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| Keith Plunkett speaks to the media and an audience of 45-50 in attendance for a morning press conference at St. Dominic Centre on Wednesday morning, February 16. Plunkett will complete a year-long journey to paddle Mississippi waters in July of 2011, amassing 847 miles. |
Over the next five months of paddling, Plunkett expects to paddle an additional 539 miles. He will continue speaking with groups across the state to raise awareness, and securing donations for the Mississippi Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. If his plans hold, he will shatter his original goal of 600 miles by 276. Plunkett expects to tally around 876 miles by the time the project finale is held on the Ross Barnett Reservoir.
Plunkett was joined during the 10 am press conference at St. Dominic Centre by St. Dominic President Sister Mary Dorothea Sondgrath, Dr. George Patton, Director of St. Dominic’s St. Catherine’s Village, and Meva Butler Director of Campbell Cove. Campbell Cove is a wing of the facility that deals directly with elderly Alzheimer’s patients.
Plunkett also issued a challenge to political donors in this year of hotly contested campaigns.
“We have just recently seen the latest campaign finance reports from the Secretary of State’s office. If you take just the amount of money raised by the announced candidates for state-wide office alone, it is probably in excess of $8 million,” Plunkett said. “Give me one percent, just one percent, of that for the Alzheimer’s Association through Lucy’s Revenge, and we will begin the ball rolling towards creating a project that seriously helps Mississippi families in need. That is my challenge to those who have given political donations, whether they are companies or individuals.”
Dr. Patton believes with the addition of the Mind Center at University Medical Center, and continued efforts from people to raise money; Mississippi is well positioned to be a leader in Alzheimer’s research.
The new research organization: the Memory Impairment and Neurodegenerative Dementia (MIND) Center has a campaign underway to raise $9 million for the center’s personnel and program costs through private donations.
“UMC also received $26 million in grants for that project,” said Patton. “Dr. Tom Mosley will be the head of that facility, and he is known around the world for his work in the field.”
The Medical Center and four collaborating academic medical centers received the grants from the National Institutes of Health to identify risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease and related forms of cognitive decline in July of 2010.
Plunkett said he is now looking ahead at ways to continue the project with annual events in one of each of five designated regions across the state.
“The idea is that we can build on the Memory Walk model the Alzheimer’s Association already has in place for annual events to keep the dollars rolling in,” said Plunkett. “I have already spoken with sponsors interested in being a part of that.”
Plunkett added that there is also an economic development and tourism benefit from the promotion of small river towns across the state.
“Some of the very places these events will be held are the ones that need a shot in the arm,” he said. “Not to mention some of these small towns and cities are the backbone of our state’s history.”
Plunkett’s grandmother was Lucy Plunkett. The matriarch of the Plunkett family reared six children, and oversaw the upbringing of 9 grandchildren. She was a housewife and an active member of the rural community of Little Yazoo in Yazoo County.
“I see this project as a symbol of me taking back what Alzheimer’s and Dementia took from her.”
The remaining dates for the Lucy’s Revenge Tour are as follows:
Spring/Summer Dates
Saturday February 19-Monday February 21: 3-day, 2-night trip on the Yalobusha River from Grenada to Greenwood.
52 miles.
Sponsored by Lifehelp Region 6 Mental Health Center-Garden Park Adult Day Center.
Saturday February 26-Sunday February 27: Overnight trip on the Sunflower River in celebration of Sunflower River month from Eagles Nest to New Africa.
20 miles.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Sunflower River.
For more information contact Quapaw Canoe Company in Clarksdale, Mississippi (662)627-4070
Saturday March 12: The second running of the Battle on the Bayou on Old Fort Bayou Ocean Springs. 9.5 miles.
For more information go to http://www.battleonthebayou.com/
Saturday March 19: Coldwater River.
Mileage TBD
Highlighting the conservation efforts of the Upper Coldwater River Watershed.
For more information go to http://www.coldwatertrail.org/
Saturday March 26-Sunday March 27: Overnight on the Mississippi River Muddy Waters Wilderness.
100 miles. Quapaw Landing to Warfield Point.
Sponsored by Quapaw Canoe Company
For more information contact Quapaw Canoe Company in Clarksdale, Mississippi (662)627-4070
Saturday April 16-Sunday April 27: Overnight on Bogue Chitto River.
27 miles. McComb to Dillon Bridge
Saturday April 23-Sunday April 24: Overnight on Bayou Pierre
50 miles. Dentville to Port Gibson
Saturday April 30-Sunday May 1: Overnight on the Yazoo River
43 miles. Satartia to Steele Bayou.
Saturday May 7-Sunday May 8: Overnight on the Homochitto River
36 miles. Eddiceton to Rosetta
Friday May 13-Sunday May 15: Overnights on the Leaf River
64 miles. Taylorsville to Old River Road
Saturday May 21-Sunday May 22: Overnight on the Red Creek
45.5 miles. Perkinston to Vestry
Saturday June 4-Sunday June 5: Overnight on Bear Creek
23 miles. Golden to Hwy 30.
Saturday June 11: Day trip on Chunky River
10 miles. Stucky Bridge to Enterprise
Saturday June 18-Sunday June 19: Overnight on the Bowie River.
26.5 miles. Highway 589 to Leaf River at Hattiesburg
Saturday July 2: Day Trip on the Pearl River
20 miles. Lefleurs Bluff through Jackson to Byram at the Swinging Bridge
Saturday July 9: Finale at the Ross Barnett Reservoir
13 miles. Tommy’s Trading Post to Madison Landing
Total Mileage for Spring/Summer Dates: 539.5 miles
Total Mileage since July of 2010: 336.5 miles
Grand Total Goal: 876 miles
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