Dementia Friendly Saline Wins Governor's Service Award

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Community Service Commission announced the 38 individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations who will be honored at the 2024 Governor’s Service Awards for their commitment to volunteerism, service or philanthropy on Nov. 14, at the Detroit Opera House.

Dementia Friendly Saline won the Community Impact Award.

Dementia Friendly’s mission is to help persons with dementia and those who care for them live with less difficulty, more dignity and a lot more fun. Their Friendly Day at the Movies program, in partnership with Emagine Entertainment, enables persons with dementia and their care partners to have a good time together. Up to 100 guests regularly attend the events, and the program is expanding to sites across the Midwest and beyond. Dementia Friendly Saline also organize twice-a-month Come as You Are Memory Cafés, Best Life Fairs and Festivals, and dementia-friendly shopping events, all of which provide social events for persons living with dementia and their care partners. Dementia Friendly also consults with businesses and organizations to make events, stores, and communities more dementia friendly. Since 2019, they’ve also presented more than 50 free 45-minute Dementia Friendly Practices information sessions. The existence of multiple dementia-friendly events and communities in Michigan is largely the result of the efforts of the group.

Dementia Friendly Saline founded by Jim Mangi.

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