Fore Roger Golf Outing Will Raise Money for Alzheimer’s Research, Affected Families.
After a decade of successful fundraising, the Allen Family, in memory of Bill Allen, has decided to bring their charity to a close.
Taking over the fundraiser is the family of Roger Arnoldy, who passed away Feb. 6, 2012 of Lewy Body Dementia. Proceeds from the event will go towards a Marshfield Clinic Health System Foundation fund earmarked to help families affected with Alzheimer’s and Dementia and to provide capital for research.
“The Fore Bill event has been a well-attended event whose proceeds went towards youth scholarships. Community leaders embraced the annual event, and for many it was a bookend to summer fundraising,” said Nick Arnoldy, Roger’s son. “When we learned the event was not being renewed, we saw an opportunity to continue an already established fundraising tradition. Myself, my brother, and staff at Marshfield Insurance will continue the outing in memory of Roger Arnoldy.”
According to research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately five million people are living with Alzheimer’s disease in the United States and 83,000 die from the condition each year. Factoring in the growing population, by 2050 the number of people living with the disease could rise to 16 million.
“Alzheimer’s is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. It kills more than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. One in three seniors is affected with ALZ or another form of dementia,” said Arnoldy. “If we cannot get this disease under control, it will cost the U.S. $1.1 trillion by 2050. In 2017, $259 billion was spent on skilled nursing, assisted living, and medicine.”
Though the numbers alone are staggering, there is also a less measurable sadness to the disease.
“On a personal note, and having dealt with the disease in our family, those individuals diagnosed lose their dignity, and it’s agonizing to witness,” said Arnoldy. “If we can prevent anyone else from having to go through that, we should make a concerted effort to do so.”
Arnoldy, who announced the new fundraiser at this year’s Fore Bill event, encourages everyone to attend the Fore Roger golf outing in September 2018.
“Of course the main purpose for the outing is to raise funds, but we will have opportunities to win gifts, great flag events, coveted raffle items, and maybe an appearance from a retired Green Bay Packer or two,” he said.
