Grace Manor at Hunter’s Creek Independent & Assisted Living is holding a “Walk to End Alzheimer’s” on Saturday, November 1. The purpose of this event is to raise money for Alzheimer’s awareness. Funds that come in will benefit the Alzheimer’s Association, a non-profit health organization in the U.S. that focuses on Alzheimer’s disease research, care, and support.
Alzheimer’s disease is the major cause of dementia. The current understanding of the cause of the disease is a biological process that begins when proteins build up into amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. These changes cause brain cells to slowly die and the brain to shrink. Approximately 6.9 million people in the United States age 65 and older have Alzheimer’s disease. About 70 percent are 75 and older. Alzheimer’s is the cause for 60 to 70 percent of people who have dementia.
Grace Manor at Hunter’s Creek opened in 2019. Sheryl Vitelli, Regional Director of Operations with Mainstay Senior Living, the parent company of Grace Manor, started the event two years ago. “This is near and dear to my heart because my Dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s two years ago,” she said. “In Plant City, we don’t have a specific focus on memory care, but we find beginning-stage dementia and Alzheimer’s in our senior living population,” Vitelli said. Grace Manor staff lead their seniors in activities like riddles, puzzles, and music therapy to keep their minds sharp. The facility also offers arts and crafts to tap into their creativity. “It taps into their creative minds, and some of their art is amazing,” Vitalli commented. The facility puts on parties and group story-telling events to enhance residents’ social connections. “Working in senior living, this is what we do.”
Grace Manor sits at the corner of W. Grant St. and S. Hunter St., across Hunter St. from the Dr. Hal & Lynn Brewer Park. The course for the walk is three times around Brewer Park, which equals 3.1 miles. Last year, the event brought out 53 people. This year, Vitalli is working to lift that bar to 150 and raise $5,000. So far, half of this amount has come in. All walkers will receive a goodie bag and a T-shirt.
Grace Manor is inviting sponsors to take part in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. There are different levels of sponsorships:
DIAMOND – $1,000: The sponsor gets an individual banner; its business name and logo on the event banner and the event shirt; one ¼ page ad in the “Plant City Observer” and “In the Field Magazine”; and social media recognition. In addition, the sponsor gets two free walker entries and two T-shirts.
PLATINUM – $750: The sponsor gets its business name and logo on the event banner and the event shirt; one ¼ page ad in the “Plant City Observer” and “In the Field Magazine”; and social media recognition. In addition, the sponsor gets one walker entry and one T-shirt.
GOLD – $500: The sponsor gets its business name and logo on the event banner and the event shirt, and social media recognition.
SILVER – $250: The sponsor gets its business name on the event banner and shirt, and social media recognition.
BRONZE – $150: The sponsor gets its business name on the shirt, and social media recognition.
In addition, vendor and food truck participation is available for the walk.
Early bird walker sign up is $30 and includes a tee-shirt. Sign up on the day of the event will cost $35. Check in is at 8:00 a.m. at the IL building at Grace Manor at Hunter’s Creek. The walk will begin immediately after the 9:00 a.m. ceremony.
Sign up is at http://act.alz.org/goto/GraceManor. For more information, call 813-798-2200.