By Joel van der Veen
DAVIDSON — The numbers are staggering: 564,000 Canadians living with dementia, and 25,000 new cases diagnosed each year.
Looking over the crowd gathered at the Davidson Seniors Centre, Sandra Zoerb said, “There wouldn’t be one person in this room that is not touched by dementia.”
As the reach of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia continues to grow, Zoerb said it’s crucial to make sure patients, their caregivers and families are connected to the support that is available.
This year marked the 20th anniversary of the Coffee Break fundraiser, organized annually by the “Forget-Me-Nots” in support of the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan.
About 30 people attended a tea at the Davidson Seniors Centre on Wednesday, featuring baked goods, drinks and entertainment.
Local bakers make hundreds of cookies for the fundraiser, said Zoerb, adding, “Then they come and they buy them back.”
The same day, plates of cookies are distributed to businesses and offices around town as a means of soliciting donations.
Lois Sarich said they distributed around 65 plates this year, receiving around $1,700 in donations in return.
For most of the last 20 years, the Davidson committee has been the top fundraiser in the province. In that time they have raised a total of roughly $23,000.
Providing musical entertainment on Wednesday was Two for the Show, featuring Marcia Palmer and Maurice Merkosky.
The duo played a selection of classic tunes like “Coat of Many Colors,” which had many toes tapping and even coaxed a few in the audience onto the dance floor.
Patients with dementia will often respond to familiar songs even after other memories have faded, Zoerb said.
Palmer and Merkosky are among the volunteers who regularly lead music at the Davidson Health Centre where the “Kitchen Band” program has proven popular with many residents.
Proceeds from Coffee Break go to the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan, to fund research into the causes of dementia as well as potential cures.
Zoerb said the society also plays a critical role in providing support for patients and their families and caregivers.
Each year, the Forget-Me-Nots take time to remember their late comrade, Marj Crabbe, who died in 2014.
For more than 15 years, she played a lead role in organizing the annual Coffee Break, and she was also a committed advocate for dementia patients and their families.
In the fall of 2014, her friends planted a willow tree in her memory on the Davidson walking trail. They have returned every year since, to sing a song, add something new to the site or just pay silent tribute.