What’s your favorite pastime? Golfing, playing pickleball, playing games, cooking, reading, gardening, playing tennis, biking, hiking? There are so many to choose from! Having a hobby or favorite pastime is important not just for enjoyment, exercise, or socializing, but also for your mental health. The same can be said for the endorphin boost you receive when you make a positive impact on someone’s day or life. Doing good makes you feel good.
What if you combined the two and made your favorite pastime activity a fundraiser to #ENDALZ? You can do just that through Alzheimer’s Association’s The Longest Day campaign, where participants work to outshine the darkness of Alzheimer’s and all other dementia through a fundraising activity of their choice on any day that works for them.
Over the next several months, we will be highlighting ways you can turn a favorite pastime into a fun and charitable event, highlighting some events across the state as inspiration.
This month’s activity highlight is hiking. Whether you live near a national park, scenic trail or other recreation area, or have a dream to hike a mountain, there are many outdoor activities to fundraise for The Longest Day.
Join us for a virtual Hiking Kickoff on March 5 from 7 – 7:45 p.m. You will connect with others who share a love for hiking and learn creative ways to turn this interest into a fundraiser and awareness activity for the Alzheimer’s Association. Sign up to attend.
You can also check out the schedule and access the recordings from past activity specific kickoffs here.
Some hiking activities you can do by yourself or with a group:
- Take a stroll on your favorite greenway or through a park that reminds you of your loved one.
- Pick a new trail each weekend in June in honor of Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month.
- Organize a group trek to a park, mountain or other natural preserve.
- Create a month-long hike-a-thon in which donors sponsor each hike completed.
- Hold a silent auction and have people bid on hiking shoes and gear.
- Challenge several hiking clubs to compete to raise the most money.
- Use your skills to teach compass navigation and wilderness survival tips.
…and more! Use your imagination and have fun. To raise funds, you can collect an entry fee when you lead a group adventure, or request a donation per mile hiked — every dollar you raise benefits those affected by Alzheimer’s disease.
Watch this inspiring news segment from a few years ago on how North Carolinian, Holly Hollar, hiked Denali National Park in Alaska as a fundraiser for The Longest Day in honor of her father who passed away from Alzheimer’s disease.
WE ALL HAVE A REASON TO WANT TO OUTSHINE THE DARKNESS OF ALZHEIMER’S. Start planning your own The Longest Day Fundraiser today.
The Longest Day® is the day with the most light — the summer solstice. The Longest Day participants fight the darkness of Alzheimer’s and all other dementia through a fundraising activity of their choice on any day of the year that works for them. With sports tournaments, card games, parties, baking and more, participants raise funds to advance the care, support and research efforts of the Alzheimer’s Association®. Join the fun today!
Alzheimer's Association North Carolina Blog 