Get ready to dance, at the “Shall We Dance?” Alzheimer Benefit Dance.

People of all ages will participate in the benefit dance to help raise awareness and fund research for the Greater Illinois Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.

The event will feature raffle prizes, a silent auction, free food and drinks and a variety of music from the 30’s to the 90’s to get people in a dancing mood.

Janna Overstreet, the head of the Academy of Lifetime Learning, is coordinating the event.

“We saw it as an opportunity to bring together different generations to combat a disease that affects all generations. Many students have grandparents or great-grandparents that have Alzheimer’s, which can be very troubling,” Overstreet said.

Along with the Academy, more than 60 organizations and people have donated items to the raffle and silent auction.

There will be more than 25 raffle items, more than 25 silent auction items and more than 50 door prizes. All money from the raffle and silent auction will go to the Alzheimer’s Association.

The dancing will be led by the EIU Dancers, who will encourage those attending to learn new dances. Whether it is the Cupid Shuffle, or the Macarena, these dances will unite different cultures of seniors and students. This unity can bring a greater understanding to the risk senior citizens can face with Alzheimer’s disease.

Students attending can learn more about Alzheimer’s at the dance from donators Theresa and Joseph Gowin of the Gowin Parc Alzheimer’s facility.

“We try to have one annual fundraiser to raise money for the cause. This year, Eastern has come to us and said they were trying to plan a big event and we thought it would be a great way to combine our efforts,” Joseph Gowin said.

“Shall We Dance?” takes place on Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union. Tickets are $5 for Eastern students and Academy members and $10 for any one else.

Matt Congreve can be reached at 581-2812 or

[email protected].