Memories of two great Baton Rouge annual community events held in the fall: Alzheimer's Walk/Run to Remember and the Downtown Baton Rouge Kiwanis Club Pancake Festival.
Pic: Keith outside on Saturday, 10/19/2013 of LSU's PMAC holding a Pancake from the Downtown Baton Rouge Kiwanis Pancake Festival after his attending the Alzheimer's Memory Walk/Run (Keith's Results: (5K - 26:38! - 45th place overall/4th place for 50 -54 y/o guy geezers!) earlier
Yesterday was the annual "Dynamic Duo" in Red Stick: the Alzheimer's Walk/Run to Remember and Downtown Baton Rouge Kiwanis Pancake Festival which sometimes occur on the same day. Both of these events have been a blessing to me and other folks!
While I have never had any direct family member that I am aware of who has been touched with that specific disease, my own father was diagnosed with vascular dementia in his latter years after he had some mini-strokes. And we were able to take advantage of the “Respite Program” to help mom and dad before they died in 2006 per the Alzheimer's Services that helped us to manage some of the sitter and other costs that were not covered by insurance.
Earlier in my professional career, when I used to help facilitate Alzheimer's Support Groups, I was able to write a Forward to Ponchatoula native Kim Howes Zabbia's poignant book, "Painted Diaries: A Mother and Daughter's Experience Through Alzheimer's Disease:" 'Who but a caregiver can understand how Alzheimer's is truly a family disease? Who but an artist can plunge into the mysteries of the mind? Who but a journalist can articulate Alzheimer's losses so vividly? Who but a courageous, witty person could take less than a full deck of life's cards and play the game so passionately?'
I've been participating in the annual Memory 5K Run for about 14 years and have been able to volunteer for about 7 years with the 6 AM crew that gets the grounds on LSU campus ready for the 9 AM activities. It is always great to see the many friends in the aging network whom I know who work at the booths in the “Memory Market” which I help set up with many other volunteers.
The Downtown Kiwanis Club's Annual Pancake Festival benefits many other great social service organizations in town. I used to be a member of that Kiwanis Club, so when both events occur on the same day, I volunteer at and do the Memory Run first on LSU's campus and then head nearby to the LSU PMAC where the Pancake Festival. What a great way to jog off weight before having a beer with jambalaya from the Alzheimer's Run and then some Pancakes, sausage and hogshead cheese with my fellow Kiwanians after helping them!
The Pancake Festival also has some great entertainment and fun with the Talent Show contests and the Art Exhibits which are so neat. It is fun every year also to see some folks who bring their greyhound dogs near to the entrance of the PMAC! Who could be a better greeter than the retired Weatherman/"Cuddle Alert" Michael Graham as you approach the bustling of young and old Kiwanis volunteers, including the many teenage Key Clubbers who are such a delight to see making and dishing out the mouth-watering pancakes!
A few years ago, my goal for a running time in the year's Alzheimer's 5K was 25 minutes. In my 20's and 30's, I used to do these races in about 20 – 21 minutes. In New Orleans, when I first started competition running in the late 1970's, I mostly ran 10Ks. Some of my fondest runs were the Crescent City Classic, as I ran in the first one and did it in around 38 minutes – that was when I was really serious about running. But as I have joined the geezer aged group, my running has mainly been for maintenance fitness and not for reducing times. So I approached that Memory Run with realistic ideas of just having fun with my co-workers and seeing other professional contacts and friends.
So that day, after another busy morning of putting up tents, tables, chairs and all kinds of supplies with other volunteers – with a doughnut or two and Community Coffee to boot, I looked forward to meeting with my then Catholic Charities co-workers and encouraging one another for either the walk or the run that was to be coming up. And, of course, I had to get in a little bantering and teasing with Brendan and other workers who I would maybe “leave in the dust!”
I started the race towards the front of the group, so as to not get stuck behind some “slow pokes” who can sometimes cause falls as people are trying to weave through others. After we passed the first mile, Matthew caught up with me and eventually passed me up. Brendan got the last laugh as he also flew past me at around the 1 ˝ mile part of the 3.2 mile race. Since I sometimes get stomach cramps from drinking water at the mile points, I just took quick swigs and poured the rest on my head as a great cooling down treat. As I closed in to the end, I thought that I would be close to 25 minutes but was bummed out when I found out that my finished time was 26 minutes even.
So after turning in my race finish tag with my time, I joined Matthew and Brendan in cheering our other team members as they crossed the finish line. It was fun! So we headed over to get some food and drinks and then to the Memory Market booths for goodies. As we were getting close to the Main Stage and the Top 3 Winners were being announced, I told Dana that I may just get in 3rd Place for the 50 – 54 age guys.
As Alecia Kleinpeter proceeded to announce the Top 3 Winners from the younger age categories on up, I was hopeful, as I had been able to come in 3rd a few years earlier in the same race. After she announced another person's name for 3rd Place in my age category, I just figured that some of those other gray haired/bearded guys that had passed me up must have done better than me. Next thing you know, as I'm talking with Dana, Alecia announced that “Keith Horcasitas is the 1st Place Winner in the 50 -54 age group!” I high tailed it up to the stage and proudly wore my medal the rest of the day and on Monday when we all returned to work.
It happened that as I had been cheering on our other co-workers at the finish line, I met someone with the Senior Olympics, who was recognizing some members also in the race. While the running activities for the Senior Olympics have already occurred this month, I did get an application for other events to be held soon. Now that I'm 50 +, there are some benefits that seem to accrue with getting older – especially as more folks drop out of competition running and I have more of a chance to win! Watch out Senior Olympics – here I come!
These Kiwanis Pancaked Alzheimer's Memories, at times embellished and impaired, are forever running through my mind!
Keith John Paul Horcasitas, LCSW, MHA, 1133 Knollhaven Drive, BRLA 70810, khorcasitas.yahoo.com, October 13, 2013.
Congrats on your accomplishment. Your continued participation will insure that Alzheimer's will not affect you. I benefited from a Kiwanis scholarship going to college. While I never achieved 1st in my years of running cross country, I did finish 1st in a 50 mile walk at our college six months before my paralysis.
Pancakes were like lead in my stomach. Although my mother made fantastic pancakes--she's had debilitating mini strokes and diabetes, a quad bypass and hip replacement--I swore off them as an adult. Mom had a undiagnosed spinal injury as a baby and never was athletic. In spite of her lifestyle enhanced illnesses, she's still sharp as a tack at 88.
Sepsis knocked her down and out. Faith, hope, and gave her the strength to get back on her feet. I am a Runner She fought the river of death They said she'd never run again
She proved them wrong...
Yesterday was the annual "Dynamic Duo" in Red Stick: the Alzheimer's Walk/Run to Remember and Downtown Baton Rouge Kiwanis Pancake Festival which sometimes occur on the same day. Both of these events have been a blessing to me and other folks!
