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Coffee for a cause

Across Southwestern Ontario, Alzheimer’s Society's run Coffee Break to help with fundraising goals, to reach out to people and provide support and help.

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Sometimes the hardest part is asking for help.

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But creating an open, welcoming environment can be the best step forward.

Across Southwestern Ontario, Alzheimer’s Societies run multiple outreach and fundraising programs, and its annual Coffee Breaks are designed to achieve both.

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“It’s social with a purpose, and you’re giving your guests an easy opportunity to donate to the Alzheimer’s Society,” Shelley Green, the executive director of the Oxford society, said. “You give them the opportunity and they’re more than happy, plus it’s a great way to gather people and have fun.”

For Heather Wilson-Boast and her husband, Charlie Boast, the outing serves as a way to talk about what many keep private.

“It’s a way to open the door to come here and get assistance and for people not to be afraid to ask questions,” Wilson-Boast said. “We’ve often said how people want to help, so it makes it easier to open the door.”

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Boast was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia 10 years ago.

Because her father had also lived with Alzheimer’s disease, Wilson-Boast said she had recognized the signs in her husband. When they reached out to the Alzheimer’s Society for help, they were met with open arms.

“He was very private and didn’t want people to know,” Wilson-Boast said.

That initial reluctance, however, was replaced with a desire to educate others about the disease. Boast is now the spokesperson for the Oxford campaign.

“We’re into our 10th year, but it is a big step to be the spokesperson and he’s very much wanting to know about the latest research. He’s still curling, golfing, stamp club, coin club and he’s always reading and researching.”

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The Coffee Break program runs from September to the end of November, but they’ve been known to run as late as March, Green said.

The society puts together a kit with brochures and guidance to make it as easy for the organizer. In the case of Wilson-Boast and her friend Noreen Holbrough, they organize a Coffee Break through their bridge club.

“You develop friendships and you look forward to seeing one another. It keeps that social interaction going in a place people are comfortable and don’t feel judged. It’s very welcoming.”

In other areas of Southwestern Ontario, the campaign has enjoyed equal success.

The Alzheimer’s Society of Huron County have been running its Coffee Break campaign for about 25 years. Organizers set up arrangements with two McDonald’s restaruants to further reach people.

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“It’s a great opportunity for awareness in the community. That doing something as simple as having a coffee makes a big difference,” Erin Dale, the Huron society community outreach and event co-ordinator, said. “Even if it’s a 30-second conversation, our name is being put out there.”

For the Alzheimer’s Society of Oxford fundraising is essential for survival.

The organization receives 65 per cent of its funding from the government, leaving the remainder – about $400,000 – to be found elsewhere, Green said.

“Coffee Break’s one of the ways we do that, and it allows us to provide the programs and services we do,” she said. “And what is raised in Oxford stays in Oxford. The money raised is used to help people in Oxford.”

In a time where regionalization has taken precedence in some organizations, the Alzheimer’s society continue to hear local matters.

“That’s something all societies pride themselves on is the money raised in their neighbourhood stays in their neighbourhood,” Dale said.

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