Gunning locals Karen Waters and older sister Ally Cooper founded Donnie’s Blue Flanno Walkers last year to raise funds and awareness around Alzheimer’s.

They walked this year in tribute to their late father, Donnie Cooper, who had lived with vascular dementia. 

“Having my father diagnosed with vascular dementia was one of the hardest things for me to accept,” Karen said.

The event was a five-kilometre walk that left Lennox Gardens at 9.45am on September 17.

Karen and Ally, with their mother Colleen and close family friends, donned blue ‘flannies’ out of respect for Mr Cooper’s favourite colour and favourite shirt.

“It also matched his eyes,” Karen added. 

Ally said the day-to-day changes in their father’s awareness “was really hard … not knowing some days if he would know who we were, or trying to make him understand that he was in care because he was not well”.

Colleen, Don’s widow, said the hardest part of her husband’s decline was watching him “stop doing the things that he enjoyed”.

“Like, gardening, going out with his mates for a beer, having a few bets on the horses, driving the car and socialising with our friends – to name a few,” she said.

Many of Donnie’s Blue Flanno Walkers were more than just close friends; some were also caring for a family member with a condition similar to Mr Cooper’s.

The team included walkers from Crookwell and Goulburn, as well as Karen and her family, who are from Gunning.

“It was a walk of remembrance and also support,” Karen said.

Everyone who took part in the walk “felt triumphant” to be contributing to a personal, yet important cause, Karen said.

Donnie’s Blue Flanno Walkers intended to take part in the event every year, to continue raising funds and paying tribute to Donnie and the many others who lived with dementia, Karen said.