The Friends of Project Compassion will gather for fun and fundraising during the upcoming Friends of Project Compassion Dinner.
Slated for 6 p.m. July 18 at the Fort Smith Senior Activity Center, 2700 Cavanaugh, the dinner will be hosted by the Western Arkansas Area Agency on Aging, according to Abbie Taylor Cox, executive director of Project Compassion, which provides joy, companionship and quality of life to residents in area long-term care, assisted-living and retirement facilities.
“Mr. (Jim) Medley has been so good to us,” explained Cox.
Special guest speaker for the event will be Dr. Margaret Tremwel, director of senior care with Sparks Health System.
“She’s got a good presentation about dealing with dementia — when you see it coming at you and some tools to help deal with that to help make it easier for caring for a loved one or yourself,” Cox said, adding that information about the caregiver workshops hosted by Project Compassion will be available at the dinner. “So many are caring for their loved ones at home. We wanted caregivers to get a little respite and come to dinner, just to let people know that there is help out there.”
Pam Camp will provide the evening’s entertainment.
A silent auction will include many items up for bid, including several specialty gift baskets, rounded up by members of the Project Compassion board of directors, Cox added.
“I have high hopes for our board,” she said. “They come up with some pretty cool ideas.”
Cox said last year’s event raised more than $5,000; proceeds will be used to help Project Compassion with its annual holiday gift drive, Hearts of Gold, a program by which every resident in every facility it serves is provided a Christmas gift of pajamas, robes, slippers or lap blankets. Cox said that for many of the residents, especially those with no family, these gifts may be the only new items they receive that year.
“We just want everyone … to come and just be a friend of Project Compassion and learn about … dementia and raise a little money for Project Compassion,” Cox added.
There is no charge for the dinner; donations for Project Compassion will be accepted. For information or to RSVP, call 783-2273.