Hello all! I just want to let everyone know that I am participating in the MemoryWalk for alzhiemers. I am trying to raise a minimun of $2,000. Earlier this year my Grandfather Rev. Bruce D. Bethard and my Grandmother Francis I. Smith passed away from this horrible mind robbing disease. I have always heard of people having this disease and in my career as an EMT I have seen many people suffering from this. I never thought my family would have been affected by this and especially twice. I miss my grandparents very much and which I could have spent some time with them. My Grandfather also suffered from Sundown Syndrome. What this is, is when the sun starts to set the person becomes more agitated and does not sleep much if at all at nighttime. Its such a horrible thing for anyone to go through. I never got to say goodbye to my grandparents. So I wanted to do something to help find a cure. Below is a link where if you like to help me, you can donate for the cause.. https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPle ... Please help support me in my endevor. Thank you. Keri Sweeney

Dear Keri, That's a great organization and a special cause. One of the special benefits of building a social online community like MommyTalk.com is the access one gets to the community of people just like themselves. With access comes the ability to help each other. To help illustrate this, MommyTalk.com will contribute $100 towards your goal. I hope that this helps and good luck. Sincerely, Travis Moss MommyTalk.com President

OH my gosh!!! THANK YOU so much. I do appreciate it. Keri

Well, that was nice. I can pledge $25, finances in our household are typically tight, but what you are doing is great. Anyone else have some money to put towards this? Can we mail you the money? I would rather do that than put it on my card. I don't want the Mr. to see that I am spending money on people other than ourselves. It's not a big deal, I store away small goose eggs for things that I like and make me feel good. This would be one. Let me know. Thanks and good luck.

If you go to my website that I had posted above there is a link there about donating offline. Think you can just print off a pledge form and mail it in. Thanks so much.

Wow I have about a month to go before the 3 mile walk that I will be doing in honor of my Grandparents. I was hoping to get $2,000 but looks like Im falling short. But having the emotional support of all my friends is just as good. Thanks to all those that have donated money! Keri Sweeney

HI Keri I am doing the walk also ( I do it every year) and I think so far this year I have raised $125. I can never get as much donated as I would like to but whatever I can get I think is better than nothing. Don't get discouraged. It's hard to get donations sometimes. Mine are from my family and just a couple of friends. Anything you raise for the cause is great Maybe we can meet someplace and say hello at the walk? Are you bringing your family? My husband and 2 kids do the walk with me (one is in the stoller....only 14 months old right now!)

Our donation has been put into your account Keriaz. Sorry Rhonda, we didn't know you were raising money too before we put it into Keriaz. I believe that the important thing is just as you put it Rhonda. Doesn't matter how much you raise, just that you are trying your best to raise money for a great cause. Good luck to both and we hope that our contribution helps. Sincerely, MommyTalk.com

Thanks for your Donation! I appreciate it.

Rhonda, I just donated $25 for your campaign! Cant afford to much but I did give what I could! HUGS! Hope to see you out there! Keri

Keri- Thanks so much but you didn't have to do that! I appreciate it though Raine- Please don't even worry about it. I do the walk every year and what ever I raise I am always happy with. I'm glad you made a donation for Keri because no matter who gets the donation, it's going to the cause that is important to both of us and that is all that matters.

Ya I felt it was a good idea for me to do it. Felt silly to donate to myself! So since you are doing this too might as well!

Well the Day is nearing everyone!!! Cant wait! I have put out the word once again for anyone who wants to donate to a worthy cause!! Alzhiemers is an awful awful mind-robbing disease. I hope and pray someday soon that they will find a cure or vaccine for this. In my line of work as an EMT I have seen so many people with Alzhiemers and other mind robbing diseases. It is so cruel that our own bodies are out to destroy us with out us being able to really fight back.

I couldnt imagine forgetting who my children are or where I live.  Then it just makes you forget everything. Guess another way to put it is Alzhiemers shuts down the brain and the body keeps going. My Grandfather had it and it was complicated by Sundown Syndrome. Never heard about it until he was diagnosed with it. What Sundown is, is this... When the sun sets the mind gets really agitated, the person cannot sleep at night or very little and the person gets more confused. They say that those who have it thier life span with this disease is limited to about 2 to 3 years. My Grandfather died 2 years after finding out. He just basically wasted away. Glad I didnt see him in the end.

My Grandmother (my mom's mom) died a month and a half later from Dementia which is another form of Alzhiemers. She just got really forgetful, hollered out like she was in pain but wasnt and basically her body was just waiting to die. She got to the point where she just gave up walking all together. She could walk but decided not to. Both were 89 years old.

Thankfully they both went peacefully in thier sleep. But I am sure they were scared inside. Trapped in thier own mind not knowing who they are or where they are. How horrible.

Please if you cant donate to the cause think good thoughts for me and the other people out there walking this Saturday.