First Ever Mardi Gras Memory Ball Fights Alzheimer’s Disease, Highlighting the Personal Connections to the Cause So Many Have

Starting a New Tradition in The Woodlands Area

BY Laura Landsbaum // 02.20.24

photography Matthew Shetz - FOCUS Woodlands

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Beth Bryan, Dr. Melissa C. Bowman, Vanessa Meyer, Leslie Reilly and Susan Salinger make the scene at the Mardi Gras Memory Ball at the Conroe Hyatt Regency.

Carl D. & Bridgette Farris, Shawn Rouege,and Daniel Rouege Jr. supported the inaugural Mardi Gras Memory Ball.

Sonya & Kevin Brazeal were named to the inaugural ALZ Krewe at the gala.

KHOU reporter Marcelino Benito emceed the Alzheimer's Association's Mardi Gras Memory Ball. Benito lost his mother to Alzheimer's disease last year. (Photo by Matthew Shetz - FOCUS Woodlands)

Donna Thomas, George Grabowski and Karen Heger strike a pose.. George and Karen shared their experiences as caregivers to Donna Grabowski at the Memory Ball gala.

Shon and Bonnie Sims were crowned King and Queen of the ALZ Krewe at the inaugural Mardi Gras Memory Ball.

Mardi Gras Memory Ball's co-chairs were Perisha Burnham and Leslie Reilly have a personal connection to the cause. (Photo by Matthew Shetz - FOCUS Woodlands)

Beth Bryan, Dr. Melissa C. Bowman, Vanessa Meyer, Leslie Reilly and Susan Salinger make the scene at the Mardi Gras Memory Ball at the Conroe Hyatt Regency.

Plenty of purple, green, beads and masks were on display at the inaugural “Mardi Gras Memory Ball,” put on by The Alzheimer’s Association’s Houston & Southeast Texas Chapter. The evening was co-chaired by Perisha Burnham and Leslie Reilly, and emceed by Marcelino Benito, a weekend anchor and reporter at KHOU Ch. 11 who lost his mother to Alzheimer’s disease. The night raised more than $163,000 for Alzheimer’s and dementia care, support and research.

“We are honored to co-chair the Mardi Gras Memory Ball to help raise awareness for the Alzheimer’s Association, the research they fund and the support they provide families dealing with this disease,” Burnham says. “We all know someone who has been affected by this disease.

“This is an opportunity for the community to come together to support our neighbors who are caring for and living with dementia.”

Mardi Gras Memory Ball's co-chairs were Perisha Burnham and Leslie Reilly have a personal connection to the cause. — Mardi Gras Memory Ball’s co-chairs were Perisha Burnham and Leslie Reilly have a personal connection to the cause.

Burnham and Reilly were excited to partner together for a cause close to their hearts. While serving as committee chairs for the local Walk to End Alzheimer’s in The Woodlands area, they bonded over their passion to bring awareness to this disease. Reilly lost her mother to dementia in 2018 and Burnham has seen generations of women in her family succumb to Alzheimer’s disease.

The evening at the Hyatt Regency Conroe featured outstanding entertainment from Melvin Johnson & Sincerely Yours Music and Production. Before dinner, the band entertained with a brass ensemble. During dinner and after (for dancing) that grew into a full band. There was even a full second line procession into the ballroom.

This Mardi Gras Memory Ball got enlivened by a silent auction and programming from mission speaker Karen Heger and her father George Grabowski. They shared their story as Alzheimer’s caregivers for their mother and wife Deborah Grabowski. Receiving services and support from the Alzheimer’s Association fundamentally changed their caregiver journey.

The event established an official Mardi Gras Krewe dubbed the Krewe of ALZ. This year’s inductees are Dr. Melissa and Jason Bowman, Sonya and Kevin Brazeal, Noemi Gonzalez, Karen and Andrew Heger, Dr. Jennifer and Kirby Hopkins, Lisa and Tom Kelly, Shawn Rouege, Susan and Chris Salinger, and Bonnie and Shon Sims. The Simses were crowned King and Queen of the season. The Krewe will inaugurate a new slate of members each year to keep the honor and tradition of the ball —and the important cause — alive.