A festive and well-planned event by the Alzheimer’s Family Organization brought about 1,000 people out to the Villages Polo Fields on Saturday for a fund raiser for a serious cause. Participants raised money and walked either a mile and a half loop or a quarter mile loop to support the work done by the organization.
Although most folks chose the mile and a half loop, the quarter mile loop was well represented by 87-year-old Dot Butler and 96-year-old Lodema Osborne. Both are residents of Sumter Place Assisted Living in the Villages.
“We want to do what we can to catch this thing’” said Butler. ”It could happen to any of us.”
And with that the two took off on their decorated walkers. Their brisk pace which they maintained for the entire loop belied their age.
Many participants were part of a Villages neighborhood or club group. One group was very noticeable in their purple hats. The Day-Break Club run by Sandra Ricciardi was established in 2013 to serve the disabled and to give respite to their caregivers. Their clients are primarily people with Alzheimer’s and they meet every Tuesday at Odell Recreation Center for four hours. The afternoon is structured with activities and entertainment. During this time caregivers, usually spouses, get a much needed break and a little time to get some things done.
A parade of fully festooned golf carts traveled from Lake Sumter Landing (where they were judged) to the polo grounds. All the carts used purple, the Alzheimer’s color, to decorate and it was a sea of purple when they were all lined up.
After the Color Guard from The Villages Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 1036, opened the event leading in the Pledge of Allegiance, and the National Anthem beautifully sung by Christina Courtwright, Kathleen Winters, executive director of the Alzheimer’s Family Organization, thanked everyone for coming out on such a brisk morning and extended her heartfelt thanks to the many volunteers it takes to produce an event of this scope.
Then host Rob Newton awarded the prizes. Newton, a radio personality in the Villages for 14 years and now entrepreneur behind the Rob Newton Companies, was honored when he was asked to host the event.
“I have known so many people with relatives who have gone through that experience. I call it the Ultimate Identity Theft,” Newton said.
Prizes were given for decorated golf carts and the groups with the largest number of participants. David and Linda Timmons of the Village of Sanibel won for most or best decorated golf cart. David Timmons was fully in the spirit of the event wearing purple and white diamond shorts, which he claimed was his wife’s idea. He is happy to be supporting an organization that works for such a good cause.
“My best friend’s mother had Alzheimer’s, so I have seen what people go through,” he said.
Next the three groups with the largest support were named: West Hemingway had 29 participants, Sanibel Central had 56 and the group from Freedom Pointe had 80.
Following the awards, participants lined up to get the walk under way. People arrived in coats, gloves, hats, but many were able to shed layers and enjoy the walk on what turned out to be a beautiful sunny morning.
Formed in 1999 Alzheimer’s Family Organization covers eight counties including Lake, Sumter and southern Marion. They hold four major fund raisers a year and use the money for support groups and education, respite reimbursement programs and the Wanderers ID program. They operate with five employees and about 200 volunteers. “We couldn’t do what we do without our volunteer support,” said Winters. “Our volunteers keep us going.” She has been executive director since December 2015. She has long-term goals of being able to hire more staff through grants and being a larger presence in all of the eight counties they serve.
Compass Research was a co-sponsor of the event. A central Florida privately-owned company with an office in The Villages on Wedgewood Lane, they conduct clinical research with volunteers testing pharmaceuticals.
“Our primary focus is Alzheimer’s,” said Robert Vargas, operations director of the Villages location. “Our children’s generation will greatly benefit from the knowledge we are gaining from the service of our current volunteers. We couldn’t do it without our volunteers.”
