By Philip Mack

Growing up my grandpa was larger than life. He flew tomcat jets in desert storm and later developed the Awacs radar plane for Boeing. He seemed to have everything figured out. After he retired he managed a busy schedule of working with Meals on Wheels in his home town, supported his wife who headed the local women’s club and made time to share his hobbies of wood carving and golf with my grandchildren.

Though I didn’t realize it at the time, the Alzheimer’s disease was slowly taking the mountain of a man away, not only from me but our whole family. In the years since his Alzheimer’s diagnosis, I have seen what it has taken from him. It is heartbreaking. His positive can-do spirit and generosity are ever present, but now there’s frustration and a sense of helplessness that we don’t know how to help with.

Three years ago I stumbled upon this God-given gift of drawing I never knew I had. As my talent becomes more well-known, I want to give back to the man that always seemed to have it figured out and took care of all of us that hadn’t yet.

With the help of five other artists and a Dutch foreign exchange student my grandpa invited into his home 50 years ago, we are having a charity event to raise money for a cure! Please come out to support a great cause and purchase some great local art.

Information on the fundraiser can be found here.