Painting class to raise money for Alzheimer’s

From early in the summer of 2011 to last winter, husband and wife Tom and Sharon McCann painted at the Wine and Canvas studio in Bloomington.

Tom, who suffered from Alzheimer’s, died of pancreatic cancer this February. His daughter, Kristi McCann, said he enjoyed painting and drawing with his wife.

For the third time, Wine and Canvas will raise funds for the 2012 Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Sept. 22 at Bryan Park.

From 6 to 9 p.m. today at the Wine and Canvas studio, an instructor will teach participants how to paint, step-by-step, a rendition of the 1966 oil painting “LOVE.”
 
Instead of the word “love,” participants will paint the word “hope” in the spirit of the fundraiser.

The event costs $40, and participants will be able to take their work home afterward.
 
Since the price to paint at Wine and Canvas is usually $35, the additional $5 will be donated to the fundraiser.

Sarah Wathen, who operates Wine and Canvas with her husband, Joshua Wathen, said Sharon approached her before the first fundraising event in early September 2011. Sharon is the committee chair for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Bloomington.

“We just really wanted to be able to help her out,” Sarah said. “I know that Alzheimer’s disease is a horrible disease. I think that probably one of the worst things is to lose your memory, and we just thought (the event) would be a lot of fun.”

According to the Alzheimer’s Association website, one in eight older Americans has Alzheimer’s, and the disease is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States.
 
Kristi will lead tonight’s fundraiser with her mother. Kristi’s grandmother currently suffers from Alzheimer’s, and her grandmother’s four brothers have died from complications of the disease.

In May, Kristi was hired to be part of the association and is currently the community service liaison for the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Indiana Chapter.

“It was kind of nice to get hired in a job my family’s been passionate about for years and years,” Kristi said.

At an association booth at the Student Involvement Fair on Wednesday in Dunn Meadow, Kristi and representatives from organizations that offered senior care handed out brochures and pamphlets about Alzheimer’s and the upcoming walk.

Abby Stanford, programming director for Autumn Hills Alzheimer’s Special Care Center in Bloomington, said the center offers crafts and other activities for the residents.

“Maybe (the residents) don’t talk so much anymore, but then they hear Frank Sinatra and they say, ‘Oh, I remember that,’” Stanford said.

Wine and Canvas has organized fundraisers for Alzheimer’s in the past. A fundraiser last September raised $180, while this spring’s event in May raised $310.

Kristi said she would like at least 50 people to attend the event.

“I’d love to fill the room, but I also want to be realistic,” she said.