Edgar Virts with Cindy Yingling, Vice President for Development for EMA, and Community Foundation Trustee George Lewis.

New Fund at Community Foundation Benefits Alzheimer's Care at the Copper Ridge Institute

February 26, 2008: The Community Foundation of Frederick County is pleased to announce that long-time Jefferson resident Edgar C. Virts, Jr. has created The Edgar and Geraldine Virts Fund for The Copper Ridge Institute to aid persons with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders, and their families, and to help in the training of healthcare professionals serving them.

Edgar Virts is well known throughout the community for his commitment to helping those with Alzheimer’s disease, which claimed the life of his beloved wife Geraldine in 1995. His campaign against the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s disease has led him to create The Edgar and Geraldine Virts Fund for The Copper Ridge Institute.

The Copper Ridge Institute is recognized worldwide as a leader in research and care for those afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders and is affiliated with The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. It recently received a $5,000 grant from the Fund toward the production of a training DVD for home caregivers of loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease. “This caregiver training will also be available online on our website www.alzcast.org beginning March 15th,” said Cindy Yingling, Vice Preside for Development for EMA, the parent organization of The Copper Ridge Institute.

Ms. Yingling said improving the quality of life for people with dementia and their caregivers is central to the mission of The Copper Ridge Institute. “We thank Mr. Virts for his generosity and advocacy of this cause which currently affects five million people across the country.”

Generous citizens seeking to create positive and lasting change through philanthropy turn to the expertise and credibility of The Community Foundation of Frederick County to create funds that provide grants to worthy nonprofit organizations and scholarships to deserving students. Because of their generosity, the Community Foundation has awarded over $17 million since 1986.

To make a secure, online donation to The Edgar and Geraldine Virts Fund for The Copper Ridge Institute, click here. Checks may be made payable to The Community Foundation of Frederick County and mailed to 312 East Church Street, Frederick, Maryland 21701. Simply insert the Fund’s name in the check’s memo line. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.