Student sets example for people of all ages

    You may have seen Brianna on a public service announcement with her dad, Mike Montecalvo, a WPRI-12 TV news anchor, talking about our Memory Walk and the affects of Alzheimer’s disease on her as a granddaughter. Brianna not only walked with us this year but decided to give back when she made her confirmation and donated all of her cash gifts to the Alzheimer’s Association.
    Actually, Brianna has done a lot of community service work. She’s on Students Against Drunk Drivers and is a member of the Student Council at La Salle Academy in Providence. She was class president at the St. Rocco School in Johnston, and in 2009 she won the school’s Mother Clelia Merloni Award as the top female student in and out of the classroom.
    Brianna said it was difficult to see her late grandmother live with Alzheimer’s for several years and go from a vital, lively woman to an individual who was unable to talk or respond to other people.
    Addressing the challenges faced by caregivers of Alzheimer’s disease, Brianna said it is emotionally demanding “seeing a person leaving you little by little.” She hopes that her contribution to the Alzheimer’s Association will assist with research to combat the disease or programs to support victims and caregivers.
    We would like to thank Brianna for her kindness and generosity to us and to the people we serve. Thanks Brianna for setting such a fine example.
    You can support our chapter, too, while having some fun by attending the Capital City Auction on March 10 at the Roger Williams Park Botanical Center in Providence. There is a preview party from 6 to 6:30 p.m., and the live and silent auction will run until 9 p.m. Tickets for the preview party and auction are $75. Admission for the auction is $60 in advance and $75 at the door. To purchase tickets, call 401.421.0008 or e-mail anabela.garcia@alz.org.  
    Proceeds will support people in Rhode Island dealing with the challenges of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders. The association’s Rhode Island chapter was started by family caregivers in 1989 as an all-volunteer organization. Today, there are seven staff members, who serve the entire state. Programs include a 24-hour help telephone line, counseling for patients and their families, a Live & Learn program for persons with early memory loss, support groups, education events and training for health care professionals.
    For more information about accessing our services, volunteering for us or attending one of our events or programs, go online to www.alz.org/ri or call 800.272.3900.

    Camilla Farrell is development director of the Alzheimer’s Associa-tion Rhode Island Chapter in Providence. She can be reached at (401) 421-0008.