3rd Annual Forget-Me-Not Golf Classic

Posted on October 3, 2017February 11, 2021 by GWFadmin

The 3rd Annual Forget-Me-Not Golf Classic will be held on Monday, November 13, at the Hearthstone Country Club in Houston. It’s a great opportunity to spend the day with friends and meet new people, all while making a difference in the lives of those living with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Check-in opens at 11:00 a.m. and golfers will receive a box lunch and have access to the practice green. The tournament is a 4-person scramble with a shotgun start at 12:30 p.m. At the conclusion of the tournament, participants are treated to dinner, the awards ceremony, and an update from the Gayle Wells Foundation for Early Onset Alzheimer’s & Care. You also won’t want to miss the opportunity to bid on wonderful silent auction items and purchase tickets for the raffle drawing.

After coming through Hurricane Harvey, it was important for us to focus this year’s tournament towards those living with Alzheimer’s or dementia that may be experiencing financial hardship. Therefore, we are excited to announce that proceeds from this year’s tournament will be donated to the scholarship program at Amazing Place. Located in Houston, Amazing Place is a state-of-the-art daytime wellness center designed for those with mild to moderate memory loss. Please click on the following link to learn more about how Amazing Place is making a difference in lives of those living with memory loss: Amazing Place Video

You won’t want to miss being part of the excitement! Even if you don’t play golf or live in Houston, you can be part of this event through hole sponsorship, the Honor Green, or joining us for dinner. For complete details please download the tournament brochure: 3rd Annual Forget-Me-Not Golf Classic Brochure

Registration and sponsorship commitments can be mailed to the Gayle Wells Foundation by downloading the above brochure, or you can also register online as well. If you register online, we will contact you to obtain the names of your teams members, name for sponsorship, and Honor Green signs. Please click on the following link to access online registration: Online Registration for 3rd Annual Forget-Me-Not Golf Classic

We are also holding a product donation drive on the day of the tournament for products specific to individuals living with Alzheimer’s & dementia. Click on the Forget-Me-Not Donation Day Flyer below for complete details, including a list of items being accepted. Please share this flyer with your families, friends, neighbors, and communities. Forget-Me-Not Donation Day Flyer

We are the only golf tournament in Houston supporting individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Join us in our efforts to make a difference in their lives.

2nd Annual Forget-Me-Not Golf Classic – A Day to Remember

Posted on September 25, 2016September 19, 2018 by GWFadmin

The 2^nd Annual Forget-Me-Not Golf Classic was a day to remember. Thirty-one (31) golfers came together for a fun-filled day of golf, friendship, and community. However, it may be most memorable as it was the hottest September 19^th in the history of Houston! Special thanks to all who braved the heat and came out to play. It is with great pleasure that we announce the winners of the 2^nd Annual Forget-Me-Not Golf Classic:

1st Place: Todd Ziegler, Rick Gibson & Gary Morris
2nd Place: John Katzmarek, Rick Walsh, Jim Rutan & John Storm
3rd Place: Andy Bradley, Woody Nay, Scott Washburn & Royce Molitor

Contest winners included:

Closest to the Hole: Royce Molitor and Deb Snyder
Longest Drive: Scott Sutherland and Diane McDonald
Best Dressed: Patricia Bazely

In addition to the golfers listed above, heartfelt gratitude to those that played in the tournament: O.C. Castillo, Gary Dean, Sharon Dott, Warren Emerson, Mitch Fralick, Veronica Gomez, Carol Greenburg, Andy Hoggatt, Eva Lee, Kay Metcalf, Beverly Poole, Bill Schmid, Trish Schmid, Todd Wagoner, Martha Watson, and Rock Wilkinson.

Laura Sutherland, Founder & Executive Director of the Gayle Wells Foundation for Early Onset Alzheimer’s & Care, unveiled drawings for a mobile bus that will enable the Gayle Wells Foundation to take programs, services, and education into the community. Todd Wagoner, Geriatric Social Worker with Touchpoint Health Aging Transition Services (Noblesville, IN) offered a clinician’s perspective on the positive impact these mobile services can have on both individuals and families experiencing early onset Alzheimer’s and dementia in general. Equally, Todd shared how this can create opportunities to partner with agencies and practices in the Houston area. Scott Sutherland, Associate Pastor of Children’s Ministries, Grace Church (Noblesville, IN) closed by reiterating that this vision can be possible when we form together as a community. We were surrounded by a wonderful community at this event and we are grateful for the support and encouragement as we move forward with this exciting initiative!

The 2^nd Annual Forget-Me-Not Golf Classic would not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors and donors: AIM Custom Media, Pat Anderson, April & Andy Bradley, Belmont Village of West University, Fila-Mar Energy Services, Fine Promotions, Freeman, Nicole Goldman, Paige Goodwin, Greenway Animal Clinic, Patti Hanson, Sheilah Hart, Andy & Tammy Hoggatt, Stewart Jacobson, Dawn & Jimmy Jamail, Dot Lovett, Melinda Matson, Kay Metcalf, National Business Education Association, Jim Phillips, Reibenstein & Associates, Ginny Richerson, Trish & Bill Schmid, Seasons Hospice & Palliative Care, Lucy Simonton, Dawn Eckerty-Spencer, Kaye Stripling, Scott & Emily Sutherland, Janet Treichel, Scott Washburn & Keller Williams Realty, Shelley Washburn, Ann Webb, and Paul & Sandy Wells.

Special thanks goes to those that assisted with on-site management of the event: April & Andy Bradley, Andy & Tammy Hoggatt, Nancy Kaney, Melinda Matson, Scott & Emily Sutherland, Jan Treichel, Todd & Wendy Wagoner, and Todd Wagner, Giselle Arton and the team at Hearthstone Country Club.

Mobile Bus to Bring Education & Awareness for Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease & Other Memory Conditions

Posted on August 4, 2016September 19, 2018 by GWFadmin

The Gayle Wells Foundation for Early Onset Alzheimer’s & Care (GWF) is launching a new initiative in the delivery of education and services. Fundraising has begun to purchase a mobile bus to bring education, awareness, support, and services directly into the community, not only for those impacted by early onset Alzheimer’s disease, but all memory conditions. This will allow us to remove boundaries to service, thereby reaching those in metropolitan and rural areas, as well as individuals from all cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Services to be provided on the bus will include: education, awareness, private consultations, support groups, caregiver respite, peer-to-peer support, and referrals to memory care resources in the community. It is the goal of the GWF to have the bus operational by September 2017. In the meantime, the GWF can still assist in providing these services to individuals and organizations.

Upon receiving a diagnosis of a degenerative memory condition, individuals and families are often left with many questions on what to expect and where to get help. A goal of the GWF is to become a care pathway, by which individuals and families will have access to a more streamlined approach in obtaining proper medical care, information, resources, support, and programs. The GWF will be a leader of social change in the understanding, treatment, services, and care for individuals with memory conditions and their families.

“When a loved one is battling Alzheimer’s disease or any other type of degenerative memory condition, there are countless decisions to be made, and the stress of caregiving is immense. Resources are available, but finding that information is often difficult and fragmented. By bringing information and resources into the community, it is our hope to provide guidance and support to individuals and families. They are not alone on this journey and we are committed to the care and protection of all impacted by memory conditions.” says Laura Sutherland, founder and executive director of the GWF and care partner to Gayle.

Gayle Wells was a native Houstonian. After surviving three separate cancers within four years, and experiencing memory problems that did not improve, Gayle was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease in 2009. It became evident after her diagnosis, that there was very little information available as to the progression of the disease, as well as minimal programs and services for those with early onset Alzheimer’s. Gayle died from early onset Alzheimer’s disease in September 2011.

The first event being held to raise monies for the bus is the 2^nd Annual Forget-Me-Not Golf Classic. The tournament will be held on Monday, September 19, at Hearthstone Country Club, in Houston. Individuals and companies can be involved with this event through playing golf, becoming a hole sponsor, and purchasing an Honor/Memory sign for their loved ones. Complete details on the tournament, as well as online registration for all aspects of the tournament, can be found at www.gaylewells.org/events.

For more information, please contact:

Laura Sutherland, LMSW
Founder & Executive Director
832-470-9526
laura@gaylewells.org

Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Katy, TX

Posted on September 8, 2014June 18, 2019 by GWFadmin

Join us on September 13 at the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s® in Katy.

We walk for those individuals that are living with this disease and we walk for those who have lost their life to Alzheimer’s disease. Our main goal for this walk is to honor Gayle and bring awareness to the Gayle Wells Foundation for Early Onset Alzheimer’s & Care.

Register to join us for the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s and/or donate to help us end Alzheimer’s:

Gayle Wells Walk Page

September 14 marks the 3rd anniversary of Gayle’s death, so please join us as we honor Gayle and all of those impacted by this terrible disease.

Seth Rogan on the Importance of Alzheimer’s Education and Research

Posted on March 9, 2014June 18, 2019 by GWFadmin

Alzheimer’s education and research
Seth Rogan testified last week in front of Congress on the importance of Alzheimer’s education and research. He did a fantastic job, but sadly, only two senators were present for his testimony…all of the other chairs were empty. Seth’s mother-in-law has early onset Alzheimer’s.

Below is the video of his testimony on the importance of Alzheimer’s education and research. The link is of an interview with Seth after his testimony.

Whether you are the person with early onset Alzheimer’s disease, the care partner, or family member, the most important first step is to accept the diagnosis. It can be very therapeutic and comforting to share the diagnosis with close friends and family members. By sharing the diagnosis and educating friends and family about the disease, then you are taking steps to build your circle of support. Creating a circle of support is important for every person impacted by this disease. The sooner the diagnosis is shared, then people can begin learning about the disease and ways that they can provide support. Alzheimer’s education and research is important. To learn more, please visit our Educating Others section here.