My Friend's Place puts award to good use
Published: November 1, 2007
BANGOR - At My Friend's Place, each day brings new theme-based activities for participants suffering from Alzheimer's disease and battling memory loss, but the recurring theme here lately has been one of thanks. On Oct. 5, the Bangor-based nonprofit was awarded a $5,000 grant as part of the Bangor Savings Bank Foundation's Community Matters More campaign.
More than 37,000 area residents cast votes in September to award $75,000 to 360 local nonprofit organizations, with the nine top vote recipients receiving $5,000 grants each and 30 additional organizations receiving $1,000 grants. My Friend's Place was one of three in the Bangor area to receive the top $5,000 award.
"I received a call at home from Brian Stanley at Bangor Savings Bank after working at My Friend's Place for the day," said Barbara Fister, director for the organization. "I was stunned and grateful."
Founded in 2001, My Friend's Place is an adult social program designed to aid those suffering from Alzheimer's disease, dementia or other forms of memory loss. Located at the First United Methodist Church on Essex Street, the program also provides relief for caregivers, the often-overlooked victims of the disease due to the stress of providing care for their loved ones. Many provide more than 40 hours of care each week.
Alzheimer's is a degenerative, fatal brain disease that destroys brain cells, resulting in the loss of memory and thought processes, and altering the behaviors of those it afflicts severe enough to affect work, hobbies or their social life.
According to the latest figures from the Alzheimer Association's "2007 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures" report, there are more than five million people in the U.S. living with the disease. The association expects that figure to increase by more than 50 percent to 7.7 million in the next 25 years, as baby boomers grow older.
Based on the Best Friend's model of care developed by authors Virginia Bell and David Troxel, My Friend's Place focuses on the uniqueness, value and remaining untapped strengths and abilities of those suffering from Alzheimer's. Each day, volunteers and participants gather together with the goal of fighting the disease, and participants follow adult-oriented themes that offer opportunities for organized and spontaneous interaction, including socialization, exercise, fine motor activities, games and special projects.
Linda Morris has been a volunteer since the program began and loves every minute of it. When asked what she enjoys most about volunteering, "Seeing the participants with happy faces and knowing that they enjoy the time with us," she replied. Morris also said it's important for caregivers to know their loved ones are in good hands and will be taken care of while they enjoy some free time for themselves.
And the grant couldn't come at a better time for the organization as November was Alzheimer's Awareness Month - the money will be used to send 31 volunteers to an Alzheimer's conference and to explore the possibility of starting an early-stage program.
"It is in community, in working with, through and for others, that we strengthen and build the welfare of all," said Fister. "All of us at My Friend's Place just want to take this opportunity to thank Bangor Savings Bank and the community for this wonderful gift."
