Huron Expositor, 2016-04-27, Page 1314 Huron Expositor • Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Photo courtesy of Shawn Loughlin
"Howie's Girls", this year's honorary family for Clinton's Alzheimer's Walk, including Joan Bernard with her daughters Dianne, Gwen,
Maryann, and Cindy.
-or ir
eCentrai Huron
Central Huron Donation Fund
The Municipality of Central Huron is pleased to announce their annual Central Huron
Donation Fund. The Municipality will again set aside funds to assist and promote
community-based non-profit organizations.
To Qualify
Organizations must be non-profit. Proposed programs or events must clearly demonstrate
a direct social or economic benefit for residents of Central Huron. Successful organizations
will be required to submit a post project report identifying the use of the funds.
When applying please include complete description, budget and date of the program
or event, also supporting information including statistics for previous similar projects
and the amount of funding requested, specifying whether a cash or in-kind donation is
required. The Municipality reserves the right to fund only programs or events as deemed
appropriate.
Deadline for applications must be received by 4:00 p.m. Friday, May 20, 2016 in person,
by email: info@centralhron.com fax: 519-482-9183 or by mail and are to be addressed
as follows:
"Central Huron Donation Fund"
Attention: Brenda Maclsaac, Clerk
Municipality of Central Huron
P.O. Box 400, 23 Albert Street
Clinton, Ontario NOM 1L0
For further information please look for details on the website www.centralhuron.com.
Honourary family chosen
for Clinton's annual
walk for Alzheimer's for
exemplary support
Justine Alkema
Postmedia Network
On May 7, residents of
local communities will walk
for a disease that affects so
many Canadians and their
families - Alzheimer's
disease.
The walk will be put on
by the Alzheimer Society of
Huron County and is in
three locations including
Clinton, Exeter, and Wing -
ham. Registration will be at
9 a.m., and the walk will
run from 10 a.m. until
noon. The walk is five kilo-
metres though people may
walk as little or as much as
they'd like. Teams raise
their own funds for the
cause.
Each location has an hon-
ourary family from who rep-
resents the values of the
walk. Clinton's honourary
family is the Bernard family
from Brussels whose team
name is "Howie's Girls
Howard, or "Howie', is the
husband and father of the
team. The group includes
Joan Bernard, who is How-
ard's wife, and their four
daughters, Dianne, Gwen,
Maryann, and Cindy. Joan
noted that several of their
grandchildren and great-
grandchildren will be there
as well; they have 15 of the
former and 16 of the latter.
Jenn Burns, the First Link/
Support Services coordina-
tor at the Alzheimer Society
of Huron County, said the
family was chosen because
they embody the principles
of caring for someone with
Alzheimer's.
"When Howard was diag-
nosed, they sought out help
right away, participated in
support and education, and
provided a great support
system for Howard and
each other," said Burns.
"They started doing the
walk from the first year [of
Howard's diagnosis]. They
demonstrate how some-
body with Alzheimer's is so
much a part of their
family."
"People need to be edu-
cated about Alzheimer's,"
said Joan. "There's a stigma
with the disease and people
try to hide it."
Burns said the Bernard
family was chosen to be the
honorary family because
they didn't try to hide it.
Instead, they dealt with the
changes as best they could
and worked through the
transition.
Howard was diagnosed
in 2011, and he stayed at
home for almost 4 years
before he came to the point
last June where he needed
to move into a long-term
care facility. Thankfully he
was able to move into a
home only a couple blocks
from where Joan lives, so
she is able to visit him fre-
quently. Their four daugh-
ters live close by, so they
are able to provide support
as well.
Since Christmas, How-
ard's physical and mental
state has been declining
more rapidly. He is now in
a wheelchair since he is
prone to falling. Joan noted
that some days are better
than others as some days
he is the witty person he
always used to be, and
some days he only wants to
sleep. He and Joan will
have been married for 57
years this week.
Joan said one of the most
difficult things about Alzhei-
mer's for her husband was
that he had to give up his
license. Howard used to own
a fuel business and was a
volunteer firefighter and
then fire chief, so he drove a
fuel truck and a fire truck for
years. His licence was taken
from him immediately when
he was diagnosed, and that
was an extremely difficult
adjustment.
The Bernard family will
tell some of their story the
day of the walk; this event
has been held in Clinton for
the last 20 years. In the past,
it has been done in January
and took place inside. How-
ever they decided to move it
to May in order to have it
outdoors, and they will walk
through town. Those who
wish to sign up can do so the
day of or beforehand, and
refreshments will be
provided.
"It's a cruel disease," said
Joan. She hopes that by
speaking out she is helping
someone else who might
need it.