Marquette Royales skate to help end Alzheimer’s disease

MARQUETTE — Two Marquette groups are teaming up with the goal of raising awareness and funds to help in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease.

The Marquette Royales are hosting Skate to End Alzheimer’s in conjunction with the Alzheimer’s Association. A portion of ticket sales from Friday and Saturday evening’s Royales games will go to the association, which provides numerous services for Alzheimer’s patients and their families.

“So it’s a real nice opportunity again for folks to hear about us who maybe don’t know we’re even here, to know there’s services available, and to get that word out and continue to get that word out that we’re here and we want to help families who are living with Alzheimer’s,” said Ruth Almen, regional director for the U.P. office of the Alzheimer’s Association.

Silent auctions and raffles take place both nights, with an additional auction for specially made event jerseys taking place after Saturday’s game. The Alzheimer’s Association is also working nationally and with supporters to ask legislators to put $2 billion into the U.S. budget for research into the disease.

“If we find a cure, and when we find a cure for this disease, we’ll be able to begin to within five years — all that money would be recouped by decreasing the expenses of Alzheimer’s disease,” Almen added. “So we will be out there and you’ll hear us again asking people to sign up to be advocates, to talk to their legislators.”

The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Lakeview Arena in Marquette.