Fairbury’s FBLA chapter and JCH&L team up to join the fight against Alzheimer’s  

In the fight against an affliction like Alzheimer's, one small step can make a large difference.  

Or in the case of an event executed by a Southeast Nebraska school and hospital this weekend, many small steps. 

A few dozen Fairbury Public School students and members of their Southeast Nebraska community spent part of their Sunday walking in and around the school grounds. A local iteration of an international effort to raise enough money to eradicate Alzheimer’s. 

“It is something present around here, so to be able to spread awareness and raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Association is a very important thing for us,” said CJ Goeking, the vice president of Fairbury’s FBLA chapter. 

Fairbury FBLA allied with the Alzheimer’s Association as their official national charity two years ago. Last year, working in concert with the local hospital, they organized their first Walk to End Alzheimer’s on the JCH&L campus, a callback to a popular annual walk fundraiser they used to run. 

They put that whole event together in about three weeks and raised $800. That was enough to make a difference and to earn some national recognition, but this year the leadership of the FBLA chapter wanted to take that extra step to make their walking fundraiser more effective.  

“One thing we talked about in our takeaway from last year is we needed to start planning earlier,” FBLA sponsor Tammi Mans said. “We had about 20 to 25 people show up last year, and we raised $800, and we were very excited and happy about that. But this year, CJ just took this under his wing and made it his own, and it’s blossomed. It was an explosion of donations and community coming together, so I’m very proud of what we’ve accomplished this year.” 

“It’s kind of our first time doing this, so I think the biggest thing was just feeling it out, seeing where we could make improvements, and for it to have gone as well as I think it did, that’s just extra,” said Goeking. 

Alzheimer’s afflicts tens of thousands of Nebraskans and a few hundred just in and around Fairbury, so it’s no surprise that some of Sunday’s participants have been touched directly by the disease, including Carmen Hinman and David Churchill, who lost their mother, Janice, to Alzheimer’s last July. They heard about the event from Fairbury junior Taryn Hinman – Carmen's daughter and David’s niece – and knew it would be a perfect way to honor their mother’s memory.  

“It was extra special for us to be a part of this and support this cause. As we know, when you do something year after year, people learn about it and it grows, and so it was great to see the number of people that were here today that came out to support the cause,” said Hinman. 

“This is a fundraiser basically to contribute to the eradication of it. It was great to see the turnout, it’s pretty impressive for the first year here, how many people showed up,” said Churchill.  

Between walk sign-ups, t-shirt sales, sponsorships with local businesses and other donations, the club estimated they raised around $3,000 for the Alzheimer’s Association from this year’s event, a major step up from last year, a testament to the efforts of the 15 or so students on the fundraising committee, and a reflection of how meaningful this cause is to so many.  

“Just making an effort I think is the biggest thing, just putting yourself out there and showing that you care is more important than any number,” said Goeking. “I think a lot of people who are affected by Alzheimer’s are just happy to see that we’re trying. Obviously a walk isn’t going to cure the disease, but if we’re showing them support, showing them that we care, then I think that’s a big factor.” 

“I think it shows our community that these kids care. They have all put a lot of work into this, and I’m proud of all them, it’s been an amazing response,” said Mans.