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Wednesday, October 4, 2000 Local Memory Walk a rousing success By
JANET McGREGOR Local organizers of the first Southside Alzheimer's Memory Walk were not sure what to expect when they started marshalling resources for the walk, but the group has been overwhelmed with the support from the community. Hosting the local walk was the brainchild of one of Peachtree City's founding fathers, Floy Farr, along with Elaine Gaillard of Ashley Glen Assisted Living in Peachtree City. Farr's wife has Alzheimer's disease and is a resident at Ashley Glen. Farr and Gaillard had made the trek to downtown Atlanta in the wee hours of the morning for the Atlanta Memory Walk when Elaine made a comment about how much she supported the effort but didn't care for the long drive. Farr, always the problem solver, suggested they look at hosting a Southside walk. Within a relatively short time frame, a committee was formed, permission granted by the Alzheimer's Association and the calls to local companies for support began. Fred Brown, Jr., former Mayor of Peachtree City, Denise Buchanan, Dogwood Forest, Alice Mallory, Ralph and Brownie Jones, Reba Thompson, Geri Cowan, Melissa McCammon, Ashley Glen and Iola Snow, along with Farr and Gaillard, formed the working committee. Local nursing homes and assisted living communities jumped on board and began raising money and offering other assistance. Dogwood Forest hosted the kickoff party, while Southland Nursing Home raised money and had a team of ten walkers. Coweta-Fayette EMC, in conjunction with Operations roundup and Coweta Fayette Trust, signed on as the presenting sponsor. Talbot Bank was the gold sponsor and provided help in planning the event. Ashley Glen and Governor's Glen, Dogwood Forest, Peachtree National Bank, The Floy Farr and Hilda Bruce Farr Fund, the Rotary Club of Peachtree City and Village Pharmacy also signed on as sponsors and joined in the walk. Brown, a long-standing member of the Peachtree City Kiwanis, enlisted that group's aid as a monetary sponsors and volunteers at the walk. Numerous local companies donated products and time to make the walk a great success. Fayette Community Hospital hosted the first-aid table, and Uncle Rich from MJX Radio 98.1 played music and emceed the event. A number of departments at Fayette Community Hospital also formed teams of walkers and helped raise money. The hospital generously matched the amount collected by their walkers, and CEO Darrell Cutts and marketing director Ryan Duffey participated in the walk. The Kiwanis weren't satisfied with their Bronze level sponsorship and managed to collect an additional $800. Still not satisfied, they decided to provide free hamburgers and hotdogs to walkers after the walk. Gaillard said, "It was the first time I've ever had hot dogs for breakfast, but the smell of grilled hamburgers and hot dogs overcame any reservations." She continued, "The Kiwanis Club cooked out, cleaned up and helped in so many ways. We couldn't have done the walk with them." Congressman Mac Collins stopped by and gave a brief update to the group onthe efforts of Congress in regard to Alzheimer's. County Commissioners Greg Dunn and Herb Frady and Peachtree City Mayor Pro-tem Annie McMenamin assisted, Peachtree City gave a proclamation of support, and Governor Barnes sent a personal letter of support. Volunteers from the Peachtree City Running Club hosted a short run prior to the walk, also. The walk attracted a fairly large crowd, as well as contributing a large amount to the total dollars raised to fight the disease. Those helping in raising money hosted a wide-variety of events to collect dollars. Southland Nursing Home may have been one of the most innovative and industrious. They sold "Memory Shoes," designed by one of their artistic staff members. Staffers and resident family members baked cakes for a Cake-Walk and Cake Raffle. The Home hosted an All-You-Can-Eat Taco night and a separate Ice Cream party to raise money. The walkers sold chances for some beautiful fall baskets made by the Home's beautician. One of the staff's favorites was the ability to wear jeans on Fridays if they purchased an Alzheimer's sticker. Overall more than 70 local businesses, organizations and groups helped to raise well over $70,000 as of Monday morning.
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