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It was an exciting day for one organization that’s located right in the heart of downtown Selma.

WINGS, a day respite ministry program associated with St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, is dedicated to the betterment of those who battle each day with dementia, which is associated with the progressive disease Alzheimer’s.

Because of the organization’s dedicated efforts within the community, The Blackbelt Benefit Group donated the WINGS of Selma organization $8,000 from the proceeds of the Chili Cookoff event that was held earlier this year because they felt the organization was performing a worthwhile service to the community and could really benefit from the group’s funding.

“I just think it’s just the simple fact, that they are a young organization, young program that has only been around for a little over a year, going on two years and just their whole mission stood out as an important and unserved effort in the community so, they are filling a need within the city of Selma that has not been filled before,” said Josh Wilkerson, Founding member and President of Black Belt Benefit Group.

Glennis Porter, who is the WINGS organization’s director, said receiving the donation for the first time was a fantastic feeling and a generous donation that could really help their program expand and hopefully, allow them to serve and help more families within the Selma community.

Porter said the ministry’s program overall goal is to cater to the wellbeing of caregivers, providing them with a break from their loved ones who have Dementia or Alzheimer’s while allowing the participants that are dropped off to enjoy the program’s sociable activities held on Tuesdays every week and throughout each month from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., providing them with a place where they are busy and filled with social interactions so they won’t feel isolated or like they are alone.

“We had a good time,” said Porter. “We have music, games, including arts and crafts and we also do whiteboard work like for the month of December, we have named 40 things we will have to do at Christmas last week.”

Porter said the funding that the organization just received will take care of the program’s day to day operations including when they have lunches on Tuesdays that are provided for the members of their program, art supplies that they will need to keep activities going and to help keep the overall cost of the program taken care of.

To learn more about Wings Respite Ministry organization, contact 334-327-0346, or to find a location near you, visit Respiteforall.org.