A special recognition award was presented by the Alzheimer’s Association – North Central Texas Chapter to The Stayton at Museum Way, an SQLC retirement community, for supporting the ALZ Stars team, which raises money for the association as annual participants in Fort Worth’s Cowtown Marathon. Each year since the team’s formation in 2013, The Stayton serves the team a fabulous pasta dinner on a day leading up to the race to help energize and encourage the ALZ Stars team of runners and walkers. The dinner also serves as an opportunity for team fellowship, as many of the team members are either reuniting or meeting for the first time. In addition, The Stayton supports other Alzheimer’s Association initiatives and activities including sponsorships of the chapter’s signature fundraiser, the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, as well as the annual Spring Symposium which provides education to caregivers and health care professionals in North Central Texas. Last year, residents also produced “The Stayton Cooks to End Alzheimer’s” cookbook to raise funds for the organization.
“We wanted to give The Stayton at Museum Way an award to recognize their consistent hospitality and generosity on our fifth anniversary, as they’ve been a key asset to our team’s value and growth since ALZ Stars began in 2013,” said Sarah Ethridge, special events coordinator for the Alzheimer’s Association – North Central Texas Chapter. “We are grateful for our partnership with The Stayton, because without relationships like the one we have with them we could not successfully execute our mission of providing the care, research and support needed for those facing Alzheimer’s in North Central Texas.”
The ALZ Stars team had 46 participants who collectively raised more than $53,000 in this year’s Cowtown Marathon, held Feb. 26. Fundraising efforts are still underway in hopes of reaching the team’s $75,000 goal. Donations can easily be made at act.alz.org/alzstarscowtown2017.
“We are grateful for this beautiful award, which represents our commitment to the Alzheimer’s Association and, in a unique way, to some of our residents living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia,” said Melissa Heiss, director of sales and marketing for The Stayton at Museum Way. “As a life care community, we not only have independent living residences, but also multiple levels of living including memory support. Family members, caregivers, and health care professionals all benefit by the awareness and educational efforts of the Alzheimer’s Association, which is why supporting them is important to us and all of our North Central Texas community.”
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, every 66 seconds someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s, and it is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Currently, more than 350,000 Texans are living with Alzheimer’s, and that number is expected to grow to 490,000 by 2025.