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The bad news: African Americans in the United States die about six years sooner than persons of any other race. Elderly African Americans in Detroit are especially susceptible to heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke.

The good news: This trend can be reversed - and Wayne State's Institute of Gerontology is helping to do so. The institute's Healthier Black Elders Center (HBEC) researches issues in aging and educates seniors about how to stay healthy.

On June 7, the center celebrates this mission with its third annual "Health Reception." Admission is free to Detroit's senior citizens and their families. From 10 a.m . - 2:30 p.m., at Erma Henderson Park, (adjacent to the Whittier at 415 Burns Drive, off Jefferson) the HBEC will provide live music, lunch, light exercise opportunities and screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol and risk of stroke. Last year, about 700 persons attended.

"I love this event," says Olivia Washington, HBEC director and associate professor in the Institute of Gerontology and the WSU College of Nursing. "This is our thank you to the city as well as a call to arms to do more."

The Whittier, built in 1927 as a luxury 400-room hotel, sat vacant for more than a year until developers purchased the structure in 2003. It will be renovated into elegant senior housing and mixed-generation condominiums.

Spearheading the transformation is Melvin Washington (no relation to Olivia Washington), president of Phoenix Group Consultants, primary sponsor of the Health Reception. "I was born and raised here," Washington says. "I saw the decline right before my eyes." He wants to resurrect the best of Detroit's neighborhoods so seniors can age healthy, safe and happy.

To learn more about the June 7 event, call the Institute of Gerontology at 313-871-0735.

Contact:  Cheryl Deep
Voice: (313-577-2297)