NARFE CHAPTER 185 & the ALACHUA COUNTY ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION
The History
Did you know that our Chapter started helping secure funds for
Alzheimer's way back in 1985, before there was an Alzheimer's Association chapter
in Gainesville? It happened this way. The wife of one of our members was diagnosed
with Alzheimer's, and the NARFEian was going through difficult times as a care-giver
to his wife. Chapter 185 voted to establish a support group in town. That year,
we made signs, decorated some buckets and stood outside the Publix stores and
solicited funds. We did this on our own for two years. We heard many interesting
stories from family members and also shared a few tears with them.
About the same time, interested citizens began organizing a chapter of the Alzheimer's
Association here in Gainesville. These ladies joined with NARFE Chapter 185 to
get the Alzheimer's Association Chapter established. As the Alzheimer's Association
Chapter became more organized, officers were elected and the first Director was
hired. This early Alzheimer's Director began organizing fund raisers from garage
sales to bake sales, to the Memory Walk. As the Walk increased in importance,
Chapter 185 not only participated in sponsoring it, but had a small walking team
as well. Although the Chapter's team has been made up of seniors, we have always
been able to count on three or four ladies and a like number of men to form the
backbone of our Chapter's profile in the Memory Walk. Not many of the walking
teams have been around since MEMORY WALK began, but due to the good work of decades
of service by Chapter 185 members and the yeoman service of Dean Davis, our Chapter
has been a faithful sponsor and has fielded a walking team every year.
At the Chapter's monthly meetings, a collection is taken up to pay for our Memory
Walk Sponsorship. We try to collect the $750.00 sponsorship fee from raffles and
donations from the members who attend monthly meetings. The Chapter has also authorized
a donation of up to $250.00 from the general fund in those years in which the
goal of $750.00 is not met.
Our Chapter is very unique in that most of the NARFE chapters in the United States
collect money that goes through NARFE's headquarters to support Alzheimer's research.
In recognition of our status as a charter member of the Alachua County Alzheimer's
Association, and in continuation of our original intent, the money we collect
from our members and donate directly, stays in our community to help caregivers.
Click here to return
to the main page