I have been asked many times, “Why did you start to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association?”

Here is my answer:

            In December 1907, my grandfather came to the US from a village near Pinsk. I remember him showing me Pinsk on an atlas. During the Russo-Japanese war, soldiers had come to conscript him for the army. Conscripts served for 20 years, if they lived that long. He left by the back door, walked to the Netherlands and boarded a ship to the US. Once, I counted 11 languages that he spoke fluently:  English, Russian, Polish, German, Yiddish, Hebrew, Aramaic and several others. When I was 5 he taught me algebra, long division and square roots. All things he knew well. He kept the books for his store and rental real estate. Despite all of these abilities, when he was 75, he was no longer able to care for himself and had to move into a nursing home. I went to visit him regularly with my Mom. After a while, he could no longer even be sure who I was. Those days must have been extremely long for him. My greatest health fear is that I may lose my mental ability, just as my grandfather did.

            When the Longest Day program with the ACBL started, I recognized the opportunity to raise money for Alzheimer’s syndrome and other dementia diseases.

My challenge to you is: