Sioux City girl walks for grandpa
By Joanne Fox Journal staff writer | Posted: Monday, July 16, 2007
Katie Fox poses with Grandpa Lowell Bates. (Submitted photo)
A disease that seems particular to older people has motivated a young girl to raise thousands of dollars for research.
"I'd do anything to help grandpa," Katie Fox explained of her maternal grandfather, Lowell Bates, who was diagnosed four years ago with Alzheimer's.
Siouxland residents raised nearly $20,000 to help end Alzheimer's disease by participating as teams or individuals June 24 in the Alzheimer's Association's annual Memory Walk at Chris Larsen Park on the riverfront.
Katie said it was a combination of walking with her mom Lee Ann and talking to her grandfather about the disease and the Alzheimer's Association that convinced her to walk several years ago.
A pledge-based event, all participants can register as individuals or teams and are encouraged to raise money through friends, family, colleagues and community acquaintances.
"Mom fills out the sheet and both of us worked on the letter," she said, gesturing toward a bright yellow sheet of paper with black and red type that was used to solicit donations from family and friends.
The letter details that Katie's Great-Grandpa Les Bates died from hardening of the arteries, Grandpa Alfred Fox died from Alzheimer's and mentions Lowell Bates who is doing well with his Alzheimer's thanks to medications.
"Dad first noticed he seemed to have trouble remembering and started to feel not quite like himself," said Lowell's daughter Lee Ann Fox, mom to Katie. "But he's been doing very well with medication."
Great-Grandpa Les Bates was mentioned "because we think today that hardening of the arteries most likely would be diagnosed as Alzheimer's," Lee Ann said.
"We sent the letters out about two weeks prior to the walk and Katie would happily get the mail every day," Lee Ann added with a grin.
In addition to the Memory Walk, Katie has requested a jeans day at her grade school to raise funds for the Alzheimer's Association and raised almost $800 over the last two years.
At this year's Memory Walk, Katie Fox, Mom Lee Ann Fox with family friends Pam Sanderson and her son Shane, and Grandpa Lowell and Grandma Virginia Bates walked around the riverfront.
The top team and individual fundraisers were recognized in a ceremony following the afternoon walk. Katie won the top individual honor in the youth division by raising $1,040.
"I think it's fun to help out people like yourself," Katie said of her continued association with the cause.
Proceeds raised by the Memory Walk help the Alzheimer's Association provide adult day care in Sioux City, in-home respite, a 24-hour helpline, care consultation, family advocacy and education services.
Katie is already thinking about next year, but confessed one of the challenges of fund-raising is setting a higher goal and then reaching it.
"This year I wasn't quite sure if I would make it, but I did," she acknowledged. "Next year, I really, really want to raise more."
VITA
Name: Kathryn "Katie" Fox
Hometown: Sioux City
Education: entering fifth grade at Mater Dei -- Immaculate Conception Center
Personal: daughter of Lee Ann and the late Ken Fox; one brother Grady, 13
How she's making a difference: by volunteering to raise funds through the Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk
"I'd do anything to help grandpa," Katie Fox explained of her maternal grandfather, Lowell Bates, who was diagnosed four years ago with Alzheimer's.
Siouxland residents raised nearly $20,000 to help end Alzheimer's disease by participating as teams or individuals June 24 in the Alzheimer's Association's annual Memory Walk at Chris Larsen Park on the riverfront.
Katie said it was a combination of walking with her mom Lee Ann and talking to her grandfather about the disease and the Alzheimer's Association that convinced her to walk several years ago.
A pledge-based event, all participants can register as individuals or teams and are encouraged to raise money through friends, family, colleagues and community acquaintances.
"Mom fills out the sheet and both of us worked on the letter," she said, gesturing toward a bright yellow sheet of paper with black and red type that was used to solicit donations from family and friends.
The letter details that Katie's Great-Grandpa Les Bates died from hardening of the arteries, Grandpa Alfred Fox died from Alzheimer's and mentions Lowell Bates who is doing well with his Alzheimer's thanks to medications.
"Dad first noticed he seemed to have trouble remembering and started to feel not quite like himself," said Lowell's daughter Lee Ann Fox, mom to Katie. "But he's been doing very well with medication."
Great-Grandpa Les Bates was mentioned "because we think today that hardening of the arteries most likely would be diagnosed as Alzheimer's," Lee Ann said.
"We sent the letters out about two weeks prior to the walk and Katie would happily get the mail every day," Lee Ann added with a grin.
In addition to the Memory Walk, Katie has requested a jeans day at her grade school to raise funds for the Alzheimer's Association and raised almost $800 over the last two years.
At this year's Memory Walk, Katie Fox, Mom Lee Ann Fox with family friends Pam Sanderson and her son Shane, and Grandpa Lowell and Grandma Virginia Bates walked around the riverfront.
The top team and individual fundraisers were recognized in a ceremony following the afternoon walk. Katie won the top individual honor in the youth division by raising $1,040.
"I think it's fun to help out people like yourself," Katie said of her continued association with the cause.
Proceeds raised by the Memory Walk help the Alzheimer's Association provide adult day care in Sioux City, in-home respite, a 24-hour helpline, care consultation, family advocacy and education services.
Katie is already thinking about next year, but confessed one of the challenges of fund-raising is setting a higher goal and then reaching it.
"This year I wasn't quite sure if I would make it, but I did," she acknowledged. "Next year, I really, really want to raise more."
VITA
Name: Kathryn "Katie" Fox
Hometown: Sioux City
Education: entering fifth grade at Mater Dei -- Immaculate Conception Center
Personal: daughter of Lee Ann and the late Ken Fox; one brother Grady, 13
How she's making a difference: by volunteering to raise funds through the Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk
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JC wrote on Jul 16, 2007 11:54 AM: