Fundraising Event for Alzheimer’s Association to be Held at Old Post Office in Chicago Loop Hosted by Rita Hayworth

CHICAGO (WLS) — The Alzheimer’s Association is getting ready to hold its annual Rita Hayworth Gala on Saturday, May 10 at the historic Old Post Office in Chicago.

This yearly fundraising event will unite philanthropists, advocates, and community leaders to celebrate the memory of Hollywood star, dancer, and producer, Rita Hayworth. Hayworth’s journey with Alzheimer’s disease motivated her daughter, Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, to create the Rita Hayworth Galas, with the inaugural gathering taking place in 1984.

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Aga Khan, the honorary vice chair of the Alzheimer’s Association, will oversee the night’s festivities, accompanied by Gala Chairs Rozmin and Ebrahim Valliani, who are passionately committed to this cause in honor of Ebrahim’s grandmother, injecting a deeply personal touch to their leadership contribution.

“We are deeply honored to chair this year’s Rita Hayworth Gala,” said Rozmin and Ebrahim Valliani. “What began as a way to honor Ebrahim’s grandmother has grown into a family tradition. On behalf of our family and the millions of others touched by this disease, we are committed to raising awareness and critical funds for the Alzheimer’s Association to help move closer to a cure.”

This year’s gala will feature a sophisticated evening of dining, dancing, and storytelling, aimed at raising awareness and funds for the Alzheimer’s Association’s care, support and research programs. Guests will have the opportunity to participate in a silent auction and enjoy live entertainment by Rush Street Rhythm.

In 2024, the Rita Hayworth Gala in Chicago raised nearly $900,000, directly supporting the Alzheimer’s Association’s initiatives in care, support, and research. Over the past four decades, the gala, combined with its sister event in New York City, have been impactful fundraisers for the Association, generating over $90 million to drive progress toward its vision of a world without Alzheimer’s and all other dementia.

In addition to raising critical funds, the events shed light on a condition that touches the lives of nearly seven million Americans and over 11 million family members and caregivers nationwide. In Illinois alone, there are more than 250,600 people aged 65 and older with Alzheimer’s dementia and more than 311,000 Illinoisans providing unpaid care to a loved one with the disease.

Tickets and tables for the gala are available now. Exclusive rates are available for individuals under 40, highlighting the organization’s dedication to involving the Next Generation in carrying forward its legacy.

For more information, ticket and table purchases, or donations, visit alz.org/chicagogala.