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The Dubin Center holds 27th annual meeting

By Staff | Jun 15, 2022

Emily McNulty accepts her scholarship check from the Dubin Center. PHOTO PROVIDED

The Dubin Center recently held its 27th annual meeting at the FGCU Cohen Center where caregivers and persons living with dementia joined the board of directors, advisory council and staff.

The evening began with a special presentation about innovations in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Caregiver Barbara Gatison, an Advisory Council member, gave a heartfelt speech about the support the Dubin Center provided her while she was the caregiver to her late husband, Lenward. Special awards were given to those community members who have volunteered for the center for over ten years. Executive Director Lynne Thorp gave a special recognition to Jamie Seneca for serving over 20 years to the Dubin Center.

The evening also included an emotional recognition of this year’s Dubin Center scholarship program recipient. Emily McNulty was the winner of the essay contest and received a $1,000 scholarship. McNulty’s essay was shared aloud, bringing tears to all those in attendance. McNulty, now a student at the University of Florida, lived with her mom and grandmother since she was a little girl in Estero. Her mom was a home health caregiver by day and caregiver to her mother who had Alzheimer’s when she was not at work. During the pandemic, McNulty’s mom was diagnosed with cancer and she came home from school to care for her mom and grandma. Her mom recently passed away and her grandma moved to live with another family member.

The scholarship was tripled by an anonymous donor to help McNulty get back on her feet. To read the full essay and her letters of recommendation, visit https://dubincenter.com/scholarship-program.

Lastly, the evening finished with a special announcement made by executive board member Jo Stecher. After reviewing the Annual Report (https://dubincenter.com/resources), The Shady Rest Foundation presented Executive Director, Lynne Thorp, with a $100,000 donation to support the vision of the Dubin Center – No one will face dementia alone.

The Dubin Center is a nonprofit agency aiding families of individuals suffering from dementia in Southwest Florida. Since 1995, The Dubin Center has supported caregivers and individuals living with dementia by providing support groups and training, home health care, community placement hospice, respite, and more. The staff and volunteers of the Dubin Center work to achieve caregiver health, strength, and resilience by providing education, information, hope, and compassion. For more information, visit http://www.dubincenter.com/, or call 239-437-3007.