Our Walks for 2016!

Help Team Mama reach our goals!  This year we're doing it again as we conquer both northern and southern California!

Saturday, September 17, 2016
Team Mama Bay Area
3rd Annual Walk to End ALZ

Saturday, October 15, 2016
Team Mama SoCal
9th Annual Walk to End ALZ

First

There were a lot of firsts for Team Mama this year.

This was our first official Walk to End Alzheimer's in the Bay area and the first time we made a "shout out" LIVE on camera to state the names of those we walked in honor of or in support for because not just one, but many have been tremendously impacted by this unforgiving disease.

This was the first time we pieced together just how many...

This was the first time we really "bloomed" with fabric flowers that sported a variety of colors to show why we walked...to put a person in place of a percentage and in turn, shine a bigger and brighter light on its purpose.  

Love,

Team Mama Bay Area

Impact

Team Mama made our mark at the first ever San Gabriel Valley Chapter Walk to End Alzheimer's in Pasadena!  Goodness knows we made sure the people in this walk knew we were there!  Not only in size and volume, but also in color!  We chanted "Mama" and showed just how much of an impact we can make as a team!

It was almost as much as the impact you made on our family...your family.

Almost...

Miss you deeply,
Team Mama

Team Mama Sports Our New Shirts!

To celebrate our 8th year in a row, Team Mama is showing off our brand new shirts! Mama's very own grandson, Omar Buenaventura was behind the design and her granddaughters (and Team Captains), Nina Joan and Maribelle "Bea" took care of the orders and delivery.  It's amazing how long it's been since we had to say goodbye to such a great woman... but please know, we will never forget.

With Love,

Team Mama!

REMINDER: Sat. Aug. 29th 8am

Tomorrow, Sat. Aug. 29th is the BIG day for Team Mama - Pasadena!  This is our 8th Walk to End Alzheimer's and our first time actually doing the walk in Mama's hometown in the USA.  We will be meeting bright and early at 8am at the Rose Bowl and gearing ourselves up for another awesome experience, this time closer to home!

We recruited an amazing 25 members, including 2 "virtual walkers" and raised a whopping $1,135.00 hitting an incredible 114% to our goal!!!!

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS HELPED US REACH OUR GOALS!

This isn't just about fundraising and finding a cure.  This is about FAMILY.  We vowed to keep Mama's legacy alive and to save memories from being lost... We know it'll take much more than what we can do, but we promise every year we will fight the fight until it's over.

Please join our efforts.  For more info:  Team Mama - Pasadena

We won't stop there!  We will continue this battle up in the Bay when we walk our official walk on Saturday, Sept. 19th at Fort Mason in San Francisco!  For more info:  Team Mama - Bay Area


#FightBack #Believe #TeamMamaForever

Amaya Fights ALZ!

Amaya is ready to walk and fight back against Alzheimer's! Help her get on the donation scoreboard by contributing a few dollars in her honor! A little goes a long way and my amazing niece proves it every day! 

Please visit her page at http://act.alz.org/site/TR/Walk2015/CA-CaliforniaSouthland?px=10918027&pg=personal&fr_id=7337

Thank you in advance! 

Team Mama

Rose and Princess Show their Support from the Philippines!

We'll be there in spirit, Team Mama!

Love,

Rose and Princess

Team Mama Rocks Out in Pasadena

Hello All!

This is a friendly reminder that Team Mama will be participating at the Walk to End Alzheimer's at the Pasadena Rose Bowl this Saturday, August 29th!  Currently, we raised $605.00, reaching 61% of our team goal and recruited 20 participants including 4 "virtual walkers!"  We are definitely making our mark in 2015, but still have a little way to go.  Please help us by clicking on our team link below:

Team Mama rocks out in Pasadena!!!!

We are super excited to bring the walk closer to Mama's hometown in the USA and look forward to a strong end to an even stronger year.  Go team go!!!!!!!

Love,

The Dizon Family

August 29 and September 19

A new month, another amazing mission. 

To walk the walk and stick to our decision. 

To fight for the sake of saving memories...

and to hope for a future without this disease.

Beat the Battle.
Act out against Alzheimers.

SoCal - Pasadena
Support Team Mama! 

August 29, 2015 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena
http://act.alz.org/goto/MyrnelleLovesMama

NorCal - San Francisco
Support Team Mama (Bay Area)!

September 19, 2015 at Fort Mason in San Francisco
http://act.alz.org/goto/MyrnelleFightsAlz

May 18, 2015

It has been seven years since the day we had to let you go...

The cold and gloom filled the air. Everywhere the rainstorm shattered the streets...everywhere...except for the pathway that lead us from the chapel to your resting ground. It was a "calm" that sneaked in just when we were on the brink of hysteria.

The tiny light of the sun peeked out from behind the clouds to lead the way. Most of us fell hard from the weight of such a heavy loss, but we followed the sun in hopes to catch what little warmth it carried. In hopes to be by your side for one last time.

I know we all felt it in some way. I know because you resonated so powerfully within us. We held onto you; Our hope, our light, our everything because it was you who started everything. But...knowing this, we knew we will someday learn how to rebuild.

It was what you would have wanted from us.

It is what we want for us.

We may not be what we once were, but we are growing stronger every day because of you. 

Mama, you showed us the importance of family and this, we will never let go.

Sincerely,

The Dizon Family

Team Mama 2014: Los Angeles

Dearest Mama,

Your family came through once again down in LA!  We had a few new faces join the team and of course, both Team Captains (Maribelle "Bea" and Nina Joan) continued their efforts to recruit as many members as possible!  Our lovely Tita Connie brought in a team of her own to boost our numbers as she's done for the past few years!  We are growing bigger and stronger and we will never let you down!  

Team LA:

Froy and Maria Dizon

Bea

Leonard and Amaya Ayau

Tessie Tabora

Emma Mangahas

Connie Aves and Supporters

Joan and Aldrich

Anthony and Marc Dizon

Joe Baldivia

Ging and Gino Buenaventura

Fred Santago

Joe Wigginton

More pictures to come!

With Love,

The Dizon Family - Your Family

Thank You Team Mama - Bay Area!

This year was the first year I had to stay back and miss the Memory Walk in Los Angeles.  As a tribute to this event, a few close family and friends of mine joined me to walk at exactly the same time as the walk began in LA...well close to the same time!  I wanted to take this opportunity to thank them for helping me be "present" even from a distance.

Team Mama - Bay Area:
Myrnelle Dizon and Richard Gomez
Ruthie and Ricky Manalo
Carlo, May and Jordan Dungo
Mark Fantillo
Rachel Gee
Jerica and Rianna Ursua
James and Jocelyn Corpuz
Paul Mikey Victa
The Gee Family

GOOOOOAAAALLLLLL!

Team Mama surpassed our goal!  We recently rose to 105% and couldn't have made it this far without all of you!  We would like to take a moment to thank our incredibly generous sponsors who made this all possible.

Froy and Maria Dizon
Emma Mangahas
Connie Aves
Anthony Dizon
Leonard and Michelle Ayau
Bea
Myrnelle Dizon
Richard Gomez
Teresita Tabora
Thanh Gomez
Mark Fantillo
Jose Baldivia
The Strong Family
The Santiago and Cordova Family
The Swanson Family
Princess Amontos
Aurora Dominguez
Carlo and May Dungo
Rowena Ortega
Ricky and Ruthie Manalo
Eldon and Rachel Gee
Florence Lopez
Florence N. Yalung
Harry Antolin
Audri Martinez
Frankie Johnson
Joe Datuin
Nixon-Sy Zen Umali
Norma Querido
Ryan Greene
The Mendoza/Witty Family
Victoria Galvez
Joe Wigginton

And to the cash donations submitted in Los Angeles as well as to those who donated anonymously, we are truly grateful for your support and faith in our fight against Alzheimer's.

Until next year!

The Dizon Family

I Walk...

Since I will not be able to join the Memory Walk in Los Angeles for the first time in seven years, I am asking all of my Bay area family and friends to please join me if you can:

Sunday, November 2nd

9:00am - 11:00am 

Lake Merced (1 Harding Road San Francisco, 94312) 

This will be a non-competitive 5K walk (3.2 miles) among friends, new and old, surrounded by a beautifully peaceful setting.  Please know that this is not an official event, but will take place at the same date and time as the walk I will be missing back home.

I walk in memory of my Mama, Agripina Dizon who lost her battle to Alzheimer's six years ago.
I walk to honor the many we lost and continue to lose.
I walk in hopes that one day such a loss will fade away so that the memories one cherishes...never will.

Please support us by clicking here:  Team Mama

With Love,

Myrnelle

Don't Stop Believin'!

Team Mama is steadily climbing up the charts towards our Team Goal. This was our last update, which actually caused us to jump up an extra $145!  We are currently at 49%.  We still have half way to go, but as optimists we are definitely seeing this as the glass half FULL!

Thank you to all who have supported us!  Let's keep it up!

With Love,

Team Mama

Lucky Number 7

Hello Mama,

Your family is at it again for the 7th year in a row!  We are ready to continue the fight against Alzheimer's!  The Memory Walk in Los Angeles will be on Sunday, November 2nd.   Details can be found by clicking on this link:   Team Mama 2014.

				Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer's The Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer's is the world's largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer's care, support and research.
				View on act.alz.org	Preview by Yahoo

We have less than 2 weeks so we will encourage our family and friends to sign up, donate and spread the word!

Missing you dearly,

The Dizon Family

Missing You Always

We know you are watching over us, but please know that knowing this... only makes us miss you more.

Love you with all that we have in us to love,

Your Family

Photo credit:  http://www.pinterest.com/pin/453104412480819338/

Nudging Forward

Today is my Papa's 24th year of rest.  I was only 10 when he passed and his was the first funeral I ever attended. Although I was young and recall running around after much younger kids to keep them busy on this sad day...I still remember my titas, my mom and dad, and especially my belated Mama's reaction. 

 

I was guiding Mama into the room. She was dressed all in black (a color she wore for one full year that it became her color of choice). While walking her up to the entrance, she stopped, looked over to her husband lying in what seemed like his sleep and placed both of her hands over her face. Then she whispered in Tagalog, "What am I going to do now?" (This sentence resonates with me since it was also the same line my sissy said when my brother passed away a year ago). 

 

I held Mama's arm, nudged her forward, very slowly and said nothing (just like I did with my sissy). To me, this question never needs a response. All I knew was I had to be there for them to say goodbye and so that I can say goodbye too.

In Remembrance,

Myrnelle

 

NAFCON Sends Help to Philippines!

Hello Mama and Papa,

Just sharing important information with you and all who follow our posts on our continuous efforts to help the Philippines.

The National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON) will assist in the direct transfer of monetary donations for people interested in making a financial contribution to help the victims of Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda ...in the Philippines. Donations will be sent directly to the Bayanihan Alay sa Sambayanan or BALSA (People's Cooperation for the People).

• Online donations can be made through http://www.nafconusa.org/.
• For qualifying tax-deductible donations, make checks payable to "St. George Fontana," and on the memo line write: "NAFCON Bayanihan Relief." Mail to 17895 San Bernardino Ave. Fontana, CA 92335-6155 c/o Naida Castro. Please include your return address with your donation and email trea@nafconusa.org for necessary documentation.

Please share! 

 

Thank you.

 

The Dizon Family

Image courtesy of:  http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/typhoon-haiyan-spurs-filipino-canadians-to-action-1.2421724

Thank You Team Mama & Sponsors of 2013!

 

Dearest Mama,

 

This year marks our 6th year in a row supporting the Alzheimer's Association for Memory Walk 2013!  We wore our purple with pride, raising $870, recruiting 35 members and reaching 73% of our team goal!  We will keep at it for as long as we can in hopes to find a cure and help others cherish their memories forever!

 

With Strength & Love,

 

The Dizon Fam Bam

 

http://act.alz.org/site/TR?team_id=173943&fr_id=3262&pg=team

 

TEAM MAMA 2013: Maribelle "Bea" Dizon Wigginton (Team Captain) Joseph "Joe Bean" Wigginton Froy & Maria Dizon Leonard, Michelle & Amaya Ayau Richard Gomez & Myrnelle Dizon
Kelli Bindernagel*
Connie, Jon, & Nina Aves Thelma Mangahas Fred & Bott Santiago Anthony & Marc Dizon
Neil Aves & Aurora Dominguez* Krys & Alyssa Strong Alan & Jordan Strong* Teresita Tabora Florence Lopez Aurora Almario Ernie Morales Maria Querido Joy Roque Fernin Rosatllo Bert & Rose Yambot Matthew & Mitchell Maliglig * = Virtual Members       SPONSORS: Mrs. Maribelle Dizon Wigginton Froy & Maria Dizon Leonard & Michelle Ayau   Richard Gomez & Myrnelle Dizon Anthony Dizon   Chica Connie Dizon   Florence Lopez Fugi Rok   Thelma Mangahas Neil & Aurora   Ting Araneta Aurora Almario   Cash Donations Los Angeles & to those who chose to donate anonymously