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A little rain didn’t stop Jason Bunn from achieving his goal at the Lexington Golf & Country Club on Monday of last week.
Bunn, a Lexington resident, was participating in the Alzheimer Association’s The Longest Day, playing golf from sunrise to sunset. It was Bunn’s fifth year of doing this, and he started playing golf at about 5:15 a.m., as soon as he could see a hint of daylight, and played until about 8 p.m. He intended to walk for the whole day and, doing so, ended up completing 112 holes, six 18-hole rounds plus four holes, his most holes completed since he started doing this. While most of the golfers out on Monday went home after the rain got going, Bunn enjoyed a quiet course and played a few extra holes riding in the cart that his friend and caddy, Robb Shipp, had been driving.
Shipp accompanied Bunn, 42, for the whole day, providing water and encouragement. Joining Bunn for lunch and a few holes were his wife of 14 years, Karla, and their two daughters. “I definitely appreciate the support of Robb and my wife,” said Bunn.
Around the nation, people participated in the Alzheimer’s Association’s The Longest Day by choosing an activity they like to do and turning it into a fundraiser to advance the care, support and research efforts of the Alzheimer’s Association. Bunn chose to play golf just two days before the longest day of the year, last Wednesday’s summer solstice.
Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia, is a progressive disease beginning with mild memory loss and possibly leading to the loss of the ability to carry on a conversation. The disease involves parts of the brain that control thought, memory and language.
Bunn noted that it’s estimated that 50 million people worldwide are living with Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia, including more than 5 million Americans. In the United States alone, Bunn pointed out, 16 million friends and family members are providing their care. “We must take action now, or the numbers will continue to rise,” said Bunn on his Facebook page.
Since Bunn started taking on this challenge in 2019, he has raised about $12,000 for the Alzheimer’s Association, including $3,000 this year. He raised money through his Facebook page and through his fundraising page. Bunn also raises money by texting friends and family members.
Bunn said he started participating in The Longest Day in honor of his grandmother, the late Thelma Bunn, “and so many others I know battling this disease.” His grandmother passed away in 2012 at age 79 after “a tough battle with Alzheimer’s at the end,” Jason said.
Jason got involved for a couple of other reasons as well. His wife’s aunt works for the Alzheimer’s Association, and Jason used to work at Kendal at Lexington, where he dealt with residents who had Alzheimer’s.
Most contributors to this effort donate a flat amount, but Jason encourages them to pledge to donate a specific amount per hole completed, 25 cents per hole, for example. Another option is to pledge a specific amount per par, birdie and eagle.
Jason invites others to participate in this event. “Golf is always more fun with friends, or even strangers,” he said.
For the past year and a half, Jason has worked in the human resources department at Washington and Lee University, serving as the manager of retiree benefits and employee benefits specialist.
Jason and his family have lived in Lexington for about five years after living in Natural Bridge for seven years. He grew up in Augusta County, graduating from Riverheads High School in 1999. He graduated from Roanoke College in 2003. Jason did not play golf competitively, as he picked it up toward the end of his high school years.
Now Jason is proud to play golf for a purpose. In the five years he’s participated in The Longest Day, he has played on several different courses. In 2019, he played at the Lexington Golf & Country Club and The Vista Links Golf Course in Buena Vista. The next year, he ventured out to Poplar Grove Golf Club in Amherst. In 2021, Jason was determined to complete six full rounds (108 holes), which he did by playing at two courses in Staunton, The Club at Ironwood and at Ingleside Golf Course. Last year, Jason traveled to Draper to play at Draper Valley Golf Club, where the crowds and hills limited him to 87 holes.
Jason’s goal this year was to break his previous record of 108 holes, and he did so by four holes.
On his Facebook page, Jason encourages everyone to “stand up to the darkness of Alzheimer’s and make a donation today to help the Alzheimer’s Association support all those facing the disease.”
To donate or to read more about Jason’s efforts, visit his fundraising page at https:// act.alz.org/site/TR/Longest-Day2023/TheLongestDay? px=14753097&pg=personal &fr_id=16164.
