Driving Miss Mary: former client gives back
BY KIM ZARZOUR
kzarzour@yrmg.com
When you have Alzheimer’s disease, you sometimes forget things.
But when the news is good and every time you hear about it you’re overjoyed, that may not be such a bad thing.
Mary Sparrer was overjoyed many times this week — each time she was reminded anew that her years of scrimping and saving enabled her family to donate $30,000 to the Alzheimer Society of York Region.
Mrs. Sparrer, a resident at Thornhill’s Glynnwood Retirement Residence, has Alzheimer’s. For two years, she enjoyed outings to the Daycare for Alzheimer’s in York (DAY) Centre where she could be comfortable, safe and be herself, says daughter Patricia Sparrer.
While the disease has now progressed to the point where she can no longer take part at the DAY Centre, her family still wanted to find a way to thank the organization for its help.
On Thursday, Mrs. Sparrer’s daughters celebrated their mother’s 87th birthday with a
cheque presentation to the society towards the purchase of a new mobility van that will
provide more than 8,500 rides to and from the DAY Centre in Thornhill.
The centre, one of three in York Region, offers a structured, individualized recreational social day care program for those with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
It is the largest non-bequest gift the York Region society has ever received, said Loren Freid, the society’s executive director. “This is such a wonderful birthday gift you have given us,” he told Mrs. Sparrer at her birthday celebration. “It’s the kind of gift that will keep on giving, a legacy gift, because it will enable us to continue to provide service for years to come.”
Daughter Janice Howard of Thornhill said being able to provide such a gift is a special treat for her mother because she grew up in poverty during the Depression.
“Times were hard. They were very, very poor. As a child she depended on the charity of neighbours and community for food and clothing.
“They got care packages from family in England and a basket with a turkey at Christmas,” she said.
“Mother was a bookkeeper, my father was a steamfitter. They were just average people, regular people like you and me who worked hard and saved their money and (are) in the situation now where we can make this gift.”
“Do you kids forgive me now for pinching pennies?” Mrs. Sparrer asked her daughters, with a sparkle in her eye, as she signed the oversized cheque Thursday afternoon.
“Yes, Mom, I forgive you and the Alzheimer Society forgives you, too,” Patricia responded, laughing. While the progressive disease has impaired some of her cognitive abilities, Mrs. Sparrer’s sense of humour is stronger than ever.
As her family helped her get ready for a “joy ride” in the new van — also known as the Mary Mobile — they asked if she’d like her coat. “Yes, bring me the mink one,” she responded, with a giggle.
Mrs. Sparrer doesn’t own a mink — but thanks to her years of “penny-pinching”, York Region’s Alzheimer Society now owns a new Mercedes Sprinter passenger van.
