The Longest Day is the day with the most light—the summer solstice. Each year on June 21, thousands of participants from across the world—including all of us at Touchmark— come together to fight the darkness of Alzheimer's through activities of our choosing. Together, we use creativity and passion to raise funds and awareness for the care, support, and research efforts of the Alzheimer’s Association.

An Annual Effort

Touchmark maintains a close partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association, and our teams do a fantastic job each year of coming up with creative ways to raise funds for important Alzheimer’s care and research. The apex of our annual fundraising is The Longest Day: a global awareness event.

Embracing Creativity & Individuality

Each community devises its own plans for reaching their fundraising goals. Examples of this year’s events include Touchstock, a musical festival a la Woodstock; silent and live auctions; car shows; concerts; fun runs/walks; partnerships with local businesses, and more.

“So often our caregivers feel that every day is a long day when caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s,” said Stephanie Buchanan, Executive Director at Touchmark on West Prospect in Appleton, Wisconsin. “By creating programs that emphasize social interaction, fun, and support, we help those with dementia live with dignity and purpose as well as reduce the burden of care for their loved ones.”

This Year’s Impact

• Touchmark at Mount Bachelor Village (Bend, Oregon) raised $20,150 through sunrise yoga, a live auction, a promotion partnership with Beach Hut Deli, flower gram sale, and luminaries.
• Touchmark at Fairway Village (Vancouver, Washington) raised $12,000 through its 15th Annual Car Show, sunrise yoga, a barbecue, music fest (with six different bands), walk, derby race for dollars, a memory care barbecue led by the retired nurses group, and more.
• Touchmark in the West Hills (Portland, Oregon) raised $9,000 through educational lectures, wine polls, a flower fundraiser, pickleball, Wildwood Trail fundraiser, ice bucket plunge, pizza and trivia, musical performance, and a prize drawing.
• Touchmark at All Saints (Sioux Falls, South Dakota) raised $7,282 through its Car Show, silent auction, music, bouncy house, and koozies sale.
• Touchmark at Pilot Butte (Bend, Oregon) raised $1,000 through sunrise yoga, a barbecue, flower gram sale, luminaries, and sunset event. Extra kudos to this team on their first year of participation now that they are part of the Touchmark family!
• Touchmark on West Prospect (Appleton, Wisconsin) raised $3,500 through events with three live performers, big band musicians, and prize baskets for fundraising/experiences with team members.
• Touchmark on West Century (Bismarck, North Dakota) raised $7,030 through its Touchstock event featuring multiple bands, face painting, food, crafts, and dancing.
• Touchmark at Wedgewood (Edmonton, Alberta) raised $2,436 through is Oilers prize game, a promise garden, pancake breakfast, laughter yoga, and Jane Fonda/Richard Simmons-inspired exercise class.
• Touchmark at Coffee Creek (Edmond, Oklahoma) raised $3,168 through its sunrise walk, bagel breakfast, carnival/fair, pie throwing, and a showing of The Greatest Showman movie.
• Touchmark at Harwood Groves (Fargo, North Dakota) raised $1,500 through a build-your-own-omelet meal, rummage sale, ice cream social, and Bluebird bingo night.
• Touchmark on Saddle Drive (Helena, Montana) raised $4,205 through a pancake breakfast, karaoke party, luminaries, live music, dunk tank, fun run, silent auction, and barbecue.
• Touchmark at Meadow Lake Village (Meridian, Idaho) raised $1,000 through its Car Show, meals-to-go fundraiser, purple donuts/coffee sale, purple party, bingo event, and more fundraising to come August – October.
• Touchmark at Emerald Lake (McKinney, Texas) raised $1,000 through its Alzheimer’s one-mile walk and silent auction. Extra kudos to this team as well since the community is still under construction!
• Touchmark at The Ranch (Prescott, Arizona) raised $3,700 through morning yoga, a forget-me-not flower fundraiser, a car show, food carts, live music, and pizza/cookie sale.
• Touchmark on South Hill (Spokane, Washington) raised $4,000 through a mimosa and marimba brunch, slip and slide, ice cream truck, dunk tank, and happy hour.
• Touchmark Central Office (Beaverton, Oregon) raised $526 through a Taco

Tuesday event with corn hole, mini football, and prize drawings.

We are so pleased to report that across all Touchmark communities, we raised over $81,000 this year alone, with some donations still rolling in. We increased our fundraising totals by more than $23,000 since last year!

We want to thank all of the residents and team members who got involved to support this meaningful cause as well as all those who donated to our efforts. Thank you and congratulations on an incredible year, Touchmark allies, friends, and givers!