Today we’d like to introduce you to Wes Milligan.
Hi Wes, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
When I was a journalist in Louisiana many years ago, I was asked to write a story about Alzheimer’s. I didn’t know much about the disease then. But after researching it, I felt the best way to tell the story was to interview people who were suffering from it and the caregivers who were with them every step of the way. The experience was … heart wrenching. Those I interviewed were forgetting their loved ones and most cherished memories, everything they were, as each day went by. The toll on their caregivers was immense too. It just wasn’t fair. So, no matter where I’ve lived – Louisiana, St. Louis, Miami and Memphis – I’ve become involved in my community to fight Alzheimer’s.
Then in 2019, on my 40th birthday, I pledged to raise $200,000 for the Alzheimer’s Association in 10 years. We crushed that goal in just three and a half. Now, my pledge is to raise $1,000,000 lifetime by my 50th birthday. And we’ve already raised more than $750,000 toward that goal.
In January 2025, the National Alzheimer’s Association honored me with one of the greatest moments of my life: Volunteer of the Year. Since then, I’ve traveled around the country to spread awareness to ENDALZ. For example, I often ask volunteers to wear their Walk to End Alzheimer’s or #ENDALZ shirt everywhere they go. I cannot tell you how many conversations I’ve had with those affected by Alzheimer’s and all other dementia, because I wore this shirt. I often call it my uniform. It’s part of who I am, and we all need to make it a part of our personal brand too. This shirt creates some of the most important conversations you could ever have. It could start a conversation with someone who is grieving. It may start a conversation with a future volunteer. It may even start a conversation with a donor whose dollars push forward the ground-breaking research that finally finds a cure for Alzheimer’s. We all must show the world that we are in this together, so wear your #ENDALZ shirt, all the time. It’s our uniform of hope.
Second, find your passion. My fundraising skyrocketed when I aligned my passions with the Alzheimer’s Association. For example, my friends and I created Bourbon BarrALZ, a team of volunteers who pick bourbon and whiskey barrels to raise money to ENDALZ. This fun endeavor has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to ENDALZ while growing awareness of our vision of a world without Alzheimer’s and all other dementia. And I want to thank my Bourbon BarrALZ team and the National Alzheimer’s Association and its leaders who have helped grow this passion to new levels.
And finally, I think it’s important to know who’s next. We ask a lot of volunteers and staff members, which is why succession is so important at every level of an organization. Get out in the community and recruit and support the next all-star. And if you don’t know who they are, look at your data. There are many who are already connected to your cause. Now, activate them.
I truly believe we will find a cure in my lifetime. Three years ago, I don’t know if I could have said that. But three years ago, rays of hope cut through the darkness of Alzheimer’s with drugs that treat the disease, not just the symptoms, which means we are pushing the accelerator as much as we can in this Era of Treatment – to give others more time. We all deserve a world without Alzheimer’s and all other dementia, and I promise you I’m not stopping until that happens. We’re coming for you Alzheimer’s … one barrel at a time.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’ve served as an Alzheimer’s Association volunteer for more than 20 years in multiple cities. People joke that #ENDALZ will be on my tombstone because it’s become my life’s work: to ENDALZ. I’m proud of this service and the funds we have raised, but I’m more proud of the progress the Alzheimer’s Association has made to end this heart-wrenching disease. I’m also proud of my car for enduring the miles I log each year driving back and forth from Memphis to Kentucky and other parts of Tennessee through Bourbon BarrALZ (www.bourbonbarralz.com) to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association.
Fun facts about me: I’ve seen a baseball game in every Major League Baseball ballpark (and several old ones). I went to the University of Missouri (Mizzou) and graduated from the Missouri School of Journalism. I previously served as the Tennessee Alzheimer’s Association Chairman of the Board (I’m emeritus now), and I also serve on the board of directors for the Overton Park Shell in Memphis. I LOVE the Shell. It’s truly the gem of Memphis and many of my fondest memories are at the Shell. I’m so excited for its 90-year celebration this year!
I also have a wonderful wife, Amanda, and a stepdaughter, Cameron. And I can’t forget about our two dogs, Biscuit and Jelly, and our two cats, Archer and Karma. You can tell my wife and stepdaughter are Taylor Swift fans, haha.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @wesmilligan
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesleymilligan/
- Other: https://www.bourbonbarralz.com/
