www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, June 13, 2014 | 6 Remembering Ian with forget-me-nots With the Ontario election now under our belt, and our congratulations and regrets to those who won and lost, we nd the letter on this page today equally deserving of the spotlight. While the election campaign may have transported us to a larger-than-life stage, its issues and discussions and purpose are about improving what affects each of us in our daily lives. Throughout this election campaign, the Alzheimer Society of Ontario and its teams of volunteers were on the campaign trail to let candidates know how important the society believes it is to have a Dementia Plan. According to Gale Carey, CEO of the Alzheimer Society of Ontario, a Dementia Plan would include: · Health promotion and awareness to reduce stigma and risk · Support and education for unpaid caregivers and increasing caregiver control through self-directed care options · Support for people with dementia, regardless of where they live in Ontario Carey said it was promising that the major parties had a dementia plan and caregiver support in their platforms. It was not so heartening to note healthcare issues were not a highlight of the campaign's televised leaders' debate or top fodder throughout the election. Today, 210,000 Ontarians have dementia and that number will be skyrocketing by close to 30 per cent in 15 years. Dementia will have a signi cant impact in every community, and every household across Ontario, according to Carey. We see that in the letter on this page. While Ian Dutton's family is coping with the reality of dementia in a loved one, the disease has also reached out to touch Ian's friends and neighbours -- and those who don't know him, writes friend and Oakville resident Margaret Foley. Little did the local man realize what the fates had in store as he was enjoying the gift of life -- gardening at home and walking through our town's trails, scattering seeds from his garden for the future. Ian may or may not have ever considered that, as he sowed the seeds of the tiny and cheerful forget-menots, they are the delicate symbol of the Alzheimer Society. Nor would he likely have pondered that his actions would foreshadow his own future. The owers now ourish, bringing beauty and a smile to those who meander past. Ian is not among those people, however, as the ravages of dementia have claimed his ability to similarly enjoy a walk through the River Oaks trails. The cruel irony of that fate, and the fond memories of a good person and a good friend, is not lost on Foley. "I will never forget Ian," she writes in her letter to the editor. "I would love to have a piece of the trail named in honour of Ian so that we remember, and forget him not." And so another seed has been sown.... Editorial "Connected to your Community" Letter to the Editor 447 Speers Road, Oakville ON, L6K 3S4 General Inquiries: (905) 845-3824 Editorial Department: (905) 632-0588 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4440 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 Volume 52 | Number 71 The Oakville Beaver is a division of Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Vice President and Group Publisher of Metroland West Regional General Manager Halton Region Editor in Chief Advertising Director NEIL OLIVER DAVID HARVEY JILL DAVIS DANIEL BAIRD Managing Editor ANGELA BLACKBURN RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director Business Manager Director of Production SANDY PARE MARK DILLS MANUEL GARCIA Margaret Foley and her dog, The Madness, stop to appreciate the forget-me-not owers in Margot Street Park -- reminders of her neighbour and friend Ian Dutton, who dropped the seeds there for years. Dutton is now in the nal stage of dementia, but scattered the seeds -- the symbol of the Alzheimer Society -- years prior to his diagnosis. | photo by Franki Ikeman Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog or facebook.com/HalProduction Manager Director of Distribution CHARLENE HALL KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager Foley hopes we won't forget friend Ian I have lived in River Oaks now for almost 25 years. I have always enjoyed walking the surrounding town trails with my dog. I had a dear friend and neighbour who loved the trails as well who also lived on my street. Every year, for many, many years Ian (Dutton) would take the seed heads from his garden owers and bring them on his dog walks and throw the seeds off trail into the bush. The Munn's Creek trails and Margot Park trails are now covered in forget-me-not owers that Ian spread over the years. The tiny blue or white owers clearly provide colour and bring joy to anyone on these trails. Sadly, this dear man was diagnosed with dementia and is in his nal stage of the disease. Imagine all these owers started by a chap who had not yet been diagnosed tonPhotog) Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Canadian Circulations Audit Board Member with dementia and here he was spreading these seeds -- the symbol of the Alzheimer Society. Ian was always so proud of seeing the owers spread each and every year, knowing he had been the one to start the plants. I know he had asked for an interview with The Oakville Beaver to share his story of the forget-me-nots -- shortly before he was placed in care some four years ago now. I will never forget Ian. The folks of River Oaks enjoy the colourful, dainty, little owers and honour our neighbour Ian, who always did his best to enhance the environment of the town and our River Oaks. I would love to have a piece of the trail named in honour of Ian so that we remember and forget him not. Margaret Foley, Oakville Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association Proud Official Media Sponsor For: The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. 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