Gerald Albright and Kirk Whalum in concert at the Aronoff to benefit The HealthCare Connection – Photo by Dr. Michael Kreines The HealthCare Connection’s Fifth Annual Signature Fall Jazz Concert was a resounding success, raising $25,000 for The Health- Care Connection’s Diabetes Initiative. Gerald Albright and Kirk Whalum delighted the crowd of more than 1,500 at the Aronoff with an evening of smooth jazz, preceded by opening act Monk River Latin Jazz and a VIP reception featuring food donated by local restaurants and caterers. John Lomax of WKRC-TV served as master of ceremonies for the event.

The HealthCare Connection’s Signature Fall Jazz Concert is dedicated to providing support for services to diabetic patients. The Diabetes Initiative involves offering new services, supplies and enhanced, specialized care to aid with earlier detection and increased selfmanagement of the disease. Diabetes affects 18.2 million Americans or about 8 percent of the population. Hispanics and African Americans are almost twice as likely to develop the disease as other ethnic groups, with these two groups making up 63 percent of the patient population of The Health- Care Connection.

Monk River Latin Jazz performed before the Albright-Whalum concert. Photo by Michael Kreines Sponsors for the event include Jazz Greats: The Art Institute of Ohio Cincinnati (The International Culinary Schools), Cincinnati Chil dren’s Hospital Medical Center and Cintas Corporation. Jazz Partners were: The Pepper Family Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation, Carole and Ed Rigaud, Hospice and TriHealth, University Hospital and Ethicon Endo-Surgery.

The HealthCare Connection thanks sponsors and concert goers for their support of this important initiative. THCC also extends thanks to the very special Hosts and Hostesses as well as to the concert committee members, who volunteer many hours each year to ensure the Jazz Concert’s success.

Delores Lindsay, CEO of The HealthCare Connection, at center, and Honorary Co-chairs Dawn and Carl Satterwhite, at left, and Anthony and DeDe Munoz, at right, are shown at the preconcert V.I.P reception. Photo by Dan Yount The HealthCare Connec tion provides primary care services to underserved populations in Northern Hamilton County neighborhoods, including Lincoln Heights, Mt. Healthy and Forest Park, and at four behavioral health co-locations in College Hill, Corryville, Walnut Hills and Western Hills. It is Ohio’s oldest federally qualified health center and will celebrate its 45th anniversary in 2012.

For more information, please visit www.healthcareconnection.org or call 513- 483-3081. Click on the link on our home page to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/hcconnection.

John Lomax was master of ceremonies. Photo by Michael Kreines
Phyllis McCallum & Steve Jemison, co-chairs of the Fifth Annual Signature Fall Jazz Concert steering committee – photo by Dan Yount
Culinary Institute: The staff of the Art Institute of Ohio Cincinnati (The International Culinary Schools) prepares food for the VIP Reception. The Culinary School was a major donor of food for the reception – Photo by Michael Kreines
Merri Gaither Smith, Miriam West, Leslie Kreines,Arzell Nelson, and Yvonne Edmonds-West are concert committee members. Photo by Dan Yount
Singers with The Wannabes were Lavienna Campbell, Melvin Williams and Dr. Karen Bankston. Photo by Dan Yount
A Cincinnati group, The Wannabes, performed at the preconcert reception. From left are Dr. Alvin Crawford, Ed Croushore, and Chris Kinnard. Photo by Dan Yount
HealthCare Connection board members attending the concert were Dale Tolbert, Beverly Leonard, Nina Lewis and Charlotte Powell. Photo by Dan Yount
Enjoying the preconcert reception were Dr. Bernie Lenchitz, medical director, The Health Care Connection; LaVerne Mitchell, board member, The HealthCare Connection; Nina Lewis, board chair, The HealthCare Connection; Linda Childs-Jeter, board member, The HealthCare Connection. Photo by Dan Yount