Marco Dementia Respite Program Gets Surprise Donation

On November 20th, during their morning services, United Church of Marco Island’s Pastor Mark Williams presented Marco Dementia Respite (MDR) with a “surprise” donation of $11,444 and remarked “what a joy it is today to make a surprise Mission Gift to MDR.”

At UCMI, the Missions Committee is given a budget each year and provides funds to local organizations. According to Samantha Arago of UCMI, 2022 recipients have included: Camp Able, Florida and National Conference UCC, Joy of Giving, Marco Island Center for the Arts, Our Daily Bread, Neighborhood Health Clinic, Shelly’s Simply Sharing. In June MDR received a $10,000 donation from UCMI. Each year, UCMI “proudly donates well over $300,000 to local missions.

According to Pastor Mark, “at United Church of Marco Island, we recognize that dementia and cognitive decline can create serious challenges for families. We simply cannot allow these issues to be social taboos, nor can we pretend they do not exist. Instead, we remember Jesus’s mission to heal every disease (Matthew 9:35).”

Pastor Mark added, “we talk a lot about partnering with God to bring more heaven to earth. Insofar as our gift to the MDR program provides a bit of peace to loved ones dealing with the serious challenges of dementia, we have fulfilled our heavenly mission as a church. The church is faithful when she looks outside of herself to those who are in need. When this happens, whether it’s through a gift to the MDR program or any other cause, the church becomes most like Christ, who emptied himself for others.”

Michelle Hennessy, Chair of the Missions Committee, shared that “many in our congregation have had family and friends affected by dementia. The Missions Committee of UCMI is proud to support the Marco Dementia Respite that will help the community of Marco Island.”

Tim Rose, chair of MRD, accepted the surprise donation and thanked UCMI for their generosity and partnership. “This check for $11,444 will allow MDR to offer a second day of respite and get those people off the waitlist and into the program and help grow MDR into 2023,” Rose added.

“We started MDR because we all know this serious and debilitating disease continues to grow,” Rose said. “The generosity of UCMI’s first major donation got us going and put “wind to our sails… Right now the program is for one day a week – that’s all we can afford and was filled immediately. We have eight residents on the waiting list. We can take 14 and we have not even gotten to season to tell people what MDR is all about.”

Marco Dementia Respite (MDR) is a program for Marco area residents, provided by local residents, that gives caregivers a hiatus while offering a safe, enjoyable and no cost haven for loved ones with early-stage Alzheimer’s/Dementia. 

Rose shared that MDR has just added a new program, the Caregiver Support Group, which is held Mondays, 10:30 AM at Wesley United Methodist Church. 

He also thanked Karen Blackwell, a board member of MDR in helping guide the program since day one and often reminds the board that their biggest mission is beyond offering the services for our respite program and to roll this mission into what will become the Marco Island Senior Center to serve all the needs of our seniors.

Many thanks to UCMI’s Missions Committee members: Susan Toussaint, Karen Blackwell, Sue Elsasser, Carol Jennings, Pat Kaufman, Rev Mark, Samantha Arago and Gene Leman.

MDR is a 501(C)3 umbrella of WUMC and tax-deductible donations will allow MDR to continue and expand. For online donations visit at www.MarcoDementiaRespite.org or send to Marco Dementia Respite, 350 S. Barfield Drive, Marco Island, Florida, 34145. 

Caregivers of potential participants are encouraged to call 239-330-MDR3 (6373) to begin the screening process and secure a place on the waitlist.