In celebration of its 40th anniversary, the Susquehanna Valley Chorale is hosting a series of events focusing on Alzheimer’s disease. Beginning today, the Chorale will begin selling large purple bows to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Association, Greater Pennsylvania Chapter. The bows will be displayed outside on front doors, mailboxes, light posts and windows throughout the Susquehanna River Valley, in many communities and neighborhoods.

The bows will sell for $20. The net profit will benefit the Alzheimer’s Association, Greater Pennsylvania Chapter which will use the funds to deliver programs and services to individuals and families in the local community, as well as for research. To purchase a bow, call Dede Gronlund at 524-0122.

The bows were made by Mystic Alley in Wapwallopen. The company has been creating handmade bows since 1990. Their website, www.CarBows.com, has supplied discounted red, white and blue bows and yellow bows to families, cities and towns for troop support and homecomings in the first Gulf War and continues with this effort now. The purple ribbon is made locally by Berwick Offray.

In addition to the sale of purple bows, the chorale has commissioned a new choral/orchestral work focused on Alzheimer’s disease. The piece is called “Alzheimer’s Stories” and is the result of more than 70 personal anecdotes/stories submitted to the Chorale by people in the Susquehanna River Valley and focused on their experience with Alzheimer’s disease. The premiere of this unique work will be performed at the Monument to Memory concert at 8 p.m. Oct. 9 at Bucknell’s Weis Center for the Performing Arts. Concert tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for students, and are available by calling 523-1041 or through the chorale’s Web site, www.svcmusic.org.

The Chorale will also host an art quilt exhibit as part of this educational series. “Alzheimer’s: Forgetting Piece by Piece” is being brought to Lewisburg and displayed at Riverwoods Nursing Facility Oct. 2-4 (Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.).

This nationally-touring exhibit is a 52-art quilt collection, each quilt designed around the Alzheimer’s experience. There will also be book signings by Carole Fulmer and Jeanne Wilhelm and a quilt raffle of a large lap quilt. Donations are welcome.