Dumas’ note cards benefit CADES program
The Farragut community has an opportunity to purchase note cards featuring designs by the late Jeannette Dumas, a local watercolor artist, and help Concord Adult Day Enrichment Services in Farragut.
Jeannette, who died Dec. 28, 2008, was a member of Concord United Methodist Church, and owned and operated Woodland Gallery in Knoxville and served on Tennessee Artist’s Association board of directors.
“I was going through some things in a closet and came across these four paintings of Jeannette’s,” Alexander Dumas, Jeannette’s husband and an artist, said. “It dawned on me, ‘Wouldn’t these make beautiful note cards for CADES?’”
When he told staff members at CADES about the paintings, he said they fell in love with them immediately.
“We’ve sold close to $300,” Alexander said. “People really love the cards.”
A member of Concord United Methodist Church for about 30 years, he said he was aware of CADES when the program started. He has been providing the note cards of his and Jeannette’s work for the past 10 years as a way to raise money for CADES.
CADES, located in Concord United Methodist Church at 11020 Roane Drive, Farragut, is a licensed adult day care service that opened in November 2005 as a community service. It provides non-denominational care for elderly adults.
“Our whole mission is to uphold the people we serve with dignity,” Diane Wright, CADES founding executive director, said. “We want to protect their dignity, and that’s why we don’t refer to ourselves as a day care.”
CADES, located in Concord United Methodist Church at 11020 Roane Drive, Farragut, is a licensed adult day care service that opened in November 2005 as a community service. It provides non-denominational care for elderly adults.
“Our whole mission is to uphold the people we serve with dignity,” Diane Wright, CADES founding executive director, said. “We want to protect their dignity, and that’s why we don’t refer to ourselves as a day care.”
Wright remembered Alexander was sharing some of his paintings with her, and they got the mutual idea to make note cards to sell.
“He has been doing this [fund-raiser] forever,” Wright said. “He is so willing.”
“It’s a wonderful day [enrichment] program for the elderly,” Alexander said. “They treat everyone with respect and kindness. I just think the world of the program.
“Jeannette would be beside herself with joy that her artwork was going to helping other people.”
Alexander takes both his and Jeannette’s artwork, has them reduced and printed into note-cards, which sell as a package of four cards for $5. All the proceeds from the note cards, which feature still life floral scenes, benefit CADES.
“We’ve sold so many,” she said. The cards are available through CADES. Anyone interested in purchasing the cards can stop by the church from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, or call CADES, 865-675-2835.
Fundraisers, such as the note cards are necessary because fees CADES charges for its services cover three-fourth of its costs, she said. The fundraisers help keep the fees affordable to the families.
CADES also holds a spring rummage sale and a fall concert.
“We participate in the Kroger Rewards Fundraising Program, we sell Ingle’s gift cards and people make donations,” she said.
CADES also receives grant funding from town of Farragut.
“We operate out of our own budget,” Wright said. “The church gives us the space to operate, custodial service and electricity.”
“We keep our folks busy, from the minute they walk in to the minute they leave with enriching, structured activities,” she said.
Those activities include exercise, music and intergenerational activities with preschool and high school youths, meals, health checks and games.
Since CADES opened its doors, it has enrolled about 260 participants from Knox and surrounding counties, she said. Right now, it has 27 in the program but all of the participants do not come on the same day. While it is licensed for 19 a day, about 15 come in a day.
“The folks who attend here come from multiple, different backgrounds and are very accomplished people,” Wright said.
“We have people from age 55 to 100, but we’re seeing more and more instances of early onset dementia.”
“A majority of the people who are here have Alzheimer’s [disease] or a related dementia,” she said. “Some of them are here because they are isolated, depressed, at home constantly. We give them a social outlet that is in a supervised setting.
“Our goal is to keep folks in their homes and in their communities as long as possible.”
CADES also gives the recipients’ family members a break without the worry about loved one’s safety, and it provides education and support to families, she said.
