| Children and Grandchildren |
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| Thursday, 09 April 2009 | |
Hi,Most of you won’t know me since I don’t post very often. This time though I am posting to to tell my story and ask a favor as well. Myself and my young granddaughter are just entering our third year of dealing with my husband's Alzheimr's. He was diagnosed at 65. I am learning as I go on this journey and trying to maintain as stable environment as possible for my granddaughter who lives with us. She has lost so much of the closeness with her grandfather. They used to ride horses, build anything and everything together. He loved taking her back and fourth to school and attending (fathe/daughter dances with her. He loved listening to her stories. These days, he doesn't ride and has lost interest in building things. Listening is not something he does well anymore. My granddaughter found a wonderful breath of respite and understanding in a new first of it's kind camp found by Tracy Mobley. Words are not enough to explain the deep and lifelong connections she made at the camp last year. She was fortunate enough to get a scholorship. It is for this reason I have promised to help Tracy (Young Hope) in funding raising this year for Austin’s Camp Building Bridges. Some of you may already know Tracy Mobley. She has been a leading advocate for EOAD. She has been a true inspiration to me and many others. From the beginning she made it her mission to step up and set her priority on raising awareness, education and support. Her primary focus and her personal dream was “Camp Building Bridges” Now renamed Austin’s Camp Building Bridges” Tracy started the “Can You Spare a Dime Campaign” last fall for Camp Building Bridges. Both the campaign and the camp were a huge success. Through shear will and determination she was able to obtain grants from prominant foundations and finally get the full backing of the National Alzheimer's Association. I know all of us have suffered from the divesting effects of AD and yet we manage at times to gain comfort and strength from others. Some in support groups, some on message boards and sites such as this,others in close friendships.Don't our children and grandchildren deserve the same? Let’s help to keep the dream going and show Tracy we want to Pay it Forward and make sure our children and grandchildren continue to have the support and understanding they need as well. I am asking each person on this board to donate as many dimes as they can towards this summer’s camp. If possible recruit your friends into rolling dimes and donating. Just think if each of us could get just send one roll of dimes and recruit our friends and family into rolling dimes that could be a real show of support and a great gesture for many kids that have to live with this disease daily as do each of us. Last years camp had kids from New York, South Carolina, Texas, Oklahoma, and California. We can spread this campaign and the benefits of Austin’s Camp Building Bridges across the country.
Welcome to Austin's Camp Building Bridges Austin's Camp Building Bridges is a respite camp for young teens ages 13-17 that have parents/grandparents in the home with Alzheimer's Disease or related dementias. Camp Building Bridges is funded by grants and public donations in the hopes that this camp can bridge nation wide in the future to make the camp more accessible to other families. Camp Mission To provide a respite camp for young teens away from home to receive educational support in regards to Alzheimer's disease or related dementias. This camp will also empower them to connect with their peers to form their own support network to allow them to be successful individuals in dealing with these diseases. Our Vision Our vision for Austin's Camp Building Bridges is to make this camp accessible to ALL young teens between the ages of 13-17 that wish to be apart of it. With the help of scholarship funding this helps to take away part of the financial hardship that is already embarked on families by Alzheimer's disease. This program will give the kids their educational resources to help them to be better caregiver's or prepare them to be caregiver's whatever their case maybe. It will also groom them to possibly be Advocates for Alzheimer's disease in the near future. And lastly, it will give them a much needed break just as adult caregiver's, a chance to still be a kid while the opportunity is there. History Austin's Camp Building Bridges is a Project that was inspired by our now 14 year old son Austin. He was only 7 years old when I was diagnosed with the cruelest of all diseases which is Younger-Onset Alzheimer's Disease/FTD. During these almost 7 years since my diagnosis we have served as very active Advocates for Alzheimer's disease and it was at the sight of seeing the struggles and challenges that my own son was going through that brought to mind that we have no support forums or support networks for children that have parents with dementia. Through his struggles I knew this had to be changed. Austin's Camp Building Bridges will help young teens build healthy relationships through these diseases as well as educate them more about what they need to know to not only help themselves but to help others. An added bonus of the camp is that it gives them 6 days away from home, 6 days away from dementia, 6 days to not have to worry about Mom & Dad, 6 days to just be themselves. Cost The hopes of Austin's Camp Building Bridges is to assure that no child is held back from the program due to financial needs. Through grants and donations from around the world each child that wishes to attend is awarded a scholarship to cover their tuition. There is a non-refundable registration fee of $50.00 that is required to assure your teen's spot at the camp. If you have more than one child interested in attending the camp the registration fee is $35.00 for the second child, third child, etc. For families that CAN afford the tuition, the cost is $600.00 plus the $50.00 registration fee. Please keep in mind that if you are able to pay for your child to attend camp, the scholarships allow a child that is not so fortunate to attend as well. Camp Goals Turning Fear and Sadness Into Knowledge 1. To allow Kids/Teens ages 13-17 to be given the complete knowledge they need to help them understand what is happening to their parent or grandparent. Turning Aloneness Into Peer Support 2. To allow Kids/Teens to meet and form with their own peers their own support network for continued support from one another. Turning Their Atmosphere Into Relaxation 3. To give Kids/Teens that are affected by dementia of a loved one the opportunity to be given a respite for a brief period and just be themselves. Camp Criteria We are not qualified nor capable of handling handicapped children. This is a respite camp only for those that have a parent/grandparent with Younger-Onset Dementia. Eligibility for Camp Building Bridges is pretty simple 1. Young teens between the ages of 13-17 (If you will be turning 13 years old within this calendar year, you will be accepted to the camp program) 2. Have a parent or grandparent with Younger-Onset Dementia 3. You are seeking support in dealing with emotional issues that come along with how the disease affects your loved one. Younger-Onset Connections The Younger-Onset Connections is a list of Younger-Onset Families across the US that have been affected by younger-onset dementia. Many of these families still have young children in the home. This list will give you access to families just like yours to contact through e-mail that may become a part of your support system. To be apart of this list you will have to sign a release form to be apart of the Connections system. To be apart of Younger-Onset Connections contact JoAnne Webster, Younger-Onset Coordinator of the Oklahoma/Arkansas Chapter http://www.alz.org/alzokar/. You can also contact her by calling the Oklahoma Chapter at 918-481-7746 or toll free 1-800-272-3900 Alzheimer's and Kids Alzheimer's disease is now robbing more than a quarter million Americans of their childhood. More than a quarter million American children age 8 to 18 are currently caring for loved ones with Alzheimer's. http://actionalz.org/alzheimers_and_kids.asp Any donations are tax deductible and should be sent with specific instrustions that it is for Camp Building Bridges to:
Kate Scruggs, You can also visit the tribute page on the Alzheimer's Website Austin's Camp Building Bridges to donate on line.
Thank you so very much for your time
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