Nashville woman wins 1966 Ford Mustang

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Dan Phillips, Alzheimer's Association Development Director, presents the keys and original bill of sale for the 1966 Mustang to Jo Ford, R.N., Director of Marketing and Admissions for Berrien Nursing Center. They met up at the Tifton office of the Alzheimer's Association in the Leroy Rogers Senior Center. The car was the grand prize in Memories & a Mustang event last Thursday, which raised $50,000 for the Albany Walk to End Alzheimer's. Contributed Photo

July 14, 2012

Nashville woman wins 1966 Ford Mustang

Anonymous CNHI The Tifton Gazette Sat Jul 14, 2012, 10:18 PM EDT

She said she never won anything in her life, but considering her last name, Jo Ford of Nashville was destined to win the 1966 Ford Mustang GT Fastback given away during Memories & a Mustang, the Alzheimer’s Association’s fundraising drawing at Merry Acres Event Center in Albany on Thursday, July 12.

“I’ve always been a Mustang girl,” Ford said. “My brother, whose name is Henry Ford, owned a yellow Fastback at the age of 16. I currently drive a 2004 Silver Anniversary edition Mustang convertible. And my last car was a 2003 red convertible Mustang.”

Her chosen career and volunteer activities mesh with the vision and mission of the Alzheimer’s Association. A registered nurse, Ford is Director of Marketing and Admission for Berrien Nursing Center. Her employer has been a silver sponsor of the Tifton Walk to End Alzheimer’s for the past several years, and Ford serves on the Tifton Walk Committee.

Sponsored by DOCO Credit Union, the Mustang event was the first of its kind for the Alzheimer’s Association, South Georgia Region. It raised $50,280 and served to kick off fundraising for Albany’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s to be held Oct. 13. DOCO was the owner of the car and one of the top sponsors of the Albany Walk.

Opportunities to win the classic car were available for $125 donations to the Alzheimer’s Association, Georgia Chapter. Walks to End Alzheimer’s will also be held Sept. 15 in Valdosta and Sept. 29 in Tifton. The entire South Georgia region supported the Memories & a Mustang event, with interested donors attending from Tifton, Lake Blackshear and Atlanta, in addition to Leesburg and Albany. Tickets were sold at DOCO Credit Unions in Albany, Leesburg, Tifton, Americus and Pelham.

One of the highlights of the event was a heartfelt greeting by Phillip LaDon (Donnie) Phillips Sr., and his wife, Sheryl, parents of singer/songwriter Phillip Phillips Jr., winner of this year’s American Idol competition. They donated two autographed photos of their son, which each went for $700 in an auction conducted by Sherry Spence of 3G’s Auction Company of Sumner.

“I am committed to curing Alzheimer’s,” said Jo Ford, a sentiment echoed by Evie Carver, Albany’s Walk Chair, and many of the close to 400 people in attendance at the Mustang event. She said her nephew’s house was destroyed by a tornado last Tuesday (July 10), and two additional adults, three kids and three dogs have been living under her roof since then. “When you give unto others, you will receive,” she said.

She added that since this was a Reverse Raffle, hers was actually the only ticket that was NOT drawn, so that is the only way she could have ever won something.

“I’m convinced that good things happen to good people,” said Dan Phillips, Development Director for the South Georgia Region of the Alzheimer’s Association, Georgia Chapter. “Jo has been involved with the Alzheimer’s Association for years, including the Adel golf tournaments and the past several walks.”

She is organizing a Poker Run for motorcyclists in Nashville to be held in October.

An interesting coincidence about this Mustang is that its original bill of sale was issued on July 11, 1966, in Oil City, La. Its most recent one was issued on July 11, 2012, in transferring the title from DOCO to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Anyone may donate to or sign up to participate in one of the Georgia Walks to End Alzheimer’s by going to www.georgiawalk.org and clicking the community closest to them. For more information on each of the three walks in the South Georgia region or other ways to support the Alzheimer’s fundraising cause, email Dan.Phillips@alz.org or call the regional office in Tifton at 229-388-8219. The toll-free 24/7 Helpline 1-800-242-3900 will also ring locally during business hours, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Formed in 1980, the Alzheimer's Association is the world's leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer's care, support and research. They provide services to those affected by Alzheimer's and other dementias; advocate for policy change and research funding; and advance research toward prevention, treatment and cure. Their vision is a world without Alzheimer’s.

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