The first Watertown Area Memory Care Walk was held in 2006. The fundraising concept was created in The Watertown Memory Care Support Group during the previous year. The Support Group was where all services to help caregivers began. Amazing caregivers knew what help they needed when they needed it and how they needed it. The Support Group was meeting at Jenkins Living Center. After identifying all those services, Connie Lake and Deanna Bullis decided to have an "Alzheimer's Walk" to raise funds for caregiver programs. A meeting with Loren Diekman was held and a plan was developed! There were lots of JLC staff that volunteered to put the plan in action. Fundraisers were at JLC leading up to the walk every year. Employees and volunteers had bake sales, produce sales, and walking taco feeds. September is a great month for a walk and a route was decided. Connie and Deanna began their roles as Co-Chairs of the project. T-shirts were sold, several baskets and other prizes were raffled to help raise funds, on the day of the walk. Memory balloons were also sold every year to be released at the beginning of the walk.
2007 was the first year that the committee decided to honor a local family who had been touched by Alzheimer's Disease. Through the years, some of those families have been David J. and Sandy Law family, Lenard and Ardell Timmerman family, "Coach" Jerry and Kathy McElroy family, Pat and Colette Mahowald family, and Ken and Mary Drake families. These families are the unsung heroes as they navigated their loved ones' journey! They also chose to share that journey with others through their participation in the walk, to continue to raise funds for programs for caregivers.
The Alzheimer's Council was officially designated to oversee the Caregiver Support Group, the Mary Drake Library, the Respite Care Scholarships, the Memory Screenings, and the Project Lifesaver Program. Each of these services are funded from the proceeds of The Watertown Area Memory Walk, held each year in September.

2021 saw many changes. A small core group of dedicated volunteers decided on a new path. They banded together with the Watertown Council on Aging to create a brand new entity! They are now known as WAMCAN-Watertown Area Memory Care & Aging Network. They welcomed many new caregivers and other folks who have a passion to help Watertown Memory Care Walk. They are a non profit 50 1c3 group status entity, complete with a Board of Directors and the first project is the 2022 Watertown Area Memory Walk. It is all new-- a new place, a new concept, new ideas, new energy and lots of excitement!