Another year, another walk for team Forget Not God's Goodness!! I believe this is our 5th walk. Last year I had the bittersweet privilege of representing the official Purple Flower for the Bloomington Walk to End Alzheimer's ceremony. Thank you all for your continued support of this cause so deeply close to our hearts.

2021 Walk Update: This year we will walk in memory of someone we have loved and lost to Alzheimer's from each side of our family: Gramma Betty Holmquist, Papa Larry Van Gundy, Grandpa Richard Goettsche, and Grandpa Kenneth Pfeiffle. 

October 29, 2020 - I lost my favorite person in the entire world, my beloved Gramma. Through the very end of her long life, she continued to be a missionary of Christ wherever she was, including her last earthly home at Luther Oaks. Oh, how this woman is already tremendously missed!! I could only hope to be a mere glimpse of a reflection of her life and ministry. 

Have you ever thought about why our team name is what it is? It is a tribute to Gramma, who while forgetting so many things around her, never forgot the goodness of God. What a blessing! And what a truly amazing gift of grace. Not a day goes by in which I (we) don't think about and miss Gramma...and not a day went by in which she didn't think about and share her love of her Savior. 

We love and have personally benefited from the Alzheimer's Association through support groups, education, awareness, and ongoing research. Would you consider partnering with us this year in our collective and continued fight towards curing this wretched disease? 

Love,
Team "Forget Not God's Goodness"

**************
2020 Walk Update: Wow, does this year look different! While there is no organized group walk this year, teams and individuals will do smaller walks amongst themselves. We are no different. Somehow team Forget Not God's Goodness will walk together in honor of Gramma, and in remembrance of Papa as well as Rick's grandfathers. Please still consider donating to the Alzheimer's Association via team Forget Not God's Goodness .

Gramma lives in the memory care unit at Luther Oaks. Her cognition continues to diminish as the days go on, but by the grace of God she continues to be full of joy and love of her Father, speaking of Him to everyone she sees and singing songs of praise. What a treasure she is to so many.

**************

Alzheimer's sucks. It steals away the people that you know and love. It makes them into people you can't always recognize. Alzheimer's causes you to grieve the loss of people who are still living. 

I have worked in long term care for almost 10 years. I have seen dementia rock many worlds. I don't have the opportunity to know all of my residents while they have their cognitive abilities, but I see and feel the effect the loss of the ability has on their spouses and children.

My dad's father had it, and I watched from afar how it changed the Papa that I knew; however, I was young and didn't honestly know him otherwise. But, I watched my family struggle. I watched Nana slowly lose the man that she so gracefully cherished.

And now my sweet and precious Gramma has had the Alzheimer's for a few years. She still shares her faith multiple times daily. Always has and apparently always will. No, she doesn't always know my name, or can't always quite work out how we're related. But man, does she know the name of her Savior! She can't tell you what year it is or what a pizza is called, but she can tell you what Jesus has done for her and can tell you Scriptures that speak of His character. She doesn't know a stranger, because everyone needs to know about her Lord. She remembers the most important thing.

Oh how I love that woman. Ironically (by the grace of God), we've gotten even closer! Please consider partnering with us by prayer for those who struggle and by donating with our link.

At the Walk, different colored flowers mean different things (living with Alz, caring for something with Alz, someone lost from Alz, etc). Let's work together toward the goal of that white flower, the one that represents the first person CURED of Alzheimer's.

We love you all.

Team - Forget Not God's Goodness!!!