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The message behind the Bill DiCosimo Quartet’s new album “Threads” is a deeply personal one. The Syracuse-based jazz troupe blends Latin, vocal and instrumental jazz into 12 tracks on their second album, but the message is the backbone of each composition.

DiCosimo, who is also the chair of the music industry department at Syracuse University’s School of Visual and Performing Arts, was the primary caregiver for his father during his journey with Alzheimer’s disease. With his father’s passing in 2007, DiCosimo put his group on hiatus. Three years later, the group reformed, recorded and released “Threads.” The album, released just after the New Year, is dedicated to DiCosimo’s father.

DiCosimo (pictured at right) highlighted three tracks from the album for us. The first song, “Gone From This World,” speaks some about his father, but more to the greater picture of looking into the mirror and helping your fellow man. The title track, and its Spanish version “Hilos,” are written specifically in his father’s memory. DiCosimo said the tracks were his way of expressing the anguish of watching his father’s descent and passing from Alzheimer’s.

Proceeds from the sale of Threads will benefit the Alzheimer’s Association, Central New York Chapter. The album is currently available for download on iTunes and Amazon.com. CD’s or downloadable versions are available at CDBaby.com.

The staff of the Kirkpatrick Day Program is working together as one for the Greater Syracuse Memory Walk. As part of their fundraising effort, the staff invites the community to a Uno’s Chicago Grill Doughraiser on July 30 at the Carousel Center location (2nd floor in the food court).

To participate, download the special Uno’s flier. Present the flier when paying the bill and 20 percent of the total (excluding tax and tip) will be donated to the Kirkpatrick Day Program team.

Saturday marked our first Memory Walk kickoff event of the summer. Our party at Samaritan Keep Home in Watertown was an opportunity for Memory Walk teams to register, learn more about walk, pick materials and meet other teams. For the second consecutive year, Chapter Volunteer Diane Charlebois has coordinated a Memory Ride to coincide with the party. The Memory Ride welcomed motorcycle enthusiasts to ride together through the Greater Watertown area in support of the Alzheimer’s Association. Charlebois runs the ride in memory of her father, Prosper, who died from Alzheimer’s disease.

Memory Walk kickoff parties will take place June and July in the Greater Syracuse, Mohawk Valley and St. Lawrence County areas.

See our photo gallery below for more scenes of the event!

Jeff-Lewis Kickoff Party

The Chapter is the beneficiary of wonderful donations and one of the most commonly donated items is artwork. If you are a lover of art, or an artist yourself, take a look inside at our collection of paintings and drawings.

Click to see the artwork for sale…

We were in the Johnson City Wegmans rececntly and saw this check in the lobby, recognizing the grocery store’s donation for Memory Walk ‘08 in the Southern Tier.

Was it ever A Night to Remember! Thursday night was our first ultimate girls night out event in the Southern Tier and it was a smashing success. For three hours, women from throughout the region enjoyed the finest that the Southern Tier has to offer — food, fashion and services from the top businesses in the region. In case you weren’t there, we have links to our photo gallery and a report from News10Now!

Want to join us in 2010? Be the first to know the time, date and place by dropping us an e-mail!

A Night to Remember Southern Tier

Citing continued economic decline and anticipated shortfalls, the Alzheimer’s Association, Central New York Chapter has cancelled its Unraveling the Mystery murder mystery event on May 16. Instead, it will conduct an online auction for the goods and services intended for use in the event’s silent auction.

“These are unprecedented times for the Central New York Chapter,” Toni Ann Daley, director of development for the Alzheimer’s Association, Central New York Chapter, said. “We attempted to create an event that would require minimal corporate support to be successful and in the end, it just was not possible.”

Unraveling the Mystery is the only fundraising event on the Chapter’s calendar to be cancelled.

“As a not-for-profit, we are caught in the same economic vice as our for-profit partners,” Daley said. “When people do not spend money or investments take a hit, companies feel the pinch. We feel it doubly. People are donating less individually because they have less money. And when companies are not doing well, they tend to spend less on community initiatives.”

Volunteers and staff from the Alzheimer’s Association have collected more than 50 items for the event’s silent auction, including gift certificates, condo stays and vacation overnights, gift certificates to local stores and restaurants and artwork. These items will be part of a special eBay auction run by the Chapter. Items will go live at Noon on May 5 and run for seven days.

Our friends at Applejack Farm Tack and Supply in Dolgeville are holding a “Horse Trail Ride for Charity” on May 16 at the D.A. Field, Lottville Road in Dolgeville. The ride starts at 10 a.m. with a pig roast, chicken BBQ and “Chinese auction” to follow. Paula and Tom Jackson and Shawnee Frisch are organizing the event and splitting the proceeds between the Alzheimer’s Association, Central New York Chapter and Zellweger syndrome research.

Tickets are $12.50 for adults, $8 for children age 5-10 and free for kids under 5. Purchase tickets by calling Applejack Farm Tack and Supply at 315-429-8508.

The trail ride is a third-party event to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association. If you would like to coordinate an event to benefit the Chapter, contact Grant Fletcher, the chapter’s fundraising event planner, by phone or e-mail.

Mother’s Day and Father’s Day can be difficult for those who have lost a parent. For those with loved ones who have Alzheimer’s disease, it can be particularly painful. As the disease progresses, memories created between generations — holidays, vacations, special moments together — are swept away into a fog of plaques and tangles. In commemoration of the holidays, the Alzheimer’s Association, Central New York Chapter invites the community to take part in its special tribute program.

“Keeping the Memories Alive” provides family members a way to pay tribute to the moments shared between them and their loved one. By using the chapter’s special tribute form, family members can make a gift in honor of someone with the disease or in memory of an individual who has passed away. Their loved one’s name will be listed on the special tribute page of alzcny.org. Proceeds from the program will support the dual mission of the Alzheimer’s Association — to support individuals and families affected by the disease and find a cure for Alzheimer’s.

There is no minimum donation to be included in the tribute program. To participate, contact the Alzheimer’s Association, Central New York Chapter by phone or visit the tribute page at alzcny.org to download a donation form or make a donation at our secure website.