OCTOBER! It deserves capital letters AND an exclamation mark just for Audrey. Whew. Fall is here and it is off to a good start already. Of course here on It’s Just Life it means it is time for our monthly Comments for a Cause post.

This past month we focused our attention on Muddy Sneakers which is a local outdoor program that helps encourage the joy of outdoor learning and recreation here in our area. You can read more about it in this post by clicking here. It truly is a wonderful cause and one that I am thrilled to support. Chris and I are happy to announce that due to your comments here on the blog this month we will be making a donation of $110 to Muddy Sneakers.

There are so many wonderful causes out there to support and sometimes I support one twice. This is the case this month – with a little bit of inspiration from my friend, Jane. Jane lost her mom, Ruthie, who had dementia this past May. She has joined a Facebook Group – Dementia Society of America’s 2022 Operation KeepSafe® Challenge.

The object is pretty simple – walk or run or just basically keep track of your steps for the month in an effort to reach 60 miles to help raise funds and awareness for dementia. The challenge is explained on their website and I have included the information below:

What is Operation KeepSafe® Challenge?

Simply put, it’s a challenge to walk or run 60 miles in October over 31 days. 

The Challenge (#1) helps raise awareness for Dementia, those living with Dementia, caregivers/care partners, the Dementia Society, and our Operation KeepSafe program, and (#2) enables those who wish to fundraise on our behalf. Money raised through challenges helps fund our programs: awareness/education, local resources hotline (1-800-DEMENTIA®) and directory, life enrichment, recognition, and investment in outstanding care, innovation & research.

Operation KeepSafe is a Dementia Society life-enrichment program that provides medical ID kits and online profiles to individuals subject to elopement, getting lost, and critical wandering.

Jane has always been an inspiration to me and of course she is going above and beyond in her goal and plans to walk 120 miles this month to raise awareness for dementia. The other thing that she is doing is encouraging others to join her as she walks to share their stories and names of loved ones who have suffered as well. I have no doubt she will achieve her goal and surpass it most likely, knowing her. I hope to join her for a couple of miles

Dementia is an insidious disease that robs us of our loved ones. Losing my own mom on Christmas Day 2020 was one of the most difficult things that I have endured in my life. To watch her slip away bit by bit and then to not be able to be with her because of the pandemic until the very end was something that I won’t ever forget. Knowing that there are others who have experienced the same thing helps to share the burden and Jane is one of those I have been able to share my stories with.

If you know someone who is struggling with dementia I would urge you to learn more about this program, maybe even sign up to walk yourself. If you don’t know what Comments for a Cause is all about – here it is in a nutshell. For every comment made on any post during the month Chris and I pledge to make a donation of 50 cents to Dementia Society of America’s 2022 Operation KeepSafe® Challenge. Please feel free to click on that link to get more information and maybe even join the movement.