At Delray Beach’s Spady Museum, a new program reminds us that while memories may fade, the human need for connection never does.
There are certain things we never forget.
The smell of Sunday dinner.
The sound of a favorite song.
The feeling of getting dressed for school, the excitement of a family gathering, the voices of people we loved who are no longer with us.
These are more than memories.
They are the threads of our lives. They connect us to our families, our neighborhoods, our culture and ultimately to ourselves.
And sometimes, when age or illness begins to steal those memories, the right song, the right photograph or the familiar smell of a treasured family recipe can bring them rushing back.
Even if only for a moment.
And sometimes a moment is everything.
That’s the beautiful idea behind a new program at Delray Beach’s Spady Cultural Heritage Museum called “The House That Memory Built: The Memories We Weave.”
Beginning in November, the museum will welcome people experiencing Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline, along with their caregivers, into the historic Williams Cottage for a yearlong series of experiences designed to stimulate memories, encourage connection and celebrate lives well lived.
It’s a wonderful concept.
And it’s happening right here in our community.
The program draws upon the rich traditions of Black culture and the Black experience, using familiar activities to help participants reconnect with their personal histories.
Imagine preparing a recipe handed down through generations.
Or hearing a song that takes you back to a school dance, a family celebration or a Sunday afternoon when the world seemed full of possibilities.
Imagine writing a letter to someone you love, remembering the rituals of getting ready for church or sharing a childhood story with someone who understands exactly what you’re talking about.
These activities may seem simple.
But their meaning can be profound.
Because Alzheimer’s doesn’t just affect memory. It can disrupt identity, relationships and the connections that give our lives meaning. You end up losing someone—twice.
And it doesn’t just affect the person living with the disease.
It affects spouses, children, grandchildren, friends and caregivers who sometimes find themselves mourning pieces of someone who is still very much here.
That’s why I find this program so compelling.
It recognizes something that can get lost when we talk about Alzheimer’s in purely medical terms.
Behind every diagnosis is a person. Behind every person is a story. And every story deserves to be honored.
At the Carl Angus DeSantis Foundation, we are deeply interested in brain health, Alzheimer’s research and the extraordinary work being done to understand, treat and ultimately defeat this devastating disease. That’s why we are supporting this program and other efforts through our support of Max Planck Florida Institute, Florida Atlantic University, the Mayo Clinic, the Brain Coast and the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation.
We believe in science. We believe in innovation. And we believe that breakthroughs in neuroscience have the potential to change millions of lives.
But we also believe that caring for people means meeting them where they are today.
Research offers hope for tomorrow. Programs like The House That Memory Built offer connection, dignity and moments of joy today.
We need both.
And there’s something particularly meaningful about this program taking place at the Spady Museum.
For years, the museum has served as a keeper of stories, preserving the history, culture and contributions of Delray Beach’s Black community.
Now, in a lovely extension of that mission, it is using history to help people reconnect with their own.
As a result, the Williams Cottage becomes more than a historic structure.
It becomes a place where the past is welcomed into the present.
Where memories are invited to return.
Where caregivers can share an experience with their loved ones that isn’t defined solely by illness.
And where the stories of a generation are treated as treasures worth preserving.
The program was designed by Deborah Germain, MPH, CDP; Claudia Moore, MPH; and the team at The Mosaic Thread Practice. It combines cultural experiences, historical storytelling and therapeutic approaches in a setting designed to encourage engagement and belonging.
In addition to twice-monthly activity sessions, the free, 12-month program will feature a speaker series and six months of legacy quilt-making sessions.
I particularly love the quilt idea.
Because isn’t that what life is?
A collection of experiences, relationships, triumphs, disappointments, joys and sorrows stitched together over time.
Every square tells a story.
Every thread connects us to something or someone.
And together, those pieces become something beautiful.
The Carl Angus DeSantis Foundation is proud to invest in this pilot alongside our friends at the Quantum Foundation, the Palm Beach County Cultural Council and a private donor.
We hope it becomes a model for what is possible when cultural institutions, health professionals, philanthropists and communities work together.
We also hope it reminds us that innovation doesn’t always require expensive technology or a laboratory.
Sometimes innovation is recognizing the extraordinary power of something we’ve had all along.
A song.
A story.
A familiar place.
A human connection.
We don’t know how many memories this program will unlock. We don’t know how many smiles it will inspire or how many families will experience a precious moment of recognition.
But we know those moments matter.
And we know that a community is measured, in part, by how it cares for people when they are most vulnerable.
In Delray Beach, we have a place dedicated to preserving memory.
Now that place will help people celebrate their own.
There’s something beautiful about that.
Because even when memories begin to fade, the love and meaning woven into a life remain worthy of our care.
And that’s a story worth remembering.
About the program
The House That Memory Built: The Memories We Weave begins in November 2026 and runs for 12 months at the Williams Cottage at the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum, 170 NW 5th Avenue, Delray Beach.
The program is free and includes:
Activity sessions: Twice monthly for 12 months.
Speaker Series: Once or twice monthly for 12 months.
Legacy quilt-making sessions: Once monthly for six months.
Participants and caregivers may register for the sessions and activities that best fit their schedules.
For more information, contact The Mosaic Thread Practice at admin@themosaicthreadpractice.com or (561) 210-4518.
Jose was special
The Delray community is mourning the loss of storied architect Jose Aguila.
Jose was a terrific guy, a talented architect and a devoted community servant who gave his time to local advisory boards and served as an elected official in Boynton Beach. Below is the warm note shared by his firm with friends and clients.
“With heavy hearts, we share the sad news of José N. Aguila’s passing. After retiring in 2023, José looked forward to traveling the world with his beloved Sue. A gifted architect, he first joined the firm in the late 1970s. In 1988, he returned to school and earned his architecture degree from Florida A&M University. He then came home to South Florida, working for the City of Delray and a local contractor before returning to the Currie organization in 1993. He earned his architectural license in 1995.
A no-nonsense architect, José kept a firm hand on the firm’s rising professionals, consultants, and contractors. He was also an exceptional project manager who earned the respect and appreciation of his clients. Elevated to principal in 2000, he was a devoted mentor, colleague, and dear friend to his Currie Sowards Aguila family.
José will remain forever in our hearts as we celebrate his life and cherish the decades we shared with him. José expressed in his own words, the 2023 retirement celebration was everything he could have imagined and he was there. He was deeply honored by the outpouring of love and treasured the time and stories shared with everyone who attended.”
Rest in peace, José
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