Memory Walk

One of the things that I like about homeschooling is that my daughters have had opportunities to do things, and to get to know people, that they probably wouldn't have if they were in traditional school.

One of the things that we did together was, for about a year, deliver meals for the county's Meals on Wheels program. Once a week we loaded up the van with hot lunches, and drove our route. At first the girls were apprehensive about going up to the doors of the senior citizen's homes. With time, however, they warmed up, and came to really enjoy our Wednesday deliveries. When someone didn't answer the door, they would worry, insist I knock one more time, and then ask me to call to see if they were okay. They got to know each senior's name, and would say prayers for some of them.

Some of the seniors left our route because they deteriorated, physically or mentally, and had to move into assisted living or nursing homes. I had opportunities to talk with my kiddos about things like dementia and Alzheimer's disease, hard things... I hope that these relationships, and these conversations, will lay the foundation for empathy in my children in the years to come.

I recently saw something about an Alzheimer's Memory Walk , and think that this might be a nice follow up for us, a way to do something proactive for the people that we lost touch with, the people that we met that now struggle with this challenge. A typical Memory Walk is a 2-3 mile walk held on a weekend morning in the fall, and is open to participants of all ages. The walks are held in communities all over the country. Currently there is a real need for folks to sign up to walk, and also to be team captains. I encourage you to check it out...



"By teaming up with the Alzheimer's Association, you can walk with a purpose – and move us closer to a world without Alzheimer's. Together, we can MOVE a nation."