Elephant Fest raises money for Alzheimer's group

But to see hundreds of elephants on a Saturday morning is something special -- even if those elephants only grace the front of white cotton T-shirts as part of the annual Elephant Fest.

The event benefits the Alzheimer's Support Network of Collier County, raising money to support local programs, outreach and other services offered to Alzheimer's patients and their families. The network is an independent organization and not associated with any national Alzheimer's agencies.

For those suffering from the disease or caring for someone with Alzheimer's, the event also means a chance to relax and socialize, said Barb Anderson, executive director of the network.

For others, such as Tom Smith of Naples, it was a way to remember a loved one claimed by the disease. The event began with a service at Lake Victoria on the zoo property, where attendees could place a carnation in the water as a memorial.

Smith's mother died of Alzheimer's eight years ago.

"You can never really get by that," he said. "It's always there. The passing is always something you hold in your heart."

He and his wife, Nancy, have attended the Elephant Fest several times.

"It's kind of a group thing," Nancy Smith said of the Elephant Fest's appeal.

"There's a certain synergy that develops," Tom Smith said, describing the collective feeling of the event.

The network estimates there are about 12,000 Alzheimer's and dementia patients in Collier; currently, the organization serves 3,000 families in Southwest Florida.

Because Alzheimer's victims suffer memory loss, the network's motto is "Remembering those who forget." Elephants are said to have an excellent ability to remember; hence, the "Elephant Fest," Anderson explained.

After the memorial service, attendees were able to hear live music, catch an animal show or take a boat cruise to gain a peek at some of the zoo's residents. Attendees wore their elephant T-shirts -- which served as entrance passes -- as they made their way through the park. Organizers expected about 1,100 people to attend the event.

"It's just a way to also enjoy the day and give the caregivers a needed break," Anderson said.

Attendee Bob Schmeckpeper of Naples cares for his wife, who has had Alzheimer's for five years. He attends a support group through the network; he and his wife take advantage of other network offerings, too, he said, such as group walks.

"This support group is the best thing that could have happened to my wife and I," he said.

Coming to the Elephant Fest also gives him a chance to meet more people who use or volunteer with the network, he said.

Attendees Dorothy Skender of Marco Island and Pauline Tewksbury of Naples also praised the network's support and assistance. Skender's husband suffered from dementia; Tewksbury's husband died of Alzheimer's.

"The network has been so helpful to everyone for years now," Tewksbury said.

"And that's really why we come" to the event, Skender said.