HOUSTON –
Near unanimous support for BOLD Act
When’s the last time all but three members of both houses of Congress voted in favor of anything? They did it in December with the passage of the Building Our Largest Dementia Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s, or BOLD, Act.” The near nanimous vote in the U.S. Senate gives hope to advocates throughout the country. “This is the federal government’s attempt to bring in all the stakeholders, state, federal, tribal governments and the health departments to incorporate all the communities underneath one umbrella to address Alzheimer’s,” said John Harris on this week’s Houston Newsmakers with Khambrel Marshall. Harris is the Alzheimer’s Association director of federal policy for the state of Texas.
Mike McGuff knows the pain of this terrible disease. His mother was diagnosed at age 53 and died five years later. He is an Alzheimer’s advocacy ambassador and uses his social media platform to help promote awareness. “I try to inform my audience with the latest news,” he said. “There’s always so many different articles and studies that come out on Alzheimer’s and I think the more that we get the word out there the better because it’s something that could affect everyone.
Former President George H.W. Bush granddaughter writes great American love story
Ellie LeBlond Sosa knew George and Barbara Bush better than most. As a granddaughter, she was surrounded by their love and affection and writes about it in her book, "George and Barbara Bush, A Great American Love Story."
“Family friends and their faith was a huge part of their life,” she said. “And I think the foundation of that, being able to have so many friends and to have such close relationships with their family was making sure that they put each other first.” LeBlond Sosa will be one of the featured authors in May for the 25th anniversary of the Celebration of Reading sponsored by the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation.
Julie Baker Finck, president of the foundation, and says the priorities of Barbara Bush remain very much alive.
“We’re really working forward through our My Home Library program and working with other community-based partners to make sure that children have books in their home and parents have books, especially parents with young children have books that they can read to their children much like what you saw Mrs. Bush doing,” Finck said.
She’s Happy Foundation makes community happy with free give away
Warren Broadnax is a Houston native who went from the Navy to the Houston Fire Department to entrepreneur and CEO of She’s Happy Hair, one of the largest virgin hair suppliers in the United States. He’s doing well but says he has never forgotten his roots and is giving back Saturday, Feb. 9 at Texas Southern University.
“We’re going to give you free services. You can come in get your hair done for free, nail services for free. With the foundation, we took it to the next level. We’ve added things for the community like 10 pallets of food from the Houston Food Bank, free immunizations. We have a job fair going on as well.”
More Information:
• John Harris, Alzheimer’s Association Director Federal Public Policy for Texas
• alz.org/texas
• 800-272-3900
• Twitter: @alztex
• Mike McGuff, Alzheimer’s Advocacy Ambassador
• mikemcguff.blogspot.com
• Email:mcguffblog@gmail.com
• Twitter: @mikemcguff
• Ellie LeBlond Sosa, Author, George and Barbara Bush, A Great American Love Story
• https://amzn.to/2DNA1qD
• https://bit.ly/2UymyZo
• Julie Baker Finck, Ph.D.,President Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation
• bushhoustonliteracy.org
• 346-212-2310
• Email: info@bushhoustonliteracy.org
• Twitter: @BushHoustonLit
• Warren Broadnax, CEO, She’s Happy Foundation
• sheshappyhair.com
• 832-707-9975
• Twitter: @ShesHappyHair
6th Annual Happy Experience
Saturday February 9th
Texas Southern University Rec Center
2pm to 7pm