On the lunch menu for today is a chicken dinner and the opportunity to donate $10 to a good cause: Alzheimer’s research.

The fundraiser is another away to raise money to research a disease that affects more and more families every year, according to organizer Chastity Perry. Before they started prepping food early this morning, tickets for all 450 chicken dinners had sold out, but according to Perry, there may a few more plates in the offering for those who show up hungry, and without a ticket.

This fundraiser and others are part of the lead up to the annual main event: the Alzheimer’s Walk and Education Fair that will be held on Sept. 27 at the Improved Order of the Red Men’s Lodge on East Third Street in Washington. Money raised by volunteer teams goes is donated for research into the causes of the disease at East Carolina University’s Wooten Lab and to Duke and University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. In the past two years, eastern North Carolina Alzheimer’s Walks teams have donated $100,000 to Wooten

“Angels for Alzheimers” is the name of the team Chastity Perry and her husband, Brett, have successfully led for the past four years. Both Perrys have a history of Alzheimer’s and dementia in their families and decided to do their part to shed some light on the disease.

“A lot of people are affected by (Alzheimer’s), but a lot of people aren’t familiar with it,” Chastity Perry said.

That’s slowly changing, said walk and education fair organizer Emily Albera. Each year, more people take part in the walk — a short jaunt downtown and back — and the fair, where they can learn more about the disease, its symptoms, treatment and resources for victims and caregivers, from medical and social service professionals.

“Because it’s hitting so many families, the stigma is going away,” Albera said. “People are more willing to admit that it’s happening to their families.”

The Perrys were drawn to the cause not only because of their personal experience, but because of the welcome they received from Alzheimer’s walk organizers: there was no limit on how much “Angels for Alzheimer’s” had to raise to participate.

“They said $5 was fine,” Chastity Perry said.

So the Perrys raised $2,000 their first year. They instituted the chicken dinner they second year and raised over $4,000. Last year, their team brought in almost $5,000 and this year, they’ve already reached that mark and are near $6,000.

“The first year was a lot of error and learning, but thanks to great volunteers and teamwork, we got all the kinks worked out. The first year was definitely a learning experience,” Chastity Perry laughed.

“They work so hard — they’re just very faithful to this,” Albera said of the Perrys.

Albera said another of the Alzheimer’s big fundraisers will be held on the day of the walk and education fair: a silent auction during the fair’s hours from 9 a.m. to noon. Items to be auctioned include two photographs from local photographer Larry Boyd, an Adirondack chair, a handmade quilt by Dot Van Dyne, tool sets, gift card, spa packages and more.

The Alzheimer’s Walk and Education Fair will take place at the First Baptist Church fellowship hall at 113 N. Harvey St., Washington.

For Albera, the purpose is not just raise money to provide a valuable resource for those who are seeking information about Alzheimer’s and one of its main symptoms, dementia. For that reason, all are welcome.

“You don’t have to walk, you can come in and get the free materials and the flu shot and take part in the silent auction,” Albera said.