Grand Lake Area Paints the Town Purple for Alzheimer’s Awareness

Area businesses, families and individuals raise awareness and funds to support the Alzheimer’s Association

TOLEDO, OH, August 14, 2025 – The Alzheimer’s Association Northwest Ohio Chapter is gearing up for the Paint the Town Purple campaign in Celina and St. Mary’s from August 23 – 30, 2025. 

This campaign aims to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s education, support and research. In addition, Paint the Town Purple serves as the official kick-start to Walk season, getting the community excited about the upcoming Grand Lake Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Saturday, September 13 at WSU-Lake Campus. In addition to decorating and wearing purple, the Alzheimer’s Association encourages the community to start a Walk to End Alzheimer’s team and get involved in the fight through fundraising.

“Paint the Town Purple is a colorful way for us to engage local businesses who can help raise awareness and support in the fight for a cure to Alzheimer’s,” said Brenda McGee, Event Chair for Grand Lake Walk to End Alzheimer’s and Celina Caregiver Support Group leader. “We encourage the participating Paint the Town Purple businesses to inspire others by ‘painting’ their storefronts, offices and even homes with streamers, balloons, ribbons and purple décor to show their support of our vision of a world without Alzheimer’s.”

Local businesses supporting the campaign include:

• St. Marys: City of St. Marys is supporting Paint the Town Purple including filling Memorial Park with purple Promise Garden flowers. 

  • Buffalo Wild Wings in St. Marys is giving back 15% of sales on Monday, Aug. 25 from 4 to 9 pm. Show coupon available on the Grand Lake Walk website. 

• Celina: The Mercer County Courthouse lawn will once again be covered with purple Promise Garden flowers. 

  • CJ's Highmarks in Celina is giving back 20% of sales on Wednesday, Aug. 27 from 11:00 am to 8:30 pm. Show flyer availalble on the Grand Lake Walk website.

With more than 600 Walks taking place across the U.S. each year, Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest fundraising event and supports the Association’s free educational programs and support groups, Alzheimer’s care services and advancements in treatment and research. To register for free and receive the latest updates on this year’s Walk, visit the Walk website.

For the first time, the number of people living with Alzheimer’s disease in the U.S. is more than 7 million. That includes 236,200 in Ohio, according to the 2025 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures. Deaths due to Alzheimer’s more than doubled (142%) between 2000 and 2022, while deaths from the leading cause of mortality (heart disease) decreased by 2.1%. 

To learn more about Alzheimer’s or other dementia and to access free local support and resources, visit alz.org/nwohio or call the Northwest Ohio Chapter at 419.537.1999 or the 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900.