Tour Day Part of Alzheimer's Awareness Month in November

DAVENPORT, IA (October 30, 2014) - Senior Star at Elmore Place is partnering with the creators of the Virtual Dementia Tour® (VDT), Second Wind Dreams®,to support national Take the Tour Day, November 6, to help build support for Alzheimer's Awareness Month in November.

Taking the VDT® is important as, according to the Alzheimer's Association website, every 69 seconds someone in the United States is diagnosed with Alzheimer's.  The VDT® is a creative tool that helps people understand the challenges of those facing dementia.  The VDT® guides participants through completing everyday household chores while facing some of the same challenges those with Alzheimer's encounter - blurred vision, difficulty hearing, interrupted concentration and more.

Each tour takes about 15-20 minutes and is led by the experienced associates of Senior Star at Elmore Place.  Associates at Senior Star provide compassionate and innovative care to those facing Alzheimer's making this team well prepared to address participants' questions.

This real-life experience is also important as persons first diagnosed with a form of dementia are often cared for by a family member.  The VDT® experience is an eye-opener for caregivers to better understand the challenges those with Alzheimer's face.

Tours are being conducted on November 6 at 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.  Each tour is limited to 16 participants.  To take the VDT®, RSVP no later than November 5 by calling 563.484.5114.  If you're unable to participate on this date, call 563.484.5114 to arrange a private tour with the associates of Senior Star.

For more information about Senior Star at Elmore Place or to tour the community, call 563.484.5114.

About Senior Star at Elmore Place

Senior Star at Elmore Place, a Senior Star community, features 236 modernly decorated apartments spanning across 20 acres of beautifully landscaped property with many customized amenities to offer its residents three distinctive living experiences:  independent living, assisted living and memory care.  For more information, visit www.seniorstar.com.

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Daytime tours will be offered, Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; and, Sundays, noon to 3:00 p.m. Tours begin on the hour except on Saturdays and Sundays when they begin on the half hour. Admission for daytime tours is free to Brucemore members, $7 per adult, and $3 per child. Tickets can be purchased the day of the tour in the Brucemore Store located in the Visitor Center. Space is limited to 15 people per tour; please show up early to purchase tickets. Groups of 20 or more are required to make a reservation at least two weeks in advance. Evening tours will be offered as part of the Thursday Night Lineup; visit www.brucemore.org or call (319) 362-7375 for more information. Brucemore will be closed on Mondays as well as Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Experience Brucemore, an unparalleled blend of tradition and culture, located at 2160 Linden Drive SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. At the heart of the historic 26-acre estate stands a nineteenth-century mansion filled with the stories of three Cedar Rapids families.  Concerts, theater, programs, and tours enliven the site and celebrate the heritage of a community.  For more information, call (319) 362-7375 or visit www.brucemore.org.

FORT WAYNE, Ind., Oct. 30, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer announced that it has raised a total of $3.2 million for Breast Cancer Research since November 1, 2013. All funds support breast cancer research at the Indiana University (IU) Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center in  Indianapolis, a nationally ranked cancer center. The Foundation recently pledged an incremental $15 million to the IU cancer center, and the $3.2 million will be the first payment toward this pledge. To date, the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer has donated just over $23 million, with a goal to eradicate breast cancer.

"The work the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer funds is truly remarkable, and I'm proud that each year this research brings us closer to a cure," Barbara Bradley Baekgaard, Vera Bradley Foundation and Vera
Bradley Designs, Inc., co-founder.

"The support we receive from the Vera Bradley Foundation is astounding, both in dollars that pay for vital research, and also with their energy and passion for making real progress," says Dr. Bryan Schneider, Vera Bradley Investigator.

Schneider is an associate professor of medicine and of medical and molecular genetics and the Associate Director of the Institute for Personalized Medicine at the IU School of Medicine. He is also a member of the breast cancer research program at the IU Simon Cancer Center.

About the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer:

The Foundation is celebrating its 16th year of funding the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer Research Laboratories at the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center in Indianapolis. Since 1998, the Foundation has played an integral role in changing the face of breast cancer research by supporting 22 labs  and 36 researchers and clinicians who are leading major advancements in drug therapies and setting a worldwide standard. The Foundation receives funding through national events, a $1 million annual gift from Vera Bradley (Nasdaq:VRA) and through donations on verabradley.org

Volunteers Needed  - Supporting Quad City Area Student Robotics Events

NOTE: You can get all of this information by going directly to our website at:

Links to further information on program and volunteer roles by FIRST program including:

To volunteer for a position at one or more events, you need to visit the FIRST  VIMS (Volunteer Information & Management System)

You will then need to:

1. Create an account which includes providing contact information, info "About You" with all info except Military Service having "Prefer Not to Answer" as an option and your expertise.
2. Find and apply to volunteer at one or more FIRST Events including the ones listed above (except Junior FLL which won't be setup for a few more days).  You can prioritize the positions you are interested in supporting. 
   Note:  In order be assigned to a volunteer position, you will need to pass the background check which occurs when you apply as part of FIRST's new Youth Protection Program. Note:  you are not required to provide your social security number and there is no cost for the background check to you.
   
   You will receive an e-mail when you have been assigned to a role.
   
   There is a very helpful guide to walk you through signing up to be a volunteer:  VIMS User Guide June 2014
   Conflict of Interest: You should not volunteer for a role involved with judging, inspecting, or refereeing at the event in which you have any relationship with any of the competing teams (coach, mentor, parent or relations to student or school/organization).  Link to FIRST Volunteer Conflict of Interest and Disclosure Statement for FLL, FTC & FRC.

If you have any questions regarding volunteering at Quad City area FIRST events, send an e-mail to qcesc.org@gmail.com