CRESTON, IA—The Southwestern Community College (SWCC) women’s basketball team is hosting an Alzheimer’s Awareness Game on Thursday, December 15, at 6 p.m., in the Student Center gymnasium. During the game, the Spartans will face Iowa Western Community College of Council Bluffs.
Everyone attending the game is encouraged to wear purple. Prior to the game, purple SWCC Alzheimer’s T-shirts will be on sale for $10 (see photo at right). All proceeds from the gate admissions, concessions, and T-shirt sales will be donated to the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Iowa Chapter. Representatives from the Alzheimer’s Association will be present before and during the game to answer questions and sell Alzheimer’s awareness wristbands.
SWCC Head Women’s Basketball Coach Brett Gilcrist feels this effort and others like it will help his players become more well-rounded individuals both on and off the court. “Part of our responsibility as a program is to use our platform to draw people's awareness to various causes,” Gilcrist explained.
According to Gilcrist, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are close to the hearts of the SWCC women’s basketball coaching staff. “Amanda (Dahlseng, SWCC assistant coach) and I each have family members who have suffered and lost their battles due to this disease,” SWCC Head Coach Brett Gilcrist stated. “Therefore, we thought it would be appropriate to dedicate one of our games toward drawing attention to the issue and raising money for research."
According to the Alzheimer’s Association website, 5.4 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease today. The disease causes problems with memory, thinking, and behavior, and accounts for 50 to 80 percent of dementia cases. Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States and the fifth leading cause of death for those aged 65 and older.
Questions may be directed to Brett Gilcrist, SWCC head women’s basketball coach, at