Alzheimer's Web Sites and Blogs - June's Website
- Published on Thursday, 23 December 2010 22:23
- Written by Stanton O. Berg
A Discussion of Web Site Types
A Website (Web Site) is a set of interconnected web pages. A Website normally includes a homepage and is usually located on the same server. Such a site is prepared and maintained as a collection of data, information and graphics by a person, a group, or an organization. The purpose of a web site may be for personal or business use or application. The Web Site may also be income producing and either be a for profit or non profit purpose. A Website may also relate to charitable purposes. A true independent web site has it's own Domain name and address and it's own site located at a professionally hosted site.
One type of Website is a Blog. A blog (a blend of the term web log). It is either a type of website or a part of component of a website. Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; while others function as personal online diaries or journals. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular daily entries commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. Most blogs are interactive, allowing visitors to leave comments. The interactivity distinguishes them from other static websites.. The ability of readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of most blogs. Blogs are normally not prone to organized searches for information due to their very nature. Most are a single page that scroll's downward as needed to accomodate the entries. They are usually indexed only by month and year and frequently have numerous links.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) manages the develop0ment and architecture of the Internet Domain Name Space and authorizes Domain name Registrars. It is a part of DNS (Domain Name System). The registration of domain names is administered by Domain name Registrars who sell this service to the public purchasers of Domain names. The purchase of a domain name confers an exclusive right of use of the purchased domain name. The purchase is by year with a limit of no more than a maximum of 10 years ownership of the domain name at one time…the domain name ownership is renewable as long as it does not exceed 10 future years. The main name is normally followed by a suffix such as.”com” or.”org” or .”net”. The “com” ending is the most common. If one desires all three variations, they must all be separately purchased.
What does it mean to have a website without Domain name ownership? In effect it means that the site is parked on the Domain name site of someone who owns that particular Domain name and is renting the site space from a site host. It also means that a continued presence on that Domain site is at the courtesy, pleasure or convenience of the Domain name owner.
This distinction came home to me with startling clarity when our first web site for June’s honor and memory was a site located on the AOL’s domain site in the mid 2000’s. AOL made websites available to all of their customers. It was a simple single page that scrolled down in length as needed to accommodate the amount of text on the page. Such a site had very limited features. However in 2007, AOL decided to discontinue this service to their customers. That ended my first website in June's honor and memory. I had a similar experience with MSN. It was in 2008 that we decided to purchase our own Domain name (junebergalzheimers.com) and rent our own yearly space with a commercial site host.
The current Facebook pages are excellent examples of individuals having websites in which they do not own the Domain name. The Domain name is of course owned by Facebook. The Facebook pages are also good examples of the Blog type of website in which it scrolls down to accommodate the amount of text and pictures-photos with numerous links. Like the true Blog, it is interactive by the readers/friends. In addition to June's regular web site as described below, I maintain a facebook page in my name Stanton O. Berg and another Memorial facebook page in June K. Berg's name and both are primarily used to promote Alzheimers's awareness, research, funding and proper care practices.
Most of the internet Alzheimer’s related websites are personal memorials with related Alzheimer’s information. Some are operated as a blog. Most are non profit in nature. Some have advertisements and are income producing and for profit operations. Some may also be related to a business function. Some websites such as June’s, may have a charitable function.
June K. Berg’s website is primarily a standard form of website with no blog feature. June's website has it's own privately owned Domain name and address and is located on and with a professional site host.
June’s website is intended to:
(1.) honor and preserve June’s memory while also -
(2.) promoting an Alzheimer’s awareness. A primary purpose of June’s website is to -
(3.) provide information on Alzheimer’s for the family and caregivers of Alzheimer’s victims. June’s website is further intended to -
(4.) promote Alzheimer’s research, funding and proper care practices.
(5.) Multi-charitable functions are also associated with the above objectives in an effort to demonstrate a reflection of God's Love..
June’s website is personal in nature and is not utilized for any business or commercial purposes. The site is not income producing and does not accept commercial or business advertisement fees, gifts or income of any kind.
June’s Website is faith based with a number of articles or essays relating to June’s Lutheran-Christian faith. The home page’s large top of page graphic sets the tone with a fog shrouded figure crossing a bridge while journeying towards a distant cross in the sky.
June’s website has a strong multi-charitable function. A number of private charitable programs are administered in honor of and in behalf of June K. Berg. These programs can be found on June’s website on the bottom graphic navigation box entitled:
The resulting menu of (13) Thirteen items, lists the eleven (11) current and active charitable type memorial functions including this website, having June and an Alzheimer’s connection. Recipients of the various charitable functions, would where appropriate, each receive a letter from June with her picture (prepared in behalf of June by her husband Stan) that outlines June's Alzheimer’s history and refers them to June’s website for more information.
These (11) eleven active functions except this website, and the awareness card program, are essentially related to three organizations. One is the Redeemer Lutheran Church, one is the Benedictine Health Care Center of Innsbruck through the Innsbruck Foundation and one is Compassion International. (The Redeemer Lutheran is June’s church in which she was a member for over 50 years. The Benedictine Health Care Center of Innsbruck is the “faith based” care facility that June was a resident in for the last 2.5+ years of her life. Compassion International is related to the sponsorship of the little girl from Africa.) Because June has and had a strong faith in God, she would want the memorial programs that are administered in her behalf to be an expression of God’s Love! What better way than through faith based non profit organizations? All donations made in June's behalf for the memorial functions described, are made directly to the associated organizations administering the memorial functions. Such donation payments would be made to the Redeemer Lutheran Church or the Innsbruck Foundation. No direct payments or donations are made to individuals. The card distribtion programs (Alzheimer's Awareness) involves (8) eight cooperating business establishments having a former connection to June's life.
One of the more static functions is the Memorial Stained Glass windows to be found in the Holy Spirit Chapel at the Benedictine Health Care Center. The windows are (6) six in number and are dedicated to June, June’s father Henry and her mother Haldis, June’s mother in law Ellen, and June’s father in law Tom. The largest window is dedicated to June and Ellen, who were both Alzheimer’s victims and to all the world wide victims of Alzheimer’s with a prayer for God’s peace for all who are afflicted with this terrible disease.
Also included in the menu listing of (13) thirteen, (not one of the charitable functions), is a (living memorial of Azaleas) planted in memory of June by her daughter Susan at her home in Cary, NC.
Stanton O. Berg, who was/is June’s husband of 56 years, is the administrator of the website and also administers the private charitable programs in June’s behalf. Stan is and acts as June’s worldly agent. Stan uses the private and personal funds and savings that were acquired and that resulted from June and Stan's lifetime marriage partnership. Upon Stanton O. Berg's death, provisions in his will provide for the continuation of the charitable functions and this website by his personal representatives for a period of at least 10 years.
NO outside funding or financial assistance of any kind or from any source is accepted in order to administer or finance any of the above described charitable functions. Direct contributions however may be made to the Redeemer Lutheran Church of Fridley, Minnesota for use in the (June K. Berg, Old Chapel Repair Fund) as administered by that church.
In addition to the charitable functions listed above, direct monthly cash donations are made to the Alzheimer' s Research Department of Mayo Clinic in honor and memory of June K. Berg and my mother Ellen F. Silbaugh, both victims of Alzheimer's
Because of June's personal interest and love for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, monthly donations are made to this association in June's name. The same is true of a local charity in Minneapolis called Minnesota Teen Challenge. This is a Christian based group that assists and rescues young people who have been involved with drugs and need help in reorganizing their lives. These are the only other charitable functions in June's name that are not Alzheimer's related and are accordingly not included in the above listings.
Traffic to June’s Web Site in the Year 2011
430,502 page visits in Calendar year 2011. (+ 74.9% over previous years.)
1,179 average daily page visits in the year 2011.
Origin of page visitors indicates 72.4% from the US and 27.6% from 118 foreign countries.
The highest volume foreign page visitors : Germany with 4.9%, Russia with 4.2% and the UK at 3.5%.
* Data from Content Management System program (Joomla) and the site hosts data.