NATCHEZ — For the second straight year, walkers will take to the streets of downtown Natchez to raise money and awareness for Alzheimer’s disease through the Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk.

The walk is the main fundraiser for the Alzheimer’s Association, which uses the funds to aid in research and support for individuals and families diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

The walk will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday at the gazebo on the Mississippi River bluff. Registration is from 8 a.m. until 8:45 a.m on the day of the walk.

Tom Holman, director of behavioral health at Natchez Regional Hospital, said 80 percent of the money raised in the Natchez walk will remain with the Mississippi chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. The other 20 percent will go to the national association.

Holman is also on the board of directors of the Mississippi chapter of Alzheimer’s Association.

“The main mission of the Alzheimer’s Associaton is of course to find a cure,” Holman said. “But we are also there to be of assistance to families. In particular, the caregivers to help them learn how best to deal with the illness.”

In its first year, the Natchez Memory Walk raised over $5,000 and had almost 100 participants.

Holman said he is hoping for a 50 percent increase over last year’s total.

“We believe it will be bigger and better than last year,” Holman said. “That is our hope at least.”

This year, money has been raised through silent auctions at businesses, sponsorships and raffles. The walk is open to business teams, families and individuals. Last year, Holman said some children rode their bikes.

“Last year, we had two different family units that had a loved one pass away with Alzheimer’s,” Holman said. “In their memory, they put a team together. What a great way to honor a family member’s memory.”

On top of raising money for research and support, the purpose of the walk is to raise awareness for the disease.

Holman said now is an important time for funding Alzheimer’s research.

“We are right on the cusp of the baby boomer generation going into old age,” Holman said. “We are expecting to see a significant increase with the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s as a result.”

Nationally the Memory Walk is a 24-hour event much like Relay for Life. However, cognizant of the fact that many participants are not able to endure a 24-hour walk, the Natchez walk is much shorter.

“We are using it more as a symbolic gesture,” Holman said. “In actuality, we are only walking six blocks.”