Alzheimer’s Association Says JJC Is Top Sponsor of 2026 Walk to End Alzheimer’s

Joliet Junior College | September 16, 2026

Article Summary: Kaylee Rizzo of the Alzheimer’s Association of Illinois told the Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, that the college is the top sponsor of this year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s, with President Dr. Clyne Namuo serving as executive event chair and college teams having raised more than $5,000.

JJC Alzheimer’s Partnership Key Points:

JJC is the walk’s top sponsor; event-day volunteer shirts will carry the JJC logo.

College teams from five departments have registered 25 individuals and raised more than $5,000.

Namuo is the 2026 executive event chair and helped convene 50 area leaders at a spring kickoff.

The walk is set for Oct. 3.

JOLIET — Joliet Junior College is the top sponsor of this year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s, a representative of the Alzheimer’s Association of Illinois told the college’s Board of Trustees on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026.

Kaylee Rizzo, senior manager of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, was introduced during the communications portion of the meeting by Robin Ballard, who noted that President Dr. Clyne Namuo is serving as executive event chair for the 2026 walk.

“At JJC, we often talk about our responsibility to serve the community,” Ballard said. “While we are best known for providing educational opportunities and workforce development, we also have the opportunity to support causes that impact the lives of students, employees and families we serve every day.”

Ballard said the cause is personal. “My grandfather lived with Alzheimer’s, so I’ve seen firsthand how this disease affects not only the person diagnosed, but entire families,” she said.

Rizzo opened by describing the association’s broader mission beyond the walk — “to eliminate Alzheimer’s and all other dementia through advancing research, providing care and support, and promoting brain health and risk reduction.”

She cited the association-led U.S. POINTER study, which she said followed more than 2,100 older adults at increased risk for cognitive decline. “It found that lifestyle interventions combining physical activity, nutrition, cognition and social engagement and health monitoring improved cognition, with greater benefits seen among participants who received more structure, support and accountability,” she said.

“So we have growing evidence that the things that we do in our communities can matter for our brains. And that’s where I think JJC has such an important role to play.”

From Event to Partnership

Rizzo said the relationship has broadened over the past year. Namuo “stepped forward as our executive event chair and helped us to bring together 50 leaders from Joliet and surrounding communities to our kickoff this spring,” she said.

“We didn’t ask those leaders to support a walk. We brought them in for the mission,” Rizzo said. “We talked about the impact, the resources available to families, the importance of brain health, and how each of them could help move this work forward in their own organization and communities.”

She said she has since spoken with JJC staff and students personally affected by Alzheimer’s, and that volunteers have come forward to staff the walk’s Promise Garden, where participants receive flowers representing their connection to the disease.

“This year, JJC isn’t just supporting the walk. JJC is helping to lead it,” Rizzo said. “JJC is our top sponsor. Our event day volunteers will be wearing shirts with the JJC logo on the sleeve.”

College teams representing the president’s office, nursing education, human resources, the employee resource group, and health and public services have registered 25 individuals and raised more than $5,000, she said, not counting students volunteering on event day.

Namuo returned to the partnership in his president’s report, saying he had shared his own family’s experience. “My grandmother lived the last 16 years of her life with Alzheimer’s,” he said. He urged trustees to join him at the walk on Oct. 3 and at the JJC Foundation’s 5K the following day.

“I’m really proud of the work we’ve done,” Namuo said. “Hope that number increases and we want to have as many participants there on October 3rd.”

The item was presented under communications and required no board action.