Cape Girardeau resident chosen volunteer of the year

Dolly Jewel was one of 12 volunteers recently selected by the Alzheimer's Association, St. Louis chapter, for her outstanding care and determination in helping individuals with Alzheimer's disease and their families. Jewel's insight on supporting families and the Alzheimer's community can be attributed to her own role as a caregiver and advocate for awareness.

Jewel has raised awareness by making presentations for the Speaker's Bureau, promoting the Memory Walk and the Safe Return program for individuals with Alzheimer's. She has served as president and secretary on the Southeast Missouri Alzheimer's Advisory Council where her duties include reviewing educational programs, organizing the memory walk and giving seminars. The council reviews and proposes area needs to The Alzheimer's Association for consideration.

"I have a real zeal for it," Jewel said.

As caregiver to her husband from 1990 to 1997, a time when she feels the disease was not spoken about, Jewel has been motivated to educate people through this outreach. "I'm very much involved with the Memory Walk to raise awareness of the disease. The word has not been spoken about Alzheimer's until former president Reagan was diagnosed. People then came out of the closet," she said.

"I think it's important for our local people to know services are available. I was in a support group while caring for my husband and it was such a blessing. Caregivers need respite. When you're in it you feel like the only one experiencing it. At that time The Lutheran Home and Lutheran Family and Children's Services were the only ones with programs. Now just about every nursing home does. We've come a long away," Jewel said.

The Alzheimer's Association, the world leader in Alzheimer research and support, is the first and largest voluntary health organization dedicated to finding prevention methods, treatments and a cure for Alzheimer's. For more than 25 years, the donor-supported, not-for-profit organization has provided reliable information and care consultation, created supportive services for families, increased funding for dementia research and influenced public policy changes.

The Alzheimer's Association St. Louis chapter serves 66,000 people locally and relies heavily on volunteer effort. To participate in the Memory Walk or make a donation, call (800) 980-9080 or visit www. stlalz.org.

The local Alzheimer's Association office has moved from North Kingshighway to the First Christian Church, 2411 Abbey Road, Cape Girardeau. For more information, call 335-3422.