The spirit of the West came alive at Oakwood Creative Care’s 6th Annual Moments Matter Gala: Giddy Up—and what a ride it was! From the moment guests stepped in, the evening was charged with energy, connection, and a shared sense of purpose. Laughter echoed, boots hit the dance floor, and stories of resilience and joy filled the room.
More than just a celebration, the gala embodied what makes Oakwood so special: a community that shows up, lifts one another, and believes deeply in the power of meaningful moments.
Thank You for Creating Moments That Truly Matter at Giddy Up!
Thanks to that incredible community, the night raised an inspiring $93,885 in support of older adults and families navigating Alzheimer’s and other dementias, Parkinson’s, stroke, and age-related brain health changes. Every dollar reflects not just generosity, but belief—in dignity, creativity, and the idea that every person deserves to live with purpose and connection, no matter where they are on their journey. These funds will help fuel programs within Oakwood Creative Care that spark joy, foster belonging, and create moments that truly matter.
Jim Albu’s Story of Hope
Why does Oakwood speak so often of moments that matter? Because those very moments, no matter how big or small, remind us why this work matters so profoundly and what’s possible when a community comes together with heart.
One such moment was shared at the heart of the evening with a special tribute from Jim Albu, who sponsored the evening in honor of the beautiful life and legacy of his wife, Elaine, who joined our Central Mesa Adult Day Club after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease:
“This organization means more to me than I could ever express. It was about three and a half years ago that we got the diagnosis that Elaine had Alzheimer’s, and the first thought that came to mind was, ‘…what do I do now?’
I knew very little about Alzheimer’s, but I knew I was in trouble. So, I started doing research, and the neuropsychologist who did the assessment, at the end of the report, had a couple of different organizations that provide support for people dealing with Alzheimer’s.
So I contacted the Area Agency on Aging, they assigned a case worker to me, and the first time I met with her, she thought that Oakwood might be a good place to help me navigate the whole process.
We set up an appointment at the Central Mesa Day Club. Elaine went in to spend an hour or so with the group while I met with the manager. After it was done, Elaine and I were driving home, and she said, ‘This is not for me. I’m not ready for this.’
Probably three or four months after the first time we went to Oakwood, I thought, ‘Let’s try this again.’ So I called and talked to Edward, who said to come down at lunch time, and we’ll put Elaine back in and let her have lunch with everyone while we talk. This time, it worked out wonderfully. She loved the place, she got along with everyone, and everything went fine. So we signed her up, and about three weeks into it, I got the dreaded phone call that we’ve got a behavioral issue.
I came to pick her up and met with Edward. There was a full-time nurse there, and instead of saying she cannot come back anymore, they sat me down and said, ‘Let’s figure out how to make this work.’
The nurse suggested getting with a neurologist and maybe adjusting her medications to help with the behavioral issues we were having. So that’s what we did – we upped her medications a bit, everything went well, and she absolutely loved the place.
There were times when I would come down to pick Elaine up in the afternoon, and she’d say, ‘No, I’m not ready to leave yet.’ So I’d sit down and participate in whatever they were doing, and I got to observe how Oakwood treated these people with the utmost respect and care.
And then there was Nathalie. One time, they were having Hat Day, and every member got a hat to wear for the day, and at the end of the day, they were supposed to return the hat. When we were getting ready to leave, Elaine said, ‘No, I’m not giving this back,’ and Nathalie said she could keep the hat and take it home. Every day after that, she’d wear the cowboy hat to the Club, and I’ve got pictures of her sitting at the Christmas Party with her cowboy hat on over the Santa hat and her Elvis sunglasses on.
That cowboy hat, my date for the night is my granddaughter Emma, and she’s wearing the hat that belonged to Elaine.
I cannot say enough about the organization. I would have gone crazy by now had I not found Oakwood, the wonderful people, and the work they do. I hope you all help keep this going forward. From what I’ve learned, there are two kinds of families: those that have members who are suffering from dementia, and those that will.”
Special Moments Captured During Giddy Up!
Thank You, Giddy Up Sponsors!
Jim Albu, in honor of Elaine Albu
Gene Mikolajczyk
Scott & Julie Bjerk
Creative Aging, at Every Stage & for Every Age
Oakwood Creative Care is bringing back the JOY in aging! We believe a diagnosis should not have to define your life. Instead, we have devoted our mission to reigniting hope for caregivers and older adults with Alzheimer’s, dementia, and other age-related challenges.
