Hospice of Southern Maine and the Alzheimer’s Association, Maine Chapter Collaborate for Day of Celebration and Remembrance

The Walk to End Alzheimer’s and Twilight in the Park bookend day of awareness for end-of-life care and support.

Hundreds will gather in Deering Oaks Park on Saturday, September 27 at 6:30 p.m. for Hospice of Southern Maine’s annual Twilight in the Park, a celebration of life during which luminaria will be lit in memory of those who have died and in honor of those who remain.

The annual gathering will bookend a day of support and remembrance at The Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer's® registration starts at 8:00 a.m. and the opening ceremony begins at 10:00 a.m. the same day in Portland’s Payson Park.

“Our two organizations enhance quality of life for patients and families dealing with very difficult challenges,” said Daryl Cady, Hospice of Southern Maine’s new CEO. “I am looking forward to walking to end Alzheimer’s and then remembering those we’ve cared for at Twilight in the Park. It works out beautifully to start the day with action to support quality of life and to end with a celebration of those we have lost and wish to honor.”

Starting at 8:00 a.m. in Payson Park, the Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s is an experience for participants to learn about Alzheimer's disease and how to get involved, from advocacy opportunities and clinical trial enrollment to support programs and services. Walk participants will also join in a meaningful ceremony to honor those affected by Alzheimer's disease.

“The impact of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s and the Alzheimer’s Association’s global efforts can be clearly seen in hospice care,” commented Cady. “Hospice is all about quality of life and any ground we can gain against Alzheimer’s disease will improve the quality of our twilight years profoundly.”

In Deering Oaks Park at 6:30 p.m., participants at Hospice of Southern Maine’s Twilight in the Park will light thousands of luminaria, each one inscribed with the name of a lost loved one, in a celebration of life. The event will continue Hospice of Southern Maine’s tradition of launching a sky lantern inscribed with the names of those who have died in their care in the last year.

“Hospice of Southern Maine’s evening of remembrance and celebration is a beautiful and transformative experience,” said Laurie Trenholm, Executive Director, Alzheimer's Association, Maine Chapter. “Twilight in the Park offers a very special opportunity to honor the people we love with luminaria. It is such a positive step in the process of healing.”

Luminaria for Hospice of Southern Maine’s Twilight in the Park can be registered before September 22 and included in the event program by visiting www.hospiceofsouthernmaine.org/twilight. Walk-in luminaria will be offered at the event, as well.

For more information and to register for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, visit www.alz.org/walk. Or register in person at the walk on Sept 27th.