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Tom DeBaggio

If you're at all into herbs the name of Tom DeBaggio has crossed your reading 
at some point.  Tom is a former member of GWAA, a former commercial grower of 
herbs in Arlington, VA, and a wonderful writer on herbs with books like 
"Growing Herbs from Seed, Cutting, and Root", "Basil, an Herb Lover's Guide" 
with Susan Belsinger and the recent "The Big Book of Herbs" with Dr. Art 
Tucker.   He had a  loyal following of readers who anxiously waited for each 
of his twice-a-year newsletters to read his "Peep's Corner".....stories of 
gardening that brought tears to most people that read them.

 Tom is also now a diagnosed Alzheimer patient and has recently finished the 
first of 2 books on living with the disease: "Losing My Mind: an Intimate 
Look at Life with Alzheimer's", a difficult to read book for me since I've 
known him so long and it's hard to accept that such a gifted writer and 
beautiful person is dealing with such an experience.  If you're wondering 
what made him go for a diagnosis, it was forgetting the Latin names for 
plants he'd worked with most of his life.

My association in 2000 embarked on a project to help raise awareness (and 
funds) for families living with this disease.  Local chapters do not get 
funds from the national organization for helping caregivers with needed 
information and support and they're the ones dealing with the families in 
crisis.  All money donated to the national office goes towards research, 
necessary but not as pressing perhaps as the bewildered family that has no 
clue as to how to deal with a parent that's forgotten who they are.

Through his herb nursery in Arlington, VA, DeBaggio Herbs, Tom had introduced 
13 varieties of lavender, basil and rosemary into the trade over the years.  
In co-operation with the DeBaggio Family and the national Alzheimers 
Association, we've established a point of purchase display in which plant 
retailers would pass on a 50¢ surcharge on those particular varieties to 
their customers with a handout explaining that the additional charge will be 
submitted directly to their local chapter of the Alzheimers Association to be 
used in helping educate and support caregivers in the community.  The 
surcharge can be added to other herb plants if the retailer desires. 
Participating retailers will receive the POP display material as well as a 
press release that can be used with their name to local media.  We've had 
difficulty in getting this program really moving probably because I'm 
stretched too thin now to promote it adequately,  but I'd appreciate any help 
members of this list can give us in supporting this program.  

If you want more information on the program, our press release, etc.  feel 
free to email or call me.  I'd love to see this fund really grow with the 
upcoming gardening season.

Maureen Rogers

The Herb Growing & Marketing Network
http://www.herbnet.com and herbworld.com
PO Box 245, Silver Spring, PA 17575
717-393-3295; FAX: 717-393-9261

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