Strangers passing through town often wonder why on earth we moved here and stayed here. By "we", I mean every one of us. Why didn't other cities and states beckon or foreign entities draw us into their realms? Part of the reason lies in the warmth and personal connections that a community such as ours offers. This was blazingly evident Friday, January 24, 2014, Winnemucca Alzheimer's Awareness Day - Tie One On. With purple ribbons and bow ties, stories and reconnections, and strengthened understanding through knowledge, we united to infuse Winnemucca with information of the signs and symptoms of this horrendous disease called Alzheimer's.
Mayor Di An Putnam launched the celebration with an official proclamation for this day. Students, teachers, and citizens joined in to spread the facts and increase our individual wisdom. With this awareness in the forefront, our community is better able to deal with this disease when confronted with it if a loved one receives this painful diagnosis. I want to share a few of my stories from this incredible event.
In the sixth grade classrooms of Mrs. Nielsen and Mrs. Kuretich I shared a bit of my experiences with AD and then the teachers and I read the book Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox. It is the tale of a boy with 4 names, just like that of his friend Nancy Alison Delacourt Cooper who lives in a nursing home next door. Nancy is losing her memory; Wilfrid, in the innocence of a child, helps her find it with objects carefully selected to jiggle her mind into recalling her youth. Needless to say as we adults read, we choked up and had to hand off the book for another to continue. It is good (though difficult) for students to see the intensity of feeling that their teachers possess.
In response to reading one student wrote, "This book is inspiring because it makes you realize some people have that disease and it isn't their fault. Be kind to them because one day this kindness might be returned when something is hard for you." Another student related, "I can't imagine the frustration of forgetting things left and right." A third stated, "Some people may laugh but Alzheimer's disease is no joke. There is no cure." And, "Maybe when you share your memories with someone with this disease it will help them find theirs, too."
When I asked, "What would you do if you went to Granny's and she had cooked the taco lettuce in the fryer and heated the hamburger in the dryer?" A student replied, "I would just smile and eat it!" If you want to relearn about pure goodness, just listen to the honest response of a kid.
Other events included the ribbon and bow tie donation project at Lowry High School during the Friday basketball games. Virtually everyone dropped some coins into the coffers and some overdid it with generosity. The large bills often came with a quiet smile and no need to say aloud that this disease is too close to home: Mom or Dad, Grandma or Grandpa, a spouse, or oneself. The tie tying event ended up being just an introduction and thanks, however, for next year the competition is on. We'll have timers and judges for the fastest tie, the best tie, and the most creative attempt. Start your practicing now so you, too, can Tie One On!
If you missed out and would like to donate or purchase a bowtie to prepare for next January, please contact me. We collected $540+, all of which stays right here for respite care for caregivers and education seminars on Alzheimer's. At least 1,000 local residents now know more about this disease, the 6th leading cause of death in the US, than they did a few short weeks ago.
I am again a volunteer on the Nevada Plan for Alzheimer's and Other Dementias Task Force. I am researching ways to recruit and retain volunteers who might serve in a number of capacities (caregiver, information disseminator, internet connector ...). I'd love to get feedback from you on how Nevada can best support rural citizens with education, increased information services, and medical care. You are invited to share with me (any time) and with the entire Task Force at its formal meeting April 23, 2014 via teleconference during Public Comment. If we don't shout it from the cow counties (and gold counties, too), we won't be heard.
Contact Gini Cunnigham at gini.cunningham@sbcglobal.net.[[In-content Ad]]
