Alzheimer's Association, Northwest Ohio Chapter hosted its annual celebration Tuesday at Tiffin-Seneca Public Library.
Executive Director Salli Bollin gave an overview of the chapter's success in the past year, recognized sponsors and presented awards to volunteers and participants of the Walk to End Alzheimer's.
"We actually do nine of these (lunches) throughout the 24-county area that we serve, and we spread them out to spend some time ... and share what we've been up to over the past year," Bollin said.
Article Photos
PHOTO BY DON GROFF
These volunteers were recognized for their outstanding contributions to Walk to End Alzheimer’s. They are (from left) Jessica Rogier, representing St. Francis Home, the top corporate team; Dave Shelton, representing the top individual and family team; and Maria Browne of Elmwood Assisted Living and Terri Smith of Attica United Methodist Church, who placed second and third, respectively, among the corporate teams.
The chapter, it was reported, has 17 board members, 38 staff and more than 400 volunteers who contributed 4,254 hours of service in 2011. The association's records show a 16 percent rise in services for 2011. More than 8,000 people were served through more than 2,000 helpline calls and more than 1,600 hours of care consultation and counseling.
Bollin said 4,401 individuals participated in educational programs, including 200 professionals and 100 other participants in Seneca County. Numbers in the four early-stage programs also rose.
"In 2010, we had 392 people in that early stage program. Last year 872 people took part in just those four groups," Bollin said. "People are getting diagnosed earlier in the disease process, and they're living longer with this disease."
Fact Box
What Alzheimer's Association NWOH offers
Programs and services, such as: 24-hour helpline staffed by real people; counseling services for families; short-term respite services for caregivers; adult day care; lending library; speakers bureau; website; professional training and conferences; quarterly newsletter; online coaching for caregivers via e-mail and a new frontal temporal lobe dementia support group in Findlay.
Research funding: The association funded $25 million in the U.S. last year. A Trial Match program matches people with clinical studies. Nine new medications have reached Phase III in clinical trials, and 22 more are in phase II of testing. Research also is being done in the area of prevention.
Advocacy: Members meet with legislators and partner with Agencies on Aging and the Veterans Administration. Representatives from Northwest Ohio chapter are to take part in "Memory Day" April 3 in Columbus. They also are to meet with members of Congress in Washington, D.C.
Locally, radio host Russ Snyder served as honorary chairman of the Tiffin walk, which raised more than $17,000 last September. The top three individual and family teams were the Kuhn-Shelton Team, Granny's Team and The Extra Mile. The top three corporate teams included St. Francis Home, Elmwood Assisted Living and Attica United Methodist Church.
Certificates of appreciation were given to volunteers Maria Browne, Missy Gurney, Linda DeVaughn, Kellie Hartzell, Dave and Janice Shelton and Kathy Theis of Fostoria. Bollin said volunteers make it possible for the Alzheimer's Association to serve as many people as possible.
"Our vision still continues to be a world without Alzheimer's disease. We hope that someday we won't need to have these lunches anymore," she concluded.
More information is available online at alz.org/nwohio or by calling (800) 272-3900.
