A Personal Story, and an Alzheimers Fundraiser

Many people remain silent about disabilities in their family, as it makes people wonder if they could be “contagious” or hereditary– but according to a recent study, Alzheimers is the nations third biggest killer– behind only heart disease and cancer.

My grandfather had Alzheimer’s.  It was awful.  For about a decade, my mothers side of the family would switch him from his childrens homes, and everyone would care for him on rotation.  That is the Irish-Catholic side of my family, so there were plenty of kids to lend a hand.  Sadly, he rarely remembered us in the later years, and would often not remember the last time he ate, accusing us (strangers, to him) of intentionally trying to starve him– and reacted in our homes in a fashion that would be appropriate if you believed that to be true.  It is a truly horrific disease.

Alzheimers OC is our local group who has stepped up to the plate to help families in their time of need, providing counseling and services to those in need, and Stag Bar + Kitchen has agreed to host a fundraiser to help.  With the event being organized by an “advocate for the elderly”, Sean Moran, this is surely to offer hope to many families in their time of need.

So how can you help?  Show up and eat some of the great food (I recommend the Hot Pocket pizza)!  Buy a hat!  Or bid on a number of items at the silent auction.  Hey– even if you don’t win, it’s still fun to bid!  All proceeds from hats, food, and auction items will go to Alzheimers OC.

Grab a drink, too– while drinks aren’t part of the total donation (they’ve gotta keep the doors open somehow!), Stag is widely known for their craft cocktails (I recommend the spicy margarita!).

So what are the items up for grabs at the auction?  There are a couple of kayaks, an electric mountain bike, VIP tickets to a Ducks game, and “Memories in the Making” painting.  If you’ve got a few extra bucks to throw around, they are also accepting direct donations, as well.

All and all, it’s going to be a great time with great people.  And no pressure: If you just want to show up to try the food that absolutely everyone continues to talk about around town, then Thursday is the time to do it!  The party starts at 6pm and will last until 9pm– hope to see you there!

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About Mike Glenn

Mike is the founder and publisher of Save Newport and Chair of Government Relations for the Elks Lodge. He writes, shoots photos, and edits, but much of the time, he's just "the IT guy". He can be reached at: Google+, Facebook, or via email, at michael.glenn@devion.com