Why are Parrot Head Clubs such ardent supporters of a cure for Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia? Here’s our story.
Jimmy Buffett’s father, James Delaney (JD) Buffett Jr, died at 83 from complications of Alzheimer’s (ALZ) Disease in May of 2003. Jimmy was 57 at the time, and the impact of his father’s 9 year fight greatly affected the family. They were fortunate to be financially secure and able to afford the caregivers needed to allow him to remain at home with his wife of 61 years, Jimmy’s mom Mary Loraine Buffett, known to all as “Peets” (her maiden name).
When JD sailed on, for many Parrot Heads his passing was a first exposure to ALZ. Many of us were in our late 30s to 50s then, so our parents were relatively young. We began participating in the local Alzheimer’s Association’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s to honor JD. Jimmy was touched and supported our efforts wholeheartedly.
The ALZ Association was formed in 1980 by people who recognized the need for an organization that would unite caregivers, provide support for Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia for both patients and their families, and advance research efforts. Those words “and other forms of dementia” are vital to note. Alzheimer’s is the most widely known form of dementia, but each of the 5 variants are equally important and tragic – Vascular Dementia, Lewy Body Dementia (LBD), Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) and Mixed Dementia, which is often a combination of ALZ and Vascular. A light has recently been shining on FTD by the family of actor Bruce Willis as they document his disease progression. The last year of life for beloved actor Robin Williams was tragic as his personality changed. Only after his suicide in 2014 was it discovered he was suffering from LBD. Money raised through the ALZ Association helps support ALL forms of dementia.
In 2008 when the National Walk To End Alzheimer’s Teams were formed, Parrot Heads in Paradise (PHIP), our governing body, joined the ranks of much larger organizations and became an inaugural National Team. We are in the company of Rotary International, Edward Jones and other powerhouse entities. As of 2025, our PHIP National Teams – which are made up of PH Clubs all over the country – encompass both the Walks and The Longest Day Campaigns. TLD has recently undergone a rebranding and is now known as the “Do What You Love to End ALZ” Campaign. Our combined fundraising goal is an annual $350,000.00 in donations, a lofty goal for a small organization of just over 20,000 members. Along the way, our involvement has become much more personal. There are very few of us now who are not touched by ALZ or another form of dementia – our parents, our siblings, our spouses. We’re of that age. And so we fundraise for those we love, both those we’ve lost and those still in the fight. But we can’t do it alone.
Saturday night, September 20th we will host our annual FUNraiser to support our Woodlands ALZ Walk Team. We’ll be upstairs in the party room at GuadalaHarry’s in downtown Conroe, 219 Simonton. The event is open to the public. Tickets are only 50.00 and include a bountiful fajita buffet and a night of fun entertainment. ALL, 100%, of the proceeds from our raffle, auction and Mini Mart Store will be combined with our individual fundraising efforts and donated to the Woodlands Walk To End Alzheimer’s. We have some really fun and creative items up for grabs, but we can’t meet our fundraising goal without the support of our friends and family in the community. We need your help!
For tickets, go to our club website at 5oclockphlock.com and follow the link. Any questions, just contact me via text at 713-825-0141 and I’ll call you right back. TOGETHER, we can have some serious fun fighting this serious disease. TOGETHER we can do this!
Kris is President of The 5 O’Clock Phlock Parrot Head Club, the PHC of the Lake Conroe/Woodlands area. Email KrisCommService@gmail.com or text 713 825-0141. Follow the club on Facebook at www.facebook.com/5OClockPhlock. For more info, visit the website at www.5oclockphlock.com.