Practice begins for Blondes vs. Brunettes flag football game

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) -Every one minute and six seconds, someone in America develops Alzheimer’s Disease.

Nearly two thirds of those diagnosed are women.

The third annual Alzheimer’s Association Mercer Bears Blondes vs. Brunettes Flag Football Game is coming up in October. The fundraiser’s teams met for the first time Monday night and started practice together.

They’re divided on the football field, but they all share the same goal– bring an end to the sixth leading cause of death.

“It’s (Alzheimer’s) the only one in the top ten that is not preventable,” says Ashley Copelan, head coach of the Brunette team. “You can’t slow it down and you can’t cure it, so we need to do what we can.”

The event raised more than $100,000 in each of its first two years. The goal this year is $200,000.

The game is October 15 at 1 p.m. at Mercer University.

For more information or to donate, click here.