Thanks to Ashlee Clapper, Lynn Boykin and Girl Scout Troop 5375 for the Strong River of Memories.

I am incredibly behind on posting Trip Logs, and editing photos and video. I have recently downloaded some software for video editing. Provided I can figure that product out, I will have something more than the raw footage of some of the trips to post. At the very least I should be able to get some slideshows up soon. With respect to my Trip Logs; I have a few, but even the ones that are complete could use another edit.

Yes. I am behind schedule--story of my life!

Keith Plunkett and Ashlee Clapper

But, I had to take a time out here to say a big thanks to Lynn Boykin and her Girl Scout Troop 5375 for helping out with the project. Ashlee Clapper (I kept calling her Ashlee Cooper, Sorry Ashlee) is one of her girls who needed to put together a project for her Silver Award. I am extremely grateful that she picked Lucy's Revenge as her outside project. Ashlee managed to get the largest number of paddlers we have ever had for a paddle for her project called Strong River of Memories. Also participating were parents, siblings, and both the Development Director and Executive Director of the Mississippi Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.




Now that's a good looking group of paddlers!



It was a beautiful day, a beautiful river and a beautiful group.

More to come. . . eventually.

Thanks,
Keith.

Report: Alzheimer's disease causes global financial burden

The cost of caring for people with dementia around the world tops $600 billion according to a report released Tuesday. "70 percent of the costs occur in Western Europe and North America," according to the report.

With the release of the World Alzheimer's Report 2010, Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI), a consortium of 73 non-profit Alzheimer's groups from around the world, is trying to raise awareness about the global financial burden caused by dementia.

Each year ADI issues a report on September 21, which has been designated as World Alzheimer's Day.

Last year's annual Alzheimer's report estimated that 35.6 million people would be living with some form of dementia in 2010 and predicted that this number would nearly double in 2030 and reach 115.4 million in 2050.

The new report calculates the cost of medical care as well as the cost of formal services and informal services provided by family members. Researchers estimate the total cost of care just for this year will be $604 billion, which they say is equal to the gross domestic product (GDP) of what would be the 18th largest country or about 1 percent of the world's GDP.

The United States ranks highest when comes to the cost of caring for a person with dementia, which comes to more than $48,000 according to the report. Caring for people with dementia is least costly – just $903 according to the new data – in South Asian countries like Bangladesh and India.

In this report, ADI is calling on all governments to do more to recognize dementia as a health priority and invest more in prevention and developing plans for caring for the millions more who will get this disease in the coming decades.

"The U.S. is unprepared to handle the massive human and economic burden that is building as a result of the growing number of people with Alzheimer's disease," Harry Johns tells CNN. Johns is the president and CEO of the Alzheimer's Association, one of the members of Alzheimer's Disease International. He notes that the U.S. government annually spends $6 billion on cancer research, $4 billion on heart disease research, approximately $3 billion on HIV/AIDS, which he says are all good investments and have led to lives being saved. However, when it comes to Alzheimer's research, Johns notes that funding by the National Institutes of Health is only $469 million per year.

ADI suggests in this report that many governments are unprepared to meet the challenges they face with a growing population of people with dementia. The Alzheimer's Association in the United States points out that 6 other countries, including France, England and Australia do have national Alzheimer's plans, but the United States does not. Legislation called the National Alzheimer's Project has been introduced in Congress.

CNN

Sometimes what makes these trips so special are the little things.

Critters big and small are everywhere on the Chickasawhay River:




An abundance of minnows offer the mullet and other species of fish plenty to feed on in the Chickasawhay:



A school of mullet swimming upriver in the Chickasawhay at around Mile 12. The mullet are extremely aggressive in the East Mississippi river:

Alzheimer's Support from IP: $10,000 for Gulf Coast Memory Walk

The Alzheimer’s Association Gulf Coast Memory Walk has
received a show of support in the form of a $10,000 sponsorship
from the IP Casino Resort Spa. The contribution marks the first
of its size for the Walk and is demonstrated in the larger than
life-sized check that is displayed by, from left, Sara Murphy
and Ian MacDonald, both of the Alzheimer’s Association;
Cindi Braud, 2010 Gulf Coast Memory Walk ambassador; Jon Braud;
Patty Dunn, Alzheimer’s Association executive director; and
Elaine Stevens, IP public relations manager.

A presentation at the Alzheimer’s Association Mississippi Chapter office in Ridgeland Sept. 7 demonstrated a show of support from IP Casino Resort Spa as the company joins in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. The support came in the form of a $10,000 donation designated for the upcoming Gulf Coast Memory Walk set for Nov. 13 in Biloxi.


Motivation for the support stemmed from a diagnosis of early onset Alzheimer’s. When Cindi Braud, an IP casino host, and her husband Jon shared his diagnosis, the company immediately made plans to work with the couple.

According to Cindi and Jon, “We are very excited to work with the Alzheimer’s Association and look forward to promoting awareness for this disease. In addition, we are overwhelmed by the support IP Casino has given us and are forever grateful to IP for their commitment to Alzheimer’s awareness.” Cindi is serving as the 2010 Gulf Coast Memory Walk Ambassador.

"IP always takes care of its own, and Cindi Braud is a vital part of the IP family. When we discovered her husband Jon was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s, IP’s partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association was a given. We are proud to support Cindi, Jon and the many thousands of others impacted by this dreaded disease,” said Elaine Stevens, IP public relations manager.

In accepting the donation, Patty Dunn, the chapter’s executive director, said, “We welcome this generous show of support in our efforts to enhance the care and support for those affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is an escalating public health crisis that has far-reaching effects on individuals, families and businesses. This donation from IP Casino Resort Spa represents the beginning of a partnership to increase concern and awareness for Alzheimer’s disease and the efforts of the Alzheimer’s Association.”

On hand for the check-presenting occasion were Ms. Stevens, Cindi Braud, Jon Braud, and Tina Cantrell, executive casino host. Representing the Mississippi Chapter Alzheimer’s Association were Ms. Dunn, Sara Murphy and Ian MacDonald.

Ms. Dunn pointed out that every 70 seconds someone develops Alzheimer’s disease, and in Mississippi, it is estimated that 53,000 individuals are living with Alzheimer’s disease.

First paddle in East Mississippi Region will be longest yet.

I've just completed marking out my topo maps for the Trip On the Chick. This is going to be a heck of a trip. The weather apparently will be good, and the temps will be incredible. Sharon and I will need it, because the mileage I have measured is 86.51 miles.

The trip appears to have plenty of landmarks on the upper end. But, on the lower end, when our bodies are worn down and some landmarks would help our mental state, there will be none. The last 22 mile section has one landmark utility line to let us know we are two miles from the takeout. The other 20 miles is nothing but wilderness and sandbars. This one will be a test of our mental strength. I'll likely save a little battery for my GPS so I can have a fallback in case Sharon and I get ready to kill one another.

I took a moment last night to shoot a video in our garage after getting a few pictures of the signatures on the kayak. It's hard for me to believe that some of them will make it through a trip this daunting without scrubbing off. So, I wanted some shots to remember them all. You can see the pictures of the signatures on our Facebook Page.

Here's the video I shot. The lighting isn't great in the garage at night.