Integrace Bayleigh Chase, a vibrant life plan community in Easton, announced that it has received a generous donation of 20 plush “Rudy Bears” from the Easton Ruritan Club. The toy bears will serve as comfort items for Bayleigh Chase residents living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
Bayleigh Chase Clinical Director Joel Yacks, Easton Ruritan Club Social Services Committee member Jeanne Henkel, Bayleigh Chase Director of Recreation and Engagement Louise Montgomery, Easton Ruritan Club Vice President Harry A. Henkel, and Easton Ruritan Club Social Services Committee member Carlton Whaley.
The official mascot of the national community service organization, Rudy Bears are often distributed through local Ruritan chapters to fire and rescue squads, police forces and children hospitals to bring comfort to children coping with difficult circumstances. In 2016, Ruritan changed the color of the Rudy Bear’s t-shirt to purple to help raise awareness for Alzheimer’s disease and encouraged chapters to also donate bears to organizations serving people living with the disease.
The new initiative was inspired by Patsy Shelton, wife of Ruritan National President Calvin Shelton, who lost her mother to Alzheimer’s disease last year. The Sheltons were special guests at Easton Ruritan Club’s 50th Anniversary celebration in March 2016, where Mrs. Shelton shared their personal journey with Alzheimer’s disease, and explained that the Rudy Bear was often a source of comfort to her mother. This motived the Easton Ruritan Club to seek out local organizations who could put the Rudy Bears to similar use.
On December 20, Harry Henkel, vice president of Easton Ruritan Club, and social services committee members Jeanne Henkel and Carlton Whaley presented the 20 Rudy Bears to Louise Montgomery, Director of Recreation and Engagement, and Joel Yacks, Clinical Director, at Bayleigh Chase.
“It was a great honor for us to support such a fine program and we appreciate Bayleigh Chase’s hospitality and gracious acceptance of our gift,” said Harry A. Henkel, vice president, Easton Ruritan Club.
“As a community that strives to ‘ignite in all people a passion for meaningful living,’ and is dedicated to supporting those living with neurocognitive disorders, we appreciate the support of the greater community and special organizations like the Ruritan Club in making a difference in the lives of those who live with us,” said Louise Montgomery, Director of Recreation and Engagement, Integrace Bayleigh Chase.
Bayleigh Chase provides a continuum of dementia support services for individuals and families living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. These services include a residential memory program that provides a stimulating and engaging environment to enable people living with dementia to lead rich and abundant lives; and the Samuel and Alexia Bratton Memory Clinic, which provides comprehensive evaluations for those experiencing memory changes and supports caregivers through their journeys. To learn more, please visit www.bayleighchase.org.
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