FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – What began with one family’s painful journey with Alzheimer’s disease is becoming a renewed source of hope for families across Flagler County.
The Alzheimer’s Resource Council of Flagler County officially marked its relaunch with a standing-room-only gathering, an outpouring of community support that even President Maria Lavin-Sanhudo wasn’t sure to expect.
For Lavin-Sanhudo, however, bringing the organization back to life is far more than a community project. It is deeply personal.
Her mother’s battle with Alzheimer’s inspired her to pick up the mantle and help ensure other families walking the same difficult road have somewhere to turn for support, resources and understanding.
A display at the event captured the mission in a few powerful words: “We fight for their memories, their dignity, and every family that is walking this journey.”
Among the displays was one especially meaningful to Lavin-Sanhudo — her mother.
“That’s my mom,” she told those gathered. “She was pretty awesome. And this is all for her, so thank you very, very much.”
That personal connection extends throughout the organization. Lavin-Sanhudo said every member of the board has been touched by Alzheimer’s through someone they love.
Two of those board members are her own daughters, Vice President Melissa Dove and Secretary Morgan Sanhudo, who watched their grandmother struggle with the disease and are now helping their mother transform that experience into service for others.
For Dove, the mission is inseparable from the grandmother she loved so deeply.
“I’ve never found something that mattered to me more than this,” Dove said. “My grandma was my everything, and to be able to do something just for her, in honor of her, to help other people, make that difference.”
She admitted she never imagined herself serving with a nonprofit organization, but this cause was different.
“This means everything to me,” she said.
Sanhudo said watching her mother take something born from a difficult chapter in their family’s life and turn it into something meaningful has been inspiring.
“I am in awe of my mom every day,” she said. “She has completely taken something that was difficult, and she’s created something amazing. I’m so proud of her.”
Community Turns Out in Support
The relaunch demonstrated that the Lavin-Sanhudo family is far from alone.
Lavin-Sanhudo recalled wondering whether anyone would attend when plans for the event first began. As support grew, the organization quickly attracted 17 sponsors. Then came the night of the relaunch — and a room filled beyond expectations.
“I was like, ‘Oh, my God, I don’t know if anybody would come,’” she said. “I had no clue.”
The answer became clear as supporters filled the lobby of SouthState Bank in Palm Coast.
Dove said the response speaks volumes about Flagler County.
“I think it’s amazing,” she said. “We have a wonderful community, and just to see that outpouring of support shows that there are people who are passionate about the same things we are.”
She said the turnout “exceeded our expectations.”
Sanhudo was equally surprised.
“There are so many people here. I didn’t expect this many people,” she said, adding that it was encouraging to discover how many others share the family’s passion for the mission.
Lavin-Sanhudo also recognized the board members and sponsors who helped make the organization’s new chapter possible, describing her fellow board members as “incredible.”
“I can’t be on this journey with a better bunch of people,” she said.
The relaunch is ultimately about far more than one evening or one family. It represents an effort to build a stronger network around those facing a disease that can gradually take memories from the person diagnosed while profoundly affecting the people who love and care for them.
For the Lavin-Sanhudo family, the work keeps the memory of a beloved mother and grandmother close while allowing her story to make a difference in the lives of others.
For more information, call (386) 569-9041.
Board of Directors:
Maria Lavin-Sanhudo
Executive Director & President, Board of Directors
Melissa Dove
Vice President, Board of Directors
Morgan Sanhudo
Secretary, Board of Directors
Isabel Conde
CFO/Treasurer, Board of Directors
Dr. Mulki Bhat
Director
Ana Paula DeAlmeida
Director
Paula Reyes
Director
Monica Ofileanu
Director
