In celebration of the Holiday Season, all Community State Bank locations will be closed on Christmas Eve (12/24/2024), and Christmas Day (12/25/2024). On behalf of everyone at Community State Bank, we would like to wish our friends and neighbors a very "Merry Christmas!" We look forward to serving you in the New Year.
UNION GROVE – Dementia is a brain disorder that can arrive in many forms and affect those surrounded by it in a variety of ways.
Understanding the disease can often be one of its biggest challenges.
“Most people don’t realize how many people are walking around with dementia,” said Bernadette Russow, President of Dementia Friendly Community Initiative (DFCI) – Walworth County.
“They forget that people with dementia work, travel, shop … you name it. The general public doesn’t know this.”
Having witnessed three generations of her family battle dementia, Bernadette was born into the disease.
She’s hoping to share what she’s learned to help others.
In 2020, Bernadette and Eric Russow started DFCI – Walworth County. It’s one of over 60 Wisconsin chapters and one of the state’s largest, according to Eric Russow.
Through its popular Cycling Without Age program, volunteers give people with dementia rides on a Nihola Trishaw, an electric-powered tricycle made in Denmark.
Through grants and donations, DFCI – Walworth County purchased five bikes with a sixth one on the way.
Volunteer "pilots" gave 2,866 rides in 2024.
Community State Bank’s Lisa Galvan lost her mother Peg in 2022 from posterior cortical atrophy, a form of dementia.
Through the bank’s seventh annual #Gift2Giving employee-driven donation campaign, Galvan and 15 of her coworkers raised $2,600 for DFCI – Walworth County.
It’s the fourth year in a row Galvan helped raise money for the local nonprofit.
“We are so grateful for Lisa and what she’s done for us,” Eric Russow said. “You don’t think it’s a whole lot, but it is a whole lot. It makes such a difference for us.”
DFCI – Walworth County does more than just organize bike rides.
The Russows plan to spend this winter educating area businesses, agencies and organizations with dementia-friendly training.
It all started when the couple introduced a “memory café” at an Elkhorn library. There are now seven of them throughout Walworth County.
In May, Bernadette was presented with the 2024 Professional Caregiver Award in Wisconsin by the Alzheimer’s Association.
“We’re able to get people who have dementia tell us their stories,” Bernadette said. “One woman came up to me and said, 'I don’t know what to do with my husband. He’s always in the driveway. He’ll spend two hours out there and I don’t know what he’s looking for.'”
One day, the man walked back from the end of the driveway, opened his hand and showed his wife a green stone.
“Evidently, that’s what he was looking for,” Bernadette said.
DFCI – Walworth County organizes monthly “No Hush Movies” for people with early onset dementia and their caregivers.
The movies are played with lights on and the volume adjusted accordingly, allowing attendees to converse, sing along and even dance if they choose.
“We’re trying to make them feel part of the community and not make them feel ostracized,” Eric Russow said. “We’re trying to reduce that stigma.”
Other Community State Bank employees who chose DFCI -- Walworth County as their #Gift2Giving recipient included Susan Bork, Nick Dawley, Joshua Eberlein, Mike Fohey, Monica Johnson, Carol Klimke, Cyndi Lambdin, Sandy Lompa, Mandi Maas, Shelly Petrick, Sarah Povkovich, Kathy Sheffer, Becky Urban, Jake Urban and Greg Wall.
To learn more about Community State Bank’s #Gift2Giving campaign and other local recipients, visit www.csb.bank/gift2giving.