Page 64 - Abilene Living

The paintings by the Alzheimer’s patients are very elementary, very simplistic, “ McDonald said, “but they have a story behind them.” The Alzheimer’s Association recruits artists and they then select a patient’s painting for inspiration. “Once they’ve painted a piece it is donated to us and then both paintings are auctioned together.”

In addition, this year’s Steppin’ Out organizers recognized honorary co-chairs, long-time U. S. Representative Charlie Stenholm and his wife Cindy, along with former state Representative Bob Hunter and his wife Shirley for their dedication to Texas and higher education in the state. The evening featured a delicious Italian buffet dinner, followed by dancing to the Freeride band, then the auctions. But the reason for the party remains at the forefront. “There are about 5.4 million in the United States living with Alzheimer’s disease,” Connally reported. “About half a million of those are under the age of sixty fve and that number scares a lot of people. We believe by the year 2050, unless a cure is found, there will be about sixteen million people in the United States with Alzheimer’s.”

According to Connally, Texas is home to about 340,000 of those, and, bringing the numbers even closer, about 7,000 live in the Big Country and 2.500 of those in Taylor County.

She added the number of those directly affected is much higher, about 20,000 in Abilene and Taylor County.

“It doesn’t’ just attack the person with the disease,” she said. “Of course anyone with any disease, it affects their family members, but it doesn’t seem to me other diseases affect the family and friends as deeply and for as long a period of time as Alzheimer’s. You don’t get cured. It’s not fast, it’s a slow, progressive disease.”

Still, with the solemnity of the illness, the Chicks of ’66 manage to have fun while making a difference.

“We feel really proud,” McDonald said. “We all stay in touch and do a couple of trips a year, but this has really become our baby.”  ALM