The Bluffton Rotary Club presented $5,000 to the Hilton Head Island Rotary Club’s “Building Memories” campaign to help purchase a facility for Alzheimer’s Respite & Resource (AR&R) on April 29 at the Oscar Frazier Center in Bluffton.
Barry Connor, president of the Bluffton Rotary Club, presented the check to Dennis Nelson of the Hilton Head Island Rotary Club.
This donation to the “Building Memories” campaign was raised by 75 Bluffton Rotarians through their Mercedes raffle fund-raiser and will help the Hilton Head Island Rotary fulfill their commitment to donate $250,000 to the AR&R capital campaign.
“We are extremely grateful to the Rotarians for their commitment to our organization and to this project. The needs of senior citizens in this retirement community are increasing dramatically, and this new facility will enable us to better serve this sometimes forgotten constituency,” said Edwina Hoyle, executive director of AR&R.
“As Baby Boomers age it is expected that one in eight will develop Alzheimer’s disease and the number of South Carolinians who develop Alzheimer’s disease will increase by 150 percent in the next 15 years,” she added. “We must be responsive to this need, and with the support of our local Rotary Clubs, we will soon have a true center of excellence to serve the Hilton Head/Bluffton community.”
“Starting in 1995, Rotarians in South Carolina, Georgia and North Carolina have contributed small amounts weekly to fund research that can bring an end to Alzheimer’s disease,” said Connor. “The ‘Coins for Alzheimer’s Trust (CART)’ started with Rotarians voluntarily emptying their pockets of change at weekly meetings. Because of CART, the issues associated with this terrible disease, including its impact on caregivers, always have our attention. We are pleased to be in a position to support our sister Rotary Club and Alzheimer’s Respite & Resource with the 'Building Memories' campaign.”
Alzheimer’s Respite & Resource is a local nonprofit that serves families who face the challenges of caring for their loved ones who suffer from all types of dementia. The non-profit has purchased a building at the North end of Hilton Head Island to house a daycare program, caregiver counseling and support groups, their Brain Boosters program, and educational and training initiatives.
