RIVER FALLS/HUDSON – In partnership with the ADRC of Pierce County, the ADRC of St. Croix County, and the St. Croix Valley Dementia Friendly Communities Coalition, CLIMB Theatre will present their Alzheimer’s Awareness play, “Grandpa and Lucy,” live at Wellhaven Senior Living at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8 and Hudson United Methodist Church at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov 9.

November is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, and CLIMB is helping spread awareness with their play, “Grandpa and Lucy,” based on the children’s book by Edie Weinstein. Starting as a Girl Scout Silver Award project, Edie wrote the book as a ninth grader. CLIMB Artistic Director Anton Jones then adapted the book into CLIMB’s play version, which first toured in 2019. This play aims to help kids and parents strengthen their intergenerational relationships with older relatives who may be struggling with Alzheimer’s or other forms of Dementia.

“I hope people see the ways in which a young person can be educated and comforted in the face of a grandparent moving into a form of dementia,” said Buuy Sedlachek, director of Grandpa and Lucy. “What we really want to do is be in the moment, whatever the moment is with the person who is losing their memory.”

This event is free and open to the public and is great for an intergenerational audience, ages 5 and up. To register, visit https://tinyurl. com/grandpaandlucytour. Registration is not required. There will be a talkback following the event.

Through the ADRC, everyone in Pierce and St. Croix Counties also has free access to CLIMB’s online platform of additional resources, including an animated version of the play, fun activities, and supplemental curriculum. To sign up or log into an existing account, visit this link: https://climb-theatre.mykajabi. com/intergenerational digital-wi CLIMB Theatre is a youth-centered organization that uses theatre to teach social- emotional learning in a way that is intentionally intersectional. Based out of Inver Grove Heights, Minn., the touring company brings programming to schools, libraries, and beyond across the Midwest. Their mission is to inspire and propel people towards acts that bene- fit themselves, others, and their community. Grandpa and Lucy is a part of their euorts to forge intergenera tional connections and support young people within the community.

Submitted by Pierce County ADRC