The Arthritis Foundation opened an office here in Sioux Falls in April 2012 to bring education, programs, and services to our area. So many people do not realize that arthritis affects more than just the elderly and that it is the leading cause of disability in our country. One in five adults and 300,000 children in the United States have been diagnosed with arthritis, and there are so many more that have gone undiagnosed living in our area. Our mission is to reach out and provide the necessary education and information to our South Dakota residents on how and where to find the help that they need, and to provide funds for research that will eventually find a cure.
The Arthritis Foundation is hosting our first regional Art for Arthritis Gala in our region (SD, ND, MN, WI) here in Sioux Falls, and we respectfully ask you for a donation of an art piece for this important event. Your donation will be used in our live and/or silent auction on August 23, 2013 from 6:30 to 10:30 pm at ICON Lounge, catered by Parker’s Bistro. All of the proceeds of this event will be used for education, outreach, and research for South Dakota, and 70% will be used right here in the Sioux Falls area. The guest list will consist of local physicians and business owners, leaders in our community, and art-lovers! Tickets are $75.00 each and you will receive one complimentary ticket for your artwork donation.
Most people don’t think about children having arthritis, but more than 1,000 children in South Dakota have been diagnosed with this painful and crippling disease. Our Art for Arthritis Gala has already teamed five local children affected by juvenile arthritis with local artists to spend some time together this summer creating a unique piece of art. The collaborative pieces, in addition to artwork donated by other local artists will be auctioned off at the Art for Arthritis Gala on the evening of August 23, 2013 at ICON Lounge in Sioux Falls, in order to raise money for South Dakota programs and services, as well as nationwide arthritis research for new treatments and a hopeful cure. We would also love to hear from you if you have an interest in being a mentor artist to a child with juvenile arthritis for this event in future years!
The event, however, is much more than just a fundraiser. It affords local children with arthritis an introduction to the arts and offers them an opportunity to explore alternative methods of self-expression since so many of them are prevented from participating in traditional extra-curricular activities due to their disease. Art for Arthritis empowers participants by introducing them to other children dealing with similar circumstances, and they learn that they can work together to fight against arthritis by raising awareness about their disease and supporting an agency that advocates on their behalf. Arthritis education is crucial for juvenile arthritis, as well as adult forms of arthritis. Many don’t know that there are multiple forms of arthritis, including osteoarthritis, traumatic, rheumatic, gout, fibromyalgia, lupus, and many more! In addition, many don’t realize that arthritis is linked with other common diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. The upcoming 2013 gala will be the first in our area, and we would love to have you be a part of it.
Contact Vickie Goodwin vgoodwin@arthritis.org, 605-201-7973 or Allison Alvine allisonalvine@msn.com, 605-212-1445
