Stacy Schinderle, center, purchases the first ticket for an evening April 22 with singer-songwriter Jay Allen from Trisha Peterson, left, chair of Dementia Warrior group, and Teresa Clement, the group’s treasurer. The performance by Allen, a former contestant on NBC’s “The Voice,” is a fundraiser to support treatment and care of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. (Submitted photo via Iron Mountain Daily News)

IRON MOUNTAIN — The Dementia Warrior group hopes to hit all the right notes next month with its first fundraising effort, hosting an evening with Jay Allen, a former contestant of “The Voice.”

The local non-profit group selling a limited number of tickets for “A Night to Remember With Jay Allen” set for Saturday, April 22, at The Braumart Theatre in downtown Iron Mountain. Doors will open at 6 p.m., with the concert to start at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $75 each, with only 300 tickets left at this time. Each ticket is good for admission to the concert. There will be beverages available for purchase, along with various raffles taking place, that night only. There will be a pre-party at Polly’s Underground upstairs starting at 5 p.m. Attendees can get group photos and Allen will come over after the show for a meet and greet.

This event is an initial fundraising effort for the Dementia Warrior group, with hopes that future similar events may happen on an annual basis. Group Chair Trisha Peterson noted that everyone with a ticket will be able to attend this one-night event.

Founded in fall 2022, the Dementia Warrior group is comprised of various professionals, caregivers and volunteers. Group members have a passion for increasing awareness, reducing stigma related to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, supporting person’s living with the disease, and raising funds to help support various local groups that assist caregivers also.

This group works to improve quality of life, advocate legislation for increased benefits and care and provide and support charitable assistance to persons living with Alzheimer’s disease/dementia, their families and the community.As a dementia/Alzheimer’s disease-focused group, most of its volunteer activities lean toward supporting persons affected with this disease in some way.

The group hopes to raise $25,000 at the concert, helping fund its activities for various local organizations. Some of the money will also be donated to The Alzheimer’s Association, which formed in 1980. They are the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support and research. They work on a national and local level to provide care and support for all those affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

Raised funds will also go to Family Ties, a local adult day care agency that is the only one of its kind in the Iron Mountain, Kingsford and Niagara, Wis., area.

Family Ties is a structured program that provides stimulating activities and socialization as a vital part of the center’s daily routine. The setting allows the individual the opportunity to gain a feeling of accomplishment from participating in the activities of the center.

The center also provides respite for the caregiver. Respite allows the caregiver time to accomplish daily responsibilities while their loved one is cared for in a safe, secure and stimulating environment. The center creates an option to families other than placement in a long-term care facility. This option allows the participant the opportunity to remain in their own home, living in familiar surroundings, while at the same time supporting the family’s needs. The caregiver has time to take care of the daily necessities of living while getting some much-needed respite from the care of their family member.

Fundraising efforts will also be distributed to the Dementia Friendly Community Organization in support of their comfort bag project. The comfort bags are given to first responders, law enforcement, clinics, hospitals, senior centers and caregivers. The bags help when interacting with people affected by dementia/Alzheimer’s disease. Funds for this project will help purchase more supplies, in hopes that more bags can be made and distributed. Local nursing homes that provide care for persons living with dementia/Alzheimer’s disease will also benefit from this event, and will receive funds for various projects aimed at enriching the lives of those affected by this disease.

Trisha Peterson’s late husband had Alzheimer’s disease for six years before he died in 2021. Peterson has been friends with Jay Allen on Facebook and reached out to Allen after Dan’s death, as he had lost his mother to early-onset Alzheimer’s in 2019. After seeing his mother suffer from Alzheimer’s, Allen wrote “Blank Stares.” A video of him performing the song with his mother on stage in Iowa went viral, with more than 500 million views on Facebook. Allen continues to tour the country as an advocate for the Alzheimer’s Association, and the song has gone on to raise more than $100 million to help fight the disease.

Allen has been featured on NBC’s “The Voice,” “ABC World News,” People TV, “Pickler & Ben,” and in People and Forbes magazines, among others. He was selected as The Highway Find on Sirius XM with his song “Sounds Good to Me,” won the 2022 Country Now Awards as Favorite Competition Contestant, and was recognized as one of Music Mayhem Magazine’s 2023 Artists to Watch. He was also presented The Caregiver Award by The National Alzheimer’s Association. Allen recently married UMG artist Kylie Morgan and he is set to hit country radio this year.

“This is a extraordinary event to take place here in the historic Braumart Theater in downtown Iron Mountain,” said Teresa Clement, group treasurer. “We are hopeful that we will meet our goal for fundraising dollars, and are excited to see this concert, in person, while listening to Jay talk about his journey he travelled with his mother while she battled Alzheimer’s.”

Tickets can be purchased online at TheBraumart.org, under the events tab. Tickets can also be purchased at The Braumart Theater and WJNR Radio Station at 212 W. J St. in Iron Mountain. Those who would like to donate to the raffle can call Trisha Peterson at 906-774-5731.

For further information about Jay Allen, go online to jayallenofficial.com or the Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org.