A cup of coffee is going a lot further these days.
Just ask the folks at the Alzheimer Society of Newfoundland and Labrador.
It is through the price of a cup of coffee at an event called Coffee Break they are raising funds to be used for a variety of programs that benefit families dealing with Alzheimer’s disease.
“Coffee Break is being held throughout the province starting in September through the end of October. There are 250 events happening in the province and we are happy with any amount we raise and we hope to build from year to year on the amount we take in,” Jessica Flynn, event planner for the Alzheimer Society of Newfoundland and Labrador, said Thursday from the Credit Union’s Freshwater Road location, one of 12 province-wide that hosted an event.
Coffee Break kicked off in September with an event at Rocket Bakery in St. John’s.
Money raised through the multiple events stays in the province and goes to a variety of programs.
“It goes towards our Learner’s Series, a 15-week program of one-on-one support which outlines what people can expect when dealing with a person with Alzheimer’s,” Flynn said.
“It helps keep that running, operates family support groups and a long list of others that we provide,” she added.
Coffee Break is the Alzheimer Society’s major nationwide annual fundraiser where friends, co-workers and customers gather in communities across Canada to raise funds for local Alzheimer societies.
Friends, co-workers and customers gather at these events and make a donation in exchange for a cup of coffee. The money raised stays in that province or community to help support local programs and services.
And a little corporate help never hurts, especially when the 140 employees of the NLCU drive the initiative, not those in the corporate boardroom.
“Our employees thought they could help bring awareness to Coffee Break by getting involved and supporting what is already a nationwide initiative,” Glenn Bolger, NLCU chief operating officer, said while attending one of the events held at the Freshwater Road Credit Union Thursday.
Bolger said the branches already provide coffee and treats on a daily basis, so this was the perfect opportunity for the staff and the public to come together in support of the Alzheimer Society.
“Alzheimer’s has touched all of our lives, so to support this type of initiative is a perfect fit. Our motto is ‘Better For You,’ and in terms of banking and what we do in the community, it applies to both.”
samuel.mcneish@thetelegram.com
What is Alzheimer’s disease?
• Dementia is a term that generally refers to a variety of brain disorders. Different physical changes to the brain cause different dementias. Some are reversible, meaning they can be treated and cured, while others are irreversible, meaning there is no cure.
• Symptoms worsen over time, and include loss of memory, changes in judgment and reasoning, difficulty performing familiar tasks, problems with language and changes in mood and behaviour.
• Alzheimer’s disease is irreversible and eventually fatal. Other dementias include vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia (including Pick’s disease), Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and Lewy body dementia.
• Dementia is not a normal part of aging, but age is the biggest risk factor.
• As of 2016, an estimated 564,000 Canadians are living with dementia. By 2031, this figure is expected to rise to 937,000, an increase of 66 per cent.
• The combined health-care system and out-of-pocket costs of dementia is estimated at $10.4 billion. By 2031, this figure is expected to increase by 60 per cent, to $16.6 billion.
• The Alzheimer Society of Newfoundland and Labrador is dedicated to providing support to caregivers, families and individuals who are affected by Alzheimer’s disease in this province.
• The Alzheimer Society is committed to providing educational and support services to the 8,666 individuals affected in Newfoundland and Labrador. Some of the services offered are support, educational workshops, resource libraries, support groups, information and referral services.
Source: Alzheimer Society of Canada
Alzheimer Society contact Information
Website: www.alzheimer.ca/nl
Twitter: www.twitter.com/asnl2
Email: info@alzheimernl.ca
Provincial Office:
835 Topsail Rd., Unit 107-108
Mount Pearl, NL A1N 3J6
Phone: 709-576-0608
Fax: 709-576-0798
Toll-free: 1-877-776-0608
