AWARE Awards Honorees to receive Awards at the AWARE Affair Gala on April 14

AWARE – Fighting Alzheimer’s Disease Since 1989

(Featured photo: Stephanie Bray. Jolie Humprhey.)*

Dr. Holly Hull Miori, president of AWARE, joins Lori Bush, Pamela Musgrove and C’Mone Wingo, chairs of the AWARE Affair 2023: An Artful Evening of Advocacy Fighting Alzheimer’s in announcing Stephanie Bray as the Amy Osler Spirit of Education Leadership Award honoree and Jolie Humphrey as the Founder’s Spirit Award honoree. They will be presented with the awards at the gala happening on Friday, April 14, 2023 at the Lighthouse ArtSpace in downtown Dallas.
          

Jolie has been involved in many nonprofit organizations in key positions as chair of special events or on their boards for many years. Her involvement with AWARE began in 2017 when she co-chaired Aware Affair and ever since, AWARE has become a top priority for her volunteerism.  She currently serves as the AWARE Grant Review chair and is humbled to be receiving this award. As Grants Review chair, she understands the important work of the many nonprofits in our community and the vital work that AWARE brings to these nonprofits.  
          

Stephanie became involved with AWARE in 2014 after her mom, Frances Blewett Chantilis, died of Alzheimer’s disease in October 2013.  She co-chaired the AWARE Affair gala in 2015 and has served on the AWARE Steering Committee and Grant Committee from 2015 to present day. She is honored to receive the Amy Osler Spirit of Education Leadership Award and to have her name connected to Amy’s in this facet.  Amy passed away November 30, 2022.  As a cherished friend for 29 years, Amy will remain in Stephanie’s heart forever.
          

They are joined by Venise and Larry Stuart and Taylor Hearn as honorary chairs. Venise and Larry are longtime supporters of AWARE and community and business leaders – Venise is a former AWARE president and continues her commitment to AWARE through volunteer service on the board and more.
          

Taylor is familiar as a pitcher for the Texas Rangers baseball team. His grandmother passed from Alzheimer’s. A native of Roanoke, TX, Taylor finds the mission of AWARE critical to community. He is very involved in the community outside of his professional baseball commitment. His endorsement and standing up for AWARE and its mission is most appreciated and everyone at AWARE welcomes Taylor to the team.
             

Imagine a gala at an immersive art venue and join us for the real experience in support of AWARE and its mission in fighting Alzheimer’s disease since 1989. Lighthouse ArtSpace is the fabulous venue which hosts immersive art experiences such as Van Gogh, Monet and others.  It will be an evening of inspiring art, sounds, culinary delights, and camaraderie which includes a cocktail reception, live and silent auction, seated dinner and entertainment. Attire is Art Chic Cocktail. Tie optional.
          

Honorary Chairs Emeriti are Sally and Forrest Hoglund, Lee Roy and Biddie Jordan, Kim and David McDavid, Jr., and Ellen Terry with her daughter, Amy Terry Kriegel and son, Todd Terry.
          

Individual tickets are $500 each. Two sponsorship ticket levels are available at $1,200 (for 2) and $2,500 (for 2 VIP tickets) and have different benefits. Exclusive Naming Opportunities start at $3,000 up to $50,000. Sponsorships start at $5,000 up to $25,000 and have different benefits at the various levels. AWARE Affair 2023 Website Link: https://www.awaredallas.org/aware-affair/ 

AWARE Mission: AWARE is dedicated to fighting Alzheimer’s disease by providing funding and support to programs, projects, and research provided by nonprofit organizations that actively help individuals affected by Alzheimer’s in Dallas and the greater North Texas area.

AWARE is a component fund of The Dallas Foundation, a 501(c)3 publicly supported charity.  In partnership with the Foundation, AWARE conducts an annual grant review process by which grant applicants are carefully and thoughtfully vetted to ensure that grant dollars are awarded to organizations that provide outstanding services to Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers, and to those research institutions that are at the forefront of medical research in the treatment, prevention, and cure of Alzheimer’s disease. 

Together with compassion and dedication we can make a difference. Join AWARE now and join the fight.  www.AWAREDallas.org   Instagram: @awaredallas

Facebook: @awaredallas

2022-2023 Beneficiaries/Grant Recipients:

Baylor Scott & White Dallas Foundation:  Salary support for the Baylor AT&T Memory Center to provide a trained care-navigation specialist on site at the Center.  At the point of care, patients and families are provided with disease education, caregiver training and support groups, elder law and financial planning, and a 24/7 helpline.

Bishop Arts Theatre Center:  Support for the PatioLive! Creative Aging Program, a continuing program provided by trained theater artists.  The program incorporates stories, music, visual arts, and dance to improve the quality of life for individuals with Alzheimer’s and other dementias living in low-income memory care, independent living, and adult day care facilities.

C.C. Young:  Support for staff training on Alzheimer’s and dementia and programs in art and music therapy, service dog visits, exercise and movement programs designed to increase activity and interest for patients in the memory care unit of the retirement community.

Center For BrainHealth:  Support for expansion of Alzheimer’s Voices, an online training series communicating brain health strategies, action items to create a plan, and testimonials from families sharing the power of practicing these concepts. Training will be accessible online via the CBH YouTube Channel enabling outreach to a wider, more diverse audience.

Christian Care Communities and Services:  Support for a series of programs providing dementia and Alzheimer’s awareness and education to the general public and healthcare workers. The curriculum is designed to increase participants’ technical abilities in caring for people with dementia and Alzheimer’s, as well as their empathy and understanding of these diseases.

Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Society:  Support for the expansion of the Memory Garden project held onsite at the Arboretum.  Individuals dealing with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers spend time in the gardens experiencing the tastes, scents, and textures of the herb/fruit and vegetable garden, and chef demonstrations of foods cooked with herbs and vegetables straight from the garden.  To further extend the Memory Garden outreach, the program includes the creation of 12 interactive videos to be shared with offsite Alzheimer programs.

For Love and Art:  Support for an interactive program bringing the art experience to people with cognitive impairment and limited mobility in 77 senior community long-term care facilities. The program is designed to stimulate art enrichment and memories to community residents while empowering caregivers to love people in creative and transformative ways.

Foundation For the Callier Center And Communication Disorders:  Support for the continued development of TheraBeat, an easy-to-use innovative solution for Alzheimer’s and dementia treatment with a non-invasive and cost-effective therapeutic.  TheraBeat is a sound therapy app that integrates beat stimulation with the patient’s own favorite music with goals of boosting memory and language function, known to be disrupted in such patients.

Jewish Family Service:  Support for the Older Adults Program staff to provide in-home mental health counseling, care management, and daily living support to older adults with Alzheimer’s and other dementias, allowing them to remain living in their own home.

Juliette Fowler Communities:  Support for the salary of a director-level staff member to be responsible for the expansion of the nationally recognized I’M STILL HERE program into additional Fowler community neighborhoods. The program provides training, oversight, and engagement for professionals and families working with Alzheimer’s and dementia patients.

NorthPark Presbyterian Church:  Support for the Casa de Vida Respite Program giving respite relief to caregivers every Tuesday and Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.  The program provides trained volunteers who give one-on-one care and stimulating activities to individuals with Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

Plano Symphony Orchestra:  Support for Healing Notes, a free music therapy-influenced concert designed and directed PSO Director of Educational Outreach, Dr. Jennifer Wheeler, to be an interactive experience for seniors.  Concerts are performed by professional orchestra members and targeted toward over 400 low-income seniors who are living in 17 memory care facilities and dealing with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. 

Songs & Smiles:  Support for publication of Joyful Memories, a 24-page printed magazine designed for families to share with loved ones living with Alzheimer’s and dementia.  Published and distributed quarterly, the magazine’s content is timeless and intergenerational, featuring original and curated pictures, stories, poems, and jokes designed to stimulate conversation and evoke memories.

Stomping Ground Theater and Training Center:  Support for Improv for Caregivers, a fun and interactive program for family and professional caregivers that uses improvisational comedy techniques to teach effective communication skills that are specific to the needs of persons with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Through interactive activities and games, participants gain a new understanding and a roadmap for effectively communicating with loved ones.

Texas Winds Musical Outreach:  Support for the Concerts for Seniors program providing 106 interactive concerts in 89 nursing homes and adult day care facilities bringing joy, relief from isolation, and peace to individuals affected by memory loss, and new communication skills to their caregivers.

The Senior Source:  Support for the Senior Companion Program matching trained volunteers with low-income individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and their families needing in-home assistance with meals, errands, and light housekeeping, providing caregivers with respite and/or time to work outside the home.   

UT Southwestern Medical Center:  Support for a second year of Dr. Christian LoBue’s research trial to further evaluate Noninvasive Brain Stimulation (NIBS) as an intervention in dementia associated with Alzheimer’s Disease, and to train an advanced doctoral student having clinical skills in Alzheimer’s Disease on how to deliver the stimulation as an intervention.

Wilshire Baptist Church:  Support for the Friday Friends Program addressing the need to provide respite to those who care for a dementia relative at home, and who have little or no assistance for relieving them of the constant care and supervision of their loved one.  Trained volunteers provide the Alzheimer’s patient with a stimulating day of art, music, and games for the individual with Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Myrna D. Schlegel AWARE Scholarship Fund:   Scholarship support for nursing students at Baylor University, Texas Woman’s University, and Texas Christian University toward studies in gerontology, especially in the field of dementia.

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Grant Recipients Name Listing Only:
Baylor Scott & White Dallas Foundation, Bishop Arts Theatre Center, C.C. Young, Center For BrainHealth, Christian Care Communities And Services, Dallas Arboretum And Botanical Society, For Love And Art, Foundation For The Callier Center And Communication Disorders, Jewish Family Service, Juliette Fowler Communities, NorthPark Presbyterian Church, Plano Symphony Orchestra, Songs & Smiles, Stomping Ground Theater and Training Center, Texas Winds Musical Outreach, The Senior Source, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Wilshire Baptist Church, Myrna D. Schlegel AWARE Scholarship Fund.

*Courtesy photos

**Photo by Jeremy Lock.

*** Photo by Rob Wythe/Wythe Portrait Studio

(Sharon Adams, Adams Communications Public Relations, is honored to represent AWARE, the AWARE Affair Gala and post this Philanthropy Lifestyles eBuzz.)