Team Callahan - Alzheimer's Organization

In 2002 I recruited Dale Tillman to help me generate funds for the Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk. To say that I had a feeling of helplessness is an understatement, and starting the fund raising made me feel like I was doing something to gain control - a way to fight back. Dale and I went to our places of business and asked for donations. Jim Kauffman of Jen-Coat agreed to match the employee donations and that was a huge boost to our fund raising efforts. Dale's coworker's at Brookdale Associates were very generous! The team was born; My sister, her daughter and her grand daughter walked with us. Before the actual walk started we were surrounded by people in the same predicament that we were in. We were all are trying to get control, to combat the helplessness. Billy Egan played his Irish tunes, an overwhelming urge to cry came over me, but at least I knew that I was not alone in this fight!! After the walk the Outback Steak House was nice enough to serve sandwiches but eating was the last thing on my mind, I wanted to do so much more to help raise money. We raised over $2,000 for this walk.

2002 - Dale Tillman, Debbie Callahan, Heather Smithies, Sandy Callahan, Cassy Smithies (and Bailey).

2003, Memory Walk, my Father and brother joined the walk as well as my friends Lisa and Charlotte, my niece Jen and my sister in law. Jim Kauffman from Jen-Coat matched the employee donations and I was especially brutal collecting money from people at work this year. I went from desk to desk to ask people for donations! Because of the feeling of support I Enjoyed the walk much more. Billy Egan was there again singing his Irish ditties, and my Father was enjoying them quite a bit. Dad didn't make it through the entire 3 mile walk, he did the smaller 1/4 mile trek, but the rest of us did and it was a lot more fun this year! We ate Outback Steakhouse sandwiches and did the "chicken dance". It felt nice to be there amongst other folks who are visibly stronger for doing their loved ones this honor. We raised $3,574! Wow! (We were inspired to do more, a fund raiser, a pig roast, family friendly, with music. The planning began for 2004!)

2003- back: Dale Tillman, Wanda Crucial, Charlotte Limoges, Bette Callahan, Bob Callahan, Don Callahan
front: Debbie, Cassy Smithies, Jen Smithies, Lisa DeGrandpre, Sandy Callahan

2004, Half of the team is missing for this picture because they were manning the Alzheimer's tag sale that we threw at the Son's of Erin! Billy Egan is at the Memory Walk again this year! We ran into some old friends from last year's walk. This was an excellent year. We had the "Memory Picnic" in July that generated over $8,600 and the "Forget me not" sales at the Whip City Brew that generated about $200 and the tag sale on the same weekend as the Memory Walk itself, which generated over $2,600. This year we generated over $12,300 for the cause!! Congratulations Team Callahan!!

2004- (back) Maureen Fitzgerald, Eileen Maunsell, Bob Callahan, Charlotte Limoges, Bette Callahan, Dale Tillman, Gina Letellier
(front) Jen Smithies, Cassy Smithies, Deb Callahan, Chris Letellier

2005 - Kathy Limoges, Dale Tillman, me, Kathy Casey, Toni, Moe, Charlotte, Paul, Derek, Stephanie, Toot, Daniel