Look for painted pianos to pop up around town to support Alzheimer's Project
- Purple pianos will be placed throughout Tallahassee beginning November 1st to raise awareness about Alzheimer's Disease and the Alzheimer's Project Inc. in Tallahassee.
Keep an eye out for purple pianos popping up throughout Tallahassee in November.
The colorful musical instruments are to promote the fight against Alzheimer's disease, while supporting Alzheimer's Project Inc. in Tallahassee. The pianos were the result of City Commissioner Gil Ziffer's enthusiasm to shed light on causes that affect our community. The Alzheimer's Project is a nonprofit organization that provides support and assistance to those with memory disorders and other forms of dementia, along with their caregivers.
The pianos are set to make their debut around Tallahassee on Nov. 1 — the first day of National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month. But, Ziffer and the purple piano posse are still looking for more pianos to be donated to the cause to be refurbished and painted purple. There are 16 pianos currently.
Ziffer is also open to suggestions for locations to place the pianos around town. If interested in donating a piano, being a sponsor or if you have an idea for a location, visit PlayOurPianos.com and fill out a suggestion form.
"It's fun and it's a festive time of year," Ziffer said. "There's something nice about people coming together to enjoy someone playing the piano."
The pianos will reside at the Northwood Center until Nov. 1. There they will be refurbished, painted and tuned. Once they've been freshened up they will be placed around Tallahassee until the New Year.
After that, the pianos will be donated to places where they can be used or headed back to storage. Ziffer is open to any ideas the public has on what to do with the pianos after the first of the year that will raise money for the Alzheimer's project.
The idea of brightly colored pianos dispersed in different locations isn't new to Tallahassee. This is the second year Ziffer will use pianos to promote a cause. Last year, pink pianos were used to continue raising awareness for breast cancer after Breast Cancer Awareness Month ended. A few of the places the pink pianos busted out tunes were Midtown Manor, Hotel Duval and Kleman Plaza.
"Most people are touched by breast cancer and Alzheimer's and can identify with these causes," Ziffer said.
Around $6,000 was raised during the pink piano crusade. And this year hopes are to raise $10,000 for Alzheimer's Project.
"We're not only excited about the money it's generating, it's also promoting awareness around town in such a unique way," Jessica Duncan, Alzheimer's Project marketing director, said. "Having the pianos as a symbol of that is so neat."
There will be a kickoff event at Northwood Center with all of the pianos before they are distributed throughout the city. People can play the pianos and see who is sponsoring them. Kids — even adults— are encouraged to wear their costumes from Halloween to play the pianos.
Duncan pointed out the power music plays with people who have Alzheimer's. It's usually one of the last traits affected by memory loss, she pointed out.
"When you play a song from their past they just start singing it," Duncan said. "They may have not said anything all day, but that music will trigger a memory and they will start singing."
If you'd like to donate a piano, be a sponsor ,or raise money for the Alzheimer's Project fill out a form at PlayOurPianos.com .
If you go:
What:
"Play for Memories" recital to kick-off the purple pianos being distributed around Tallahassee. You can play on one of the purple pianos ,or sign up to play a recital piece on the Grand Piano in front of the entire crowd.
When:
Nov. 1, 1 p.m
Where:
Northwood Centre Lobby
Contact:
Gina Marie with Jims Pianos if you'd like to sign up to play on the Grand Piano, gina@jimspianos.com