MIDLAND Kevin and Dawna Foshee are just a few of the many people who have been helped out by the Aphasia Center.
Two years ago, the Odessa couple’s lives were turned upside down when Dawna had a stroke at the age of 48.
It was later that year when the couple, who have now been married for 32 years, were finally introduced to the Aphasia Center in Midland.
“She had a massive stroke and she lost her ability to speak, walk and talk and use her arms,” Kevin said. “They’re teaching us ways to communicate.”
Since then, Dawna has been coming to the Aphasia Center.
Three times a week, Kevin brings her by the center.
While it’s difficult for Dawna to communicate, she and her husband have found ways to make it work.
“That’s hard to explain because we’ve been married for so long,” Kevin said. “A lot of it is second nature. She’s learning the ability to write some and she’s learning new abilities and I’m learning to communicate with her.”
It can sometimes be small things like Dawna pointing out where her glasses are.
“Her glasses could be in the other bedroom and she’s pointing to the bedroom and can’t tell that she needs her glasses,” Kevin said. “So I’d have to push her into the bedroom but we’d figure it out.”
Dawna might not be able to speak in complete sentences but she can still use words to communicate where she wants to go. For example, if she wants to go to the Cotton Patch, she’ll tell Kevin “Patch.” The same thing goes with eating out at restaurants like Cheddars or Chili’s.
“Her intellect hasn’t been challenged at all,” Kevin said. “She was looking at some jewelry on her phone. I won’t know where to buy it but she pointed me from the west side of Odessa all the way to an obscure little shop and we didn’t miss a beat and we bought some jewelry.”
The Aphasia Center has many different programs that help people who have been affected by the life-changing disorder.
Later this month, the Aphasia Center will be having its annual signature Chocolate Decadence fundraiser.
The event will take place Jan. 28 at the Odessa Marriott Hotel and Conference Center.
This will be the first time having the event in-person since the pandemic started.
Last year’s event was held virtually.
“We’re really excited about that,” Aphasia Center Executive Director Kitty Binek said. “We’re excited to be doing the gala in-person this year since last year, we did a virtual option which was great but we felt like we will raise more money with an in-person event this year so we’re happy and excited that we get to do that this year.”
It’ll be the first time the Chocolate Decadence fundraiser has taken place in Odessa.
In the past, it has been in different places in Midland including the Horseshoe Pavilion.
“We’ve never been able to have the event there and we’ve never been able to have the event at a place that would really work for us,” Binek said. “We’re excited to get to do it at the Marriott. That’s going to be different this year.”
Binek talked about how the Chocolate Decadence fundraiser has evolved over the years.
“It started out really with just dessert and then a few years in we started adding savories in addition and now this year, we’re having a full dinner and dessert,” Binek said. “It has changed quite a bit over the years. We’ve done different themes and we’re going back to our old formula of simple elegance and because we’re doing it in the winter, it’s going to be a winter wonderland theme.”
Another difference this year is that the fundraiser will take place in January instead of February.
“It seems like there are more events in February than years ago when we started doing the Chocolate Decadence so we’ve made the decision to move it into January so that’s new for us,” Binek said. “There’s not as much going on in the month of January.”
Previous years usually saw the event take place the Friday before Valentine’s Day.
“We just figured that people can do an early Valentine’s Day promo for their sweetheart or kick off the new year,” Binek said.
The Chocolate Decadence fundraiser has been going on for 16 years now.
Binek said that the event has raised between 30 and 40 percent of the Aphasia Center’s annual budget.
“This year, I think it’ll come in under that,” Binek said. “But hopefully, with a little bit of publicity, we’re really trying to engage all our supporters throughout the Permian Basin. We’re excited to have the event in Odessa and we’re hoping that people in Odessa that haven’t attended the event in the past will consider doing so.”
Last year’s goal wasn’t met partly because the event coincided with the winter storm in February.
“We did pretty well last year,” Binek said. “We didn’t quite meet our goal but the reason we didn’t was when the deep freeze happened, it was coming in the night of our event. We managed to get all of the boxes delivered but it was already starting to snow and ice so the plan was for people to host parties in their own homes and we had lots of information and a video presentation and a lot of people ended up not being able to host their parties because of the weather. We still made money and did well for a virtual event but we didn’t quite make our goal and I think it was because of the weather.”
The event remains an important fundraiser for the Aphasia Center.
“It raises so much of our annual budget,” Binek said. “We’ll have live and silent auctions and entertainment and dinner and very decadent chocolate dessert that you can even eat before your dinner if you choose. It should be a great night.”
As for Dawna and Kevin, they’re happy to see people donate to the Aphasia Center.
“It means a great deal because this place runs on donations,” Kevin said. “It’s not government supplied so it means a lot when people give. This place helps a lot of people.”
For more information on the fundraiser or the Aphasia Center, go to tinyurl.com/4mth65ap.
If you go
- What: Chocolate Decadence fundraiser.
- When: 6:30 p.m. Jan. 28.
- Where: Odessa Marriott Hotel and Conference Center.
- Where to buy tickets: tinyurl.com/4mth65ap
