7 Helpline at 1-800-272-3900

Covid-19 Press Conference

Photo courtesy of University of Michigan.

At the September 10th meeting, Mayor John Hamilton shared a positive message about the rate of Covid-19 cases in Bloomington.

On behalf of the Monroe County Board of Health, Health Administrator Penny Caudill gave an update on vaccinations in Monroe County. She shared that there are vaccine clinics available at schools to make it easier for families to get vaccinated, and that Monroe County’s vaccination rate is slowly but steadily going up.

During public comment,