Purple Party to kick off Alzheimer’s fundraiser Thursday
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 5 months, 1 week AGO
Joel Martin has been with the Columbia Basin Herald for more than 25 years in a variety of roles and is the most-tenured employee in the building. Martin is a married father of eight and enjoys spending time with his children and his wife, Christina. He is passionate about the paper’s mission of informing the people of the Columbia Basin because he knows it is important to record the history of the communities the publication serves. | July 15, 2025 6:24 PM
MOSES LAKE — Purple will be the color to wear Thursday.
“(The Purple Party) is a really great kickoff for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s Disease,” said Terri Riley-Brown, one of the organizers of the event. “We’re excited. We’ve got lots of prizes to give out. We’ve got beverages and food for everyone who attends.”
The Purple Party is a chance to build teams for the walk, as well as raise funds for research and assistance to Alzheimer’s patients. The big fundraiser, the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, will take place in September.
This year is the 11th for the Purple Party, which typically draws about 180 attendees. The food will be supplied by Brookdale Hearthstone’s cooking staff and will include sliders, fruit salad and Brookdale Barbecue Beans, said Laurie Ahmann, Brookdale Hearthstone’s executive director.
In past years, the party has been held outdoors on the patio of the Porterhouse, but because the Porterhouse closed earlier this year, the party has been moved to Brookdale Hearthstone, which has the advantage of being indoors. That will matter this week, Ahmann said.
“It’s really hot in the middle of July,” she said. “I think there are going to be folks who appreciate the fact that there’s air conditioning. Brookdale Hearthstone still has the patio outside, so people are still going to be able to go outside, but most of it is going to be inside.”
The event is also a bonus Business After Hours put on by the Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce.
The 2024 Walk to End Alzheimer’s raised more than $24,000, organizers told the Columbia Basin Herald last year, with more than 170 participants. The money goes to fund research into a cure for Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias that rob so many people of their memories and dignity.
According to the National Institutes of Health, one in 13 people between the ages of 65 and 84 develops Alzheimer’s. After 85, the chances are one in three. Very little is known about the disease itself, but new drugs discovered using funds from the Walk to End Alzheimer’s have shown promise in treating it, according to Julie Reathaford, the Walk to End Alzheimer’s manager for the Tri-Cities area.
Other communities hold Purple Parties to prepare for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, Riley-Brown said, but Moses Lake’s goes above and beyond.
“The second one we did, they had a state representative from the (Alzheimer’s Association) come, and he said he’s been to kickoff parties all over the country,” Riley-Brown said. “And he said there’s never been one that’s been as strong and as well-attended as the Moses Lake one. That says a lot for our community.”
Purple Party
Moses Lake
Brookdale Hearthstone
905 S. Pioneer Way
Thursday, July 17
5-7 p.m.
Decorated boots were the door prize at last year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s Purple Party.ARTICLES BY JOEL MARTIN
‘Our favorite time of year’
Shop with a Cop brings smiles to both children and officers
MOSES LAKE — The heavy police presence outside local stores recently wasn’t because of a crime wave. It was police officers engaging in their favorite annual event. “This is one of those times throughout the year that we don't have to go and ask for volunteers to help,” said Moses Lake Police Chief David Sands. “The first day we put it out, I think we got 20-some people say ‘Yeah, we’re in.’ That's just under half the department right away.“
BASIN EVENTS: Dec. 19-27
COLUMBIA BASIN — It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and a lot of people will be spending time at home with their families or at the church of their choice. Still, there are a few things happening around the Basin. Here are some ideas:
Chimney maintenance is essential for safety
MOSES LAKE — With Christmas just around the corner, lots of folks are using their fireplaces for warmth, roasting chestnuts or just a pleasant atmosphere. But before Santa pays your chimney a visit, you should make sure it’s in good working order. Chimney fires are responsible for more than three-fourths of residential building heating fires, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Regular inspections and cleaning are the best way to prevent that, said Michael Harper, known as The Chimney Guy. “If they’re using (the fireplace) aesthetically – date night, Christmas, New Year’s, show-off times, something in the background here and there, (they should) have it inspected once a year for peace of mind,” Harper said. “If they’re using it two to three days a week religiously through the winter months, they need to have it cleaned once a year.”