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Drive-Through Lantern Tribute in Wheeling Sheds A Light on Alzheimer’s

By HEATHER ZIEGLER Life Editor 2 min read
Photo by Scott McCloskey I-C Care hosted its inaugural Water Lantern Tribute Friday evening at Heritage Port in downtown Wheeling. The event was held as a tribute to persons affected by Alzheimer’s or Dementia. Participating in the event, are from left: Tate Blanchard, director of marketing and community outreach with I-C Care, Stephanie Sauvageot, owner of I-C Care, and Martins Ferry residents Mary Kay and Butch Ackerman, who lite a latern in memory of Sauvageot’s grandmother.

WHEELING -- A drive-through lantern tribute at Wheeling's Heritage Port Friday gave local residents an opportunity to honor loved ones living with or who have died from Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia.

IC Care in Wheeling hosted the drive-by event that attracted more than 100 visitors to watch the Ohio River light up with dozens of biodegradable lanterns that were dropped into the water. This created a beautiful sight on the river.

Tate Blanchard, director of marketing and community outreach with IC Care, noted the agency had to "jump through many hoops" to hold the tribute.

"We worked with the Army Corps of Engineers to make sure we had the correct type of biodegradable lanterns. We also had to notify the Coast Guard since we are using the waterway, and the city of Wheeling for use of Heritage Port," Blanchard said.

He also consulted the Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department to assure current social distancing and health regulations would be followed. Blanchard said when he checked the river level earlier in the week, he noticed the river was several feet below the dock at Heritage Port.

He said they decided they would use grab poles to drop the lanterns in the river so no one would be in danger of falling into the water.

IC Care, an in-home health care agency in Wheeling, deals first-hand with persons afflicted with dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Statistics show there are 5 million Americans who are living with Alzheimer's disease today, and by 2050 that number could hit 14 million.

Each lantern was then placed in the water at dusk.

"If a cure is not found soon, our national health care system may not be able to provide adequate care to the nearly 14 million people who may become afflicted with this awful disease by 2050," Blanchard said.

All proceeds from the lantern event will be donated to the Alzheimer's Association to promote their mission of finding a cure to Alzheimer's disease through research and scientific studies.

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