'Shed a Light on Alzheimer's' honors Mary Jane Laubacker
May 29—Mary Jane Laubacker loved to read, solve puzzles and even balance her checkbook long-hand, without the use of a calculator. However, at age 70, she was diagnosed with the brain disease, Alzheimer's, and for the final 15 years of her life, she was cared for by her granddaughter, who said she watched as the disease progressed even to the point of her grandmother forgetting how to swallow.
Laubacker died at the age of 90 in January of 2020.
In honor of her grandmother, Teresa Laubacker has organized a fundraiser to benefit the Alzheimer's Association. She said that by helping those with the same disease her grandmother faced, as well as her caregivers, she is being healed even through her own grieving process.
"There was a void, because I was taking care of her every day," Teresa said. "I always wanted to get involved with the Alzheimer's Association, but I was always committed to taking care of her. This was a way for me to fill that void and heal and grieve from her loss by fundraising and helping somebody else."
The event is being held as the Alzheimer's Association promotes online "The Longest Day of the Year" to raise awareness under the hashtag #ENDALZ on #TheLongestDay. Participants like Teresa are encouraged on the organization's website to follow through with fundraising ideas and spread the word online and off to help to "fight the darkness of Alzheimer's" on the day with the most light.
"They're on the front lines," Teresa said of the non-profit. "They have a tag line, 'The brains behind saving yours.' That's a powerful statement, because the brain controls everything."
Teresa said there's misconceptions about Alzheimer's, that "you just forget things." Actually, she said, it's a brain disease that takes away the ability to walk, talk or even eat.
"One word to describe Alzheimer's," she said. "Vicious! It robs a person of everything! Swallowing was the last thing she could do for herself and it took that away from her, too."
Teresa decided to honor her grandmother by holding a fundraiser in a place her grandmother had always spoken of. She said she hopes that those who come to the planned summer celebration will be able to recreate the magic her grandmother spoke of.
"She would always talk about Olcott, old Olcott," Teresa said. "It was a hopping spot! They had rollerskating and the pier and just a lot going on down there and she would always talk about it, so when I decided to get involved, I thought how wonderful it would be to put this in Olcott, because she loved this place so much."
The local fundraiser is called "Shed a Light on Alzheimer's" and will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, June 19 at the Lion's Pavilion at Krull Park, 6021 East Main St., Olcott.
It will include live music from "Welcome Distraction," free ice cream courtesy of The Prickly Pear, games and giveaways, a basket raffle and a 50/50, as well as a cash prize for the best purple outfit, as purple is the color for Alzheimer's. Ticket are $20 and can be purchased at Marvins at Widewaters, Transit Treasures, Coffee Bar at Newfane and The Prickly Pear, as well as by calling or texting 912-0189 or emailing tkaub715@hotmail.com
More information can be found on Facebook at @shedalight1234.
