I recently attended a conference at work and stopped by a
booth for Alzheimer's awareness. I can't say there was anything that really
grabbed my attention – I knew it affected millions of Americans, especially in
their older years. It's a disorder that's touched everyone's lives one way or
another, even mine.
I glanced at the literature at the table, asked a couple of
questions, then spied a flyer: Walk to End Alzheimer's. I love to walk. I can't
really describe how I felt – empowered, maybe? My gut was telling me to help so
I picked up the flyer and after a few days of mulling over the feasibility of
such a daunting undertaking I formed a team.
I asked a bunch of ladies at work if they were interested
and wanted to join. They were very enthusiastic and jumped right on board.
It feels good to be helping such a worthy cause and everyone
on the team has had Alzheimer's touch their lives. My team is the "Forget
Me Nots" and I'd like to give a shout out to the ladies on the team:
Jessie Loya, Debi Tinker, Lori Powell, D'Arcy Schroeder, Deby Herdrich and
Seanean Durden. We'll be walking 5K on Sep 20th, 2014 in Santa
Clarita, CA. Our individual goal is $100.00 and our team goal is $2000.00.
Our first group fundraiser will be a bake sale at the Valley
Communications Dispatch Center in LA on 15 April.
I know most people reading the blog can't come out to LA to
support our first group effort, but if you would consider supporting the team
with a monetary donation, it would be most appreciated. Any amount is welcomed.
If you donate over $50.00, I'll send you a print book from
my backlog: Victorian Scoundrel, The Hungarian, or The Faberge Secret, along
with a Lori Powell original book bag.
My next team update will be on 10 MAY here on my blog. So
far the team has raised $75.00.
Here's a link to our team page on Alz.org if you'd like to
donate:
Again, thanks so much. This endeavor is a big thing for all
of us. It's a little scary, too, but knowing that we've helped, even a little,
means a lot to us.
Just a little about Alzheimer's:
** Wear purple to show your support for Alzheimer's.
** Alzheimer's is a common form of dementia over 65.
** Age is the primary risk for developing Alzheimer's.
** Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning.
** For dementia, 2 or more mental functions must be
impaired. They include: memory, language skills, visual perception, the ability
to focus and pay attention, and the ability to reason and solve problems.
** Some people with dementia can't control their emotions,
resulting in delusions. The most common is a strong belief, without proof, that
someone is stealing from them.
For more info visit: Alz.org
Author Bio: Stephanie Burkhart is a 911 dispatcher with
LAPD. She's also a romance and children's author published with 4RV Publishing,
Desert Breeze, and Victory Tales Press. She's married, is addicted to coffee,
adores chocolate, and a chauffer to her boy's busy schedule.
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