U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky to Introduce There is a Bridge at Chicago Premiere

U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky to Introduce There is a Bridge at Chicago Premiere

Ill. Senate President Emil Jones Jr., Families and Students Who Participated to Attend

CHICAGO, Oct. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky will introduce the new Alzheimer's documentary, There is a Bridge (http://www.thereisabridge.org/), at its Chicago premiere October 16, 2007 at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. Pinsky will be joined by the documentary's producer and director, families of people with Alzheimer's and Chicago students participating in an innovative program pairing teens with people who have Alzheimer's disease, all of whom are featured in the film. Illinois Senate President Emil Jones Jr. and other prominent leaders will attend.

WHAT: Chicago premiere of There is a Bridge, a Chicago-produced,
nationally distributed documentary, explores ways to stay
connected with those experiencing Alzheimer's disease and severe
dementia. The documentary highlights the Chicago Memory Bridge
Initiative, which pairs inner-city Chicago school students with
area nursing home residents in Alzheimer's and dementia units; the
work of a nationally acclaimed artist who depicts the memories of
those with Alzheimer's disease; and interviews with leading
national experts on the personal and societal effects of
Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

Distributed by American Public Television, There is a Bridge airs
in Chicago on WTTW-TV, Channel 11, Sunday, October 21, at 4 pm.
The documentary began airing on public television stations
nationwide this fall and will continue to air throughout the fall
and winter.

WHO:
-- Robert Pinsky, host and narrator; professor of English, Boston
University, and former U.S. poet laureate, will introduce the
documentary.
-- Michael Verde, producer; founder and president of Memory
Bridge: Foundation for Alzheimer's and Cultural Memory
-- Ted Kay, director; president, TMK Productions
-- Emil Jones Jr., Illinois Senate President
-- Several documentary participants, among other distinguished
guests.

WHEN: Tuesday, October 16, 2007 -- 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm

-- 6:40 pm -- Remarks from Michael Verde, producer; introduction
of Emil Jones Jr. and Robert Pinsky
-- 7:00 pm -- Remarks from Robert Pinsky, host and narrator
-- 7:10 to 8:10 pm - Screening
-- 8:10 pm -- Introduction of families and other participants

WHERE: The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
South Gallery
2430 N. Cannon Dr.
Chicago, Ill. 60614

WHY: With more than 5 million Americans affected by Alzheimer's disease
today, and that number rapidly growing as Baby Boomers age, There
is a Bridge studies the benefits and explores different ways of
communicating with those who have Alzheimer's disease and
dementia.

NOTE TO MEDIA: Robert Pinsky will have limited availability while in Chicago for interviews and will be leaving the premiere early. Please arrange for an advance interview.

MEDIA CONTACT: To register or arrange for a pre-event interview, please contact Stephen L. Davidow, on behalf of Memory Bridge: Foundation for Alzheimer's and Cultural Memory, 708-284-2300, sldavidow@ameritech.net. For more information about the documentary, please visit: www.thereisabridge.org. Upon request, media may view the documentary on a password-protected Web site.

Memory Bridge: Foundation for Alzheimer's and Cultural Memory creates programs that connect people with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias to family, friends, and other people in their local community. We also create programs that reveal to the general public the depths of memory that dementia does not erase. Our goal is to create a global community of people who are learning to listen to people with dementia for what they have to teach us about our own humanity. For more information about Memory Bridge, please visit: http://www.memorybridge.org/.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Memory Bridge: Foundation for Alzheimer's and Cultural Memory

CONTACT: Stephen L. Davidow, +1-708-284-2300, for Memory Bridge:
Foundation for Alzheimer's and Cultural Memory

Web site:

http://www.memorybridge.org/

-------
Profile: intent