Edward Jones launched the Walk Across America, a one-time, 16-week relay-style walk across 12 states, to raise awareness about the impact of Alzheimer’s disease.

The oldest city on each coast serves as the trailheads for Walk Across America, leaving from San Diego on July 9 and from St. Augustine, Fla., on Aug. 27. In teams of eight, more than 1,000 Edward Jones financial advisors and branch office administrators will complete the 3,100-mile journey relay-style.

The teams will traverse cities, towns and open country and cross the desert, plains, river valleys and rolling hills, taking at least 5.7 million steps across America – one step for every person in the U.S. living with Alzheimer’s disease.

A local team of Yent, Burke, Harrell, Varner, Vaulgamore and McNab walked 20 miles from Folkston to just north of Waycross. Georgia on September 4; while another team led by Rob McRae walked 20 miles from North of Waycross to South of Waycross on Wednesday, September 5.

“This four-month Walk Across America is one more way to increase awareness of Alzheimer’s and the resources available to deal with it,” said John Beuerlein, the Edward Jones principal who leads the firm’s Older Adult Council.

The cross-country walk will culminate in St. Louis on Oct. 28 as the final team crosses the stage at Enterprise Center during this year’s annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s fundraising event, chaired by Beuerlein.

Each team will carry a hand-carved walking stick harvested from the farm of Ted Jones, son of the firm’s founder, Edward Jones Sr.

For details, maps and photos of Walk Across America, visit www.edwardjoneswalks.com.

In addition to the local walk Yent and McRae are looking forward to hosting the Golf to End Alzheimer’s tournament this year.

They are hoping that it will not only raise , money, but also raise awareness for the Alzheimer’s Foundation as they strive to cure this terrible disease.

Edward Jones, a Fortune 500 company headquartered in St. Louis, provides financial services in the U.S. and, through its affiliate, in Canada. Every aspect of the firm’s business, from the investments its financial advisors offer to the location of its branch offices, caters to individual investors.

The firm’s 16,000-plus financial advisors serve more than 7 million clients and care for $1 trillion in assets under management. Visit the firm’s website at www.edwardjones.com and its recruiting website at www.careers.edwardjones.com. Member SIPC.