Outer Banks Dementia Friendly Coalition Tennis Tournament raises $35,000

Debra Beddingfield had just won her match and approached her mom who has Alzheimer’s. Her mom had been an avid tennis player herself in her younger years. Debra said that she has not seen her mom smile like that in a long time. [submitted photo]

The Outer Banks Dementia Friendly Coalition partnered with the Outer Banks Tennis Association to hold the first annual “Love to Remember” Tennis Tournament in October for the benefit of helping caregivers who are caring for loved ones with dementia.

Over 60 players participate in the doubles tournament over three days.

The Kick-Off Social was held on Thursday evening at the Duck Woods Country Club with Ronnie Sloane, president of the Outer Banks Hospital reminded the audience that the hospital was the first dementia-friendly Hospital in North Carolina and how that program has grown.

Ron Akers spoke about living with Lewy Body Dementia. Ron is a high functioning person with dementia, and described what it was like to be living with the disease.

He further explained the remarkable help he received from the physical/occupational therapy program at the Outer Banks Hospital, LSVT BIG Program. This ongoing therapy reduced the ill effects of the disease by reprogramming the brain.

Tess Judge, Vice Chair of the Outer Banks Hospital, and Dianne Denny, president of the Dementia Friendly Coalition, spoke about the creation and history of the Coalition to a crowd of over 90 donors and supporters who came to officially open the tournament.

The goal was to raise $25,000, but the community responded by donating over $35,000. A special thank you to all our donors and players.

These funds will be used to provide respite care for dementia patient caregivers, educational programs dealing with dementia and support groups. Now with these funds the coalition can move forward with the day-out program benefiting the caregivers.

One of the finest moments of the Love to Remember Tennis Tournament was caught in a picture, worth the proverbial thousand words.

Debra Beddingfield had just won her match and approached her mom who has Alzheimer’s. Her mom had been an avid tennis player herself in her younger years. Debra said that she has not seen her mom smile like that in a long time.

The coalition thanks their tournament sponsors: Towne Bank/Towne Insurance, Ann Parsons, Debra Beddingfield, OBX Chevrolet & Buick, North Beach Services, Judy and Dick Hadsell, Michael Batsel, OHH Mom Travel, The Outer Banks Hospital, The Collins Daughters, Dr. Catherine McGrogan, Susan Smith, Jim and Betts Groff, ACS Construction, Bet & Laird Sager, Dr. John L Sullivan, Janet Colegrove, Allie June, Jennifer Jaroch, Ron and Daphne Akers, Tom & Victoria Byers, The Outer Banks Tennis Association and many, many loving folks.

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