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House marks Alzheimer’s Awareness Day; adopts resolutions celebrating tourism, museums & libraries and Youth of the Year
Summary
The Vermont House designated April 10 as Alzheimer’s Awareness Day and read and adopted concurrent resolutions recognizing tourism's economic role, Boys & Girls Clubs Youth of the Year, and Museums & Libraries Day; performing artist Carol Ann Jones led a devotional focused on memory and music.
Lawmakers and guests gathered at the State House on April 10 for Alzheimer’s Awareness Day and several ceremonial recognitions. The House read and adopted four House Concurrent Resolutions by consent: HCR 70 designating April 10 as Alzheimer’s Awareness Day; HCR 66 declaring Tourism Economy Day; HCR 74 congratulating the 2025 Boys & Girls Clubs of Vermont Youth of the Year honorees; and HCR 73 designating Museums and Libraries Day.
Performing artist Carol Ann Jones of Alzheimer’s Awareness led the chamber’s devotional and recounted her experience working in memory-care settings and leading music programs for residents. Jones described visiting a neighbor with Alzheimer’s and later taking a part-time role at a nursing home to play and chart residents’ favorite songs; she told members she created a one-woman show, The Power of Music, and shared a story about a resident named Charlotte who sang high soprano notes even as her memory declined. "She would always call on her to sing the high parts during our weekly sing alongs at the Converse Home," Jones said.
HCR 70, as read aloud in the House, cites federal and state statistics: nearly 7,000,000 Americans age 65 and older live with Alzheimer’s, about 12,800 Vermonters age 65 and older live with the disease (9.9 percent of that age cohort per the most recent calculation cited in the resolution), and Alzheimer’s was listed as the cause of death for 329 Vermonters in 2022. The resolution also notes approximately 20,000 Vermonters provide an estimated 29,000,000 hours of unpaid care, valued in the resolution at $773,000,000. The House read the resolution and directed the secretary of state to send a copy to the Alzheimer’s Association, Vermont chapter.
Members used the occasion to highlight programs and people in their districts. The member from Georgia, introducing Jones to the chamber, noted Jones is a certified Music & Memory and GRMA instructor and a certified dementia-care trainer who worked at the Converse Home in Burlington. "Music helps dementia patients... it opens up doorways to memories and words and creates a happy spirit," the member from Georgia said, describing how music can improve mood, appetite and cooperation among residents.
The chamber also read HCR 66, which the House said recognizes tourism as a major economic driver in Vermont with an estimated $4,000,000,000 economic impact and more than 30,000 jobs cited in the text read aloud. HCR 74 congratulated four Youth of the Year honorees from local Boys & Girls Clubs and directed the secretary of state to send copies of the resolution to each honoree. HCR 73 honors museums and libraries and identifies the Vermont Historical Society among the institutions recognized; the resolution directs the secretary of state to send a copy to the Vermont Historical Society.
All four concurrent resolutions were read as adopted pursuant to the consent calendar and will be transmitted as directed in each text. Members welcomed guests in the gallery and recognized students, advocates and cultural groups who had come to the State House for the observances.
