CROSSVILLE — Alzheimer's disease (http://health.yahoo.net/adamcontent/alzheimers-disease)  (AD) is the most common form of dementia (http://health.yahoo.net/adamcontent/dementia), a neurologic disease characterized by loss of mental ability severe enough to interfere with normal activities of daily living. AD usually occurs in old age, and is marked by a decline in cognitive functions such as remembering, reasoning, and planning. A person with AD usually has a gradual decline in mental functions, often beginning with slight memory loss (http://health.yahoo.net/adamcontent/memory-loss), followed by losses in the ability to maintain employment, to plan and execute familiar tasks of daily living, and to reason and exercise (http://health.yahoo.net/galecontent/exercise) judgment. Communication ability, mood, and personality may also be affected. Most people who have AD die within eight years of their diagnosis, although that interval may be as short as one year or as long as 20 years. AD is the fourth leading cause of death in adults after heart disease (http://health.yahoo.net/adamcontent/heart-disease), cancer, and stroke. Between two and four million Americans have AD. That number is expected to grow to as many as 14 million by the middle of the twenty-first century as the population ages.

In Pleasant Hill a very dedicated group is working hard to raise consciousness about this disease and funds for research and treatment. An Alzheimer’s Support Group is held the first Thursday of every month at 10:30 a.m. in Heritage Hall open to caregivers. The Cumberland Alzheimer's walk will be Oct. 29, 2011 at Tennessee Tech in Cookeville on the quadrangle. The local Pleasant Hill Walk is scheduled for Nov. 5. A team from Pleasant Hill has been seeking money to support Alzheimer’s Tennessee, Inc. on those days with a variety of fund raising activities. Besides the “pink flamingo flocking” on lawns in town, the Committee has solicited items to be part of a silent auction in the upcoming weeks. These items are being displayed in the following places: Oct. 10 – 23, Wharton Homes, Oct. 24 – 30, Fletcher House, Oct. 31 – Nov. 4, Uplands’ Office in Heritage Hall, and November 5 at the Pleasant Hill Community House from 9:30 a.m. – noon. Forms will be available at each of the sites. You may bid on as many items and as many times as you wish. They will be sealed in a canister until opened on the day of the local walk, Nov. 5. Some of the items are made by local artisans such as the queen size quilt of Irish chains, a woven basket, a man’s beaded watch band, and a clutch purse with shoulder strap. Others are donated by local merchants like gift cards, dinner certificates, and other desirable gifts. Winners will be notified soon after the noon meal hosted for the walkers on Nov. 5 in the Pleasant Hill Community House on Main Street across from the Post Office.     

The Walks and accompanying activities are a fun time for all who attend – adults and children. The Cookeville Walk is close to Halloween, so many participants expect to wear costumes. Registration begins at 9 a.m. as does the entertainment. The opening ceremonies begin at 9:45 a.m. The Walk begins at 11 a.m. Everyone who is interested in participating in the Walk must sign up on a registration form. Those who turn in $50 or more will receive this year's Alzheimer's Walk special T-shirt. Pleasant Hill has both a long and a short walk on Nov. 5. The long walk is from the Community House to the Grab thrift shop on Main Street, about three miles. The short walk will be around the vicinity of the Community House. Registration takes place at 10 a.m. at the Community House. Shirley Berry (277-5753), Coordinator enthuses, “We have fun, represent this community, and get some exercise as well. We even get our pictures taken. Don't get left out!”

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Neighbors Together, a local self-help organization, is sponsoring their Second Annual Spaghetti Fundraiser. Donations of $5 will cover spaghetti, salad, and drinks. There’s usually a cake sale with popular contributions from these very talented bakers. It will be held on Saturday, Oct. 22, from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. in the Pleasant Hill Community House on Main Street across from the Post Office.
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Cumberland County Bank will host a Customer Appreciation Day for all those living in the Pleasant Hill area on Tuesday, Oct. 25. They will serve hamburgers and all the fixins’, along with drink and dessert from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Pleasant Hill Community House on Main Street across from the Post Office. If the weather cooperates, the serving area will be set up outside the Community House. Rain location will be Adshead Hall of Fletcher House just across the circle. In order to get a count of how many will attend, please sign up with one of the following: Heather at Town Hall (277-3813), Veronica at the Pleasant Hill Community Church, UCC (277-3193); or Kim at the Uplands’ Office (277-3518). 
Well, neighbors, that’s three meals coming up that you won’t have to fix at home.