Not all heroes wear capes. But on March 12, at Berean Lake in Highland, some might. Since 2010 the Hudson Valley Chapter of The Alzheimer's Association hosts a Subzero Heroes event, where community volunteers dress up in costume and jump into the freezing cold waters to raise awareness for a disease that has taken so many loved ones away.

Ruthless, this disease isn’t a sudden killer, but instead a painfully slow process where we must watch the ones we care about most slip away.

According to the CDC, in 2020, as many as 5.8 million Americans were living with Alzheimer’s disease. They further report that number is projected to nearly triple to 14 million people by 2060.

Moreover, the CDC states that Alzheimer’s disease is one of the top 10 leading causes of death in the United States; the sixth leading cause of death among US adults; and the fifth leading cause of death among adults aged 65 years or older.

More must be done to combat this devastating disease.

Monies raised from Subzero Heroes aids the Alzheimer’s Association’s goals of advancing research for the prevention, cure and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and providing support and assistance to the five million-plus afflicted and their families.

The event features several teams with different themes.

Strike Out Alz is comprised of several Sullivan County residents. They will once again be dressed in bowling-themed attire. Team members currently include Terence and Theresa Grafmuller, Joseph Abraham, Susan Bunce, Marcia Fink, Sheila Lashinsky and Jaime Schmeiser.

We wish these heroes the best of luck on their frigid plunge, as well as their fundraising efforts.
To learn more about the event, visit the Subzero Heroes Facebook page. It includes a link to the fundraiser’s website, where you can learn more about getting involved, make a donation to the overall event or to a specific team.

Furthermore, you can also head to the Sullivan County Democrat Podcast pages on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn and more, to hear our interview with Lauren Voorhees, Events Manager of the Alzheimer’s Association Hudson Valley, NY Chapter.