By Don Nelson
July 4 will be a day of fun and relaxation for most of us, what with the annual parade in Twisp followed by the Methow Arts Festival. We’ll likely be staying close to home, even if it’s for a hike or bike ride on some valley trail.
For Don Reddington and his daughter Donni, Independence Day will take them out of the valley for the first leg of a 10-day motorcycle tour around the state to promote awareness of Alzheimer’s disease, called Ride4Alzheimers. They will leave straight from the Twisp parade — Donni piloting the motorcycle, Don tucked into a sidecar — on the way to Bellingham, Seattle, Olympia, Yakima, Spokane and finally Wenatchee, where there will be a rally on July 12 at the Pybus Market.
“In each of these communities, we will attend an organized Alzheimer’s rally where families and those living with Alzheimer’s can gather to help spread awareness and help find an end to Alzheimer’s,” Donni says on the GoFundMe site dedicated to raising money to help pay for the trip’s expenses.
The Reddingtons will return to the valley on July 13 for a coming-home celebration at TwispWorks. Details will be announced soon. They’ll surely have some great stories to tell about the places and people they encountered along the way.
Don and Donni have been prepping for the trip with some rides around the area, and were part of the ’49er Days parade. Their colorful orange vehicle is hard to miss.
The goal of the trip, as explained at the ride4alzheimers.net website, is to “make a powerful statement about pursuing life with Alzheimer’s, the opportunities open to everyone affected by the disease and the important of living an enjoyable and respected life.”
Don, of course, has been making that statement eloquently for the past few years, since he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Rather than retreat to the dark depths of the disease, Don boldly took on its challenges and became a powerful advocate for coping with Alzheimer’s in a life-affirming way. He wrote a series of well-received articles, “Living With Alzheimer’s” that appeared over several months in the Methow Valley News.
Later, the articles were combined with other stories and photography in the special magazine, Living With Alzheimer’s: the Reddington Project, which was produced by the Methow Valley News with the assistance of community donations that helped cover costs. Copies of the magazine, which are free, are available at the News office on the TwispWorks campus.
The Reddingtons will be taking several bundles of the special publication with them, to distribute at their stops along the way. Several of the events will be at senior living centers.
That big loop around the state covers a lot of miles, a challenge whether you are driving or riding along. But if you know Don Reddington, you are well aware of his relentless passion and energy for making Alzheimer’s something that should not only be accepted for what it is, but also talked about realistically by everyone who lives with its implications. The Ride4Alzheimers project will carry his message to people who need to hear it.
In a sense, the ride is a community undertaking. If you would like to help with expenses — such as lodging, food, gas and marketing — visit ride4alzheimers.net and find the GoFundMe button. As of this week, supporters had contributed more than $5,200 toward a goal of $7,500 to support the trek.
Let’s give the Reddingtons a rousing sendoff on the Fourth, with wishes for a safe and productive journey. We should all be proud that, like so many good things that come out of the Methow, the Reddingtons’ journey is about living our commitments and principles to the fullest every day. We may not be on the motorcycle, but we’ll be with them in spirit.
