The Jennifer Act website has been in operation for 9 years! I took a look back at the first blog posts and through the years. What an awesome journey of grief, sorrow, many prayers, ups & downs, traveling, lobbying, victories, defeats, helping, shedding tears & prayers with families in crisis, working with and meeting state lawmakers & governors, congressmen, legislative assistants, coalition groups, schools, churches, pastors, teachers and students! Jennifer's life has blessed many people and still impacts lives today. I encourage everyone to pray and do what (ministry) your heart leads you to do. Your passion (and brokenness) will bless/encourage someone. God has a plan. -Sharon Blair (Jennifer's Mother) … [Read more...]
State of The Union Address President Donald Trump
President Donald Trump addressed the opioid epidemic at the State of The Union Address. In 2016, we lost 64,000 Americans to drug overdoses. 174 deaths per day. Seven per hour. We must get much tougher on drug dealers and pushers if we are going to succeed against this scourge. My administration is committed to fighting the drug epidemic and helping get treatment for those in need, for those who have been so terribly hurt. The struggle will be long and will be difficult. But as Americans always do, in the end, we will succeed. We will prevail. -- President Trump Thank you Mr. President, for working on the opioid epidemic. Lets work together to save lives. -- Sharon Blair Jennifer Reynolds Mother The Jennifer Act … [Read more...]
FLORIDA- Grandparents Visitation- Jan.19, 2018- Senator Darryl Rouson’s Proposal #64
Friday , January 19th in Tallahassee Can you be there? 301 Senate Office Building Community Room 8:00 A.M. – Noon Let your voices be heard. Focus on the harm to the grandchild at this hearing. CRC Proposal #64 is scheduled to be heard between 8:00 and Noon on Friday, January 19th in Tallahassee - Take Action NowWhile I realize that Family Dynamics can be complicated, it’s perplexing why anyone would put up resistance to allowing grandparents to petition the court on a case by case basis to visit their grandchildren. To my knowledge, and I could be wrong there are no restrictions on others who want to petition the court so why block Florida grandparents? It is borderline discriminatory! This message is not only going out to people in the loop, it’s also going out to every member of the Florida House. As a Florida grandparent, and there are many of us and YES we vote we are calling on Florida House members to make contact with Florida Constitution Revision committee members prior to 1/19 to support Senator Rouson’s proposal # 64: DECLARATION OF RIGHTS, Right of Privacy; Section 23 of Article I of the State Constitution to specify that the right of privacy may not be construed to limit a grandparent’s right to seek visitation of his or her grandchildren under certain circumstances. I’m confident that there are many Florida House members who are grandparents, and although you may not think it can happen in your family - it can! You can … [Read more...]
January 15th, 2009- The Saddest Day of My Life
Monday is January 15, 2018. --January 15, 2009 will mark the day my life permanently changed forever, in an instant. I have played that tape over in my mind many times and wish I could erase it but I can't. January 15th is the day that the dreaded knock came at my front door in the early hours of the morning and a Pinellas County Deputy was standing at my door. He asked me if I was Jennifer Reynolds mother. That instant, my heart sank. I was trying to concentrate on his next words, but my mind was in denial this was really happening. I was hoping I was dreaming this, since I was awoken from my sleep. Sadly it was reality. I asked the Sheriff's Deputy if Jennifer was okay. He said "no". I asked him if it was "bad". He said "yes". I asked if was "very bad". He said, "yes". I asked if Jennifer was dead. He said, "yes". I asked, "are you sure you have the right person" and "where is she". He said yes, it is her and she is at Largo Medical Hospital. She was brought there by ambulance after a friend called 911 that she was not breathing. She was pronounced dead at the hospital. They worked on her for about 35 minutes, but she was non- responsive. She would be taken to the Pinellas County Coroner's Office, a few miles from the hospital. I had to wait until the Pinellas County Coroner's office opened, to ask if I could see my daughter. They told me, "no" and that they do not show bodies to families at their facility. I told them I was Jennifer's mother and … [Read more...]
The Jennifer Act Extends a Heartfelt Wish to All a Joyous Merry Christmas
The Jennifer Act Mission-- In memory of Jennifer Marie Reynolds- Dec. 29, 1979-- Jan.15, 2009 … [Read more...]
Mental Health America of Indiana- Heroes for Recovery -2017
I am thankful to be presented with this 2017 Certificate of Nomination as a Hero for Recovery for Indiana. . Heroes for Recovery is a Mental Health America of Indiana recognition program that celebrates the dedication and commitment of those that truly promote recovery of individuals in their ongoing treatment of serious and persistent mental illness and addiction recovery. This program is underwritten by MHAI and our sponsors, and celebrates these “Heroes” and their families. … [Read more...]
Remembering Jennifer Reynolds at The Christmas Season- 2017
Reflecting on another Christmas holiday season, without my beloved daughter, Jennifer Reynolds and her precious only son, Trey who is now age 16 years. This is the 8th Christmas without Jennifer in our family and nine years since we have seen Trey. Time has a way of marching on, yet when a child dies, it seems like yesterday that they were here, talking, laughing and sharing hopes and dreams of the future. December is a hard month, because this is Christmas and also Jennifer's birthday- Dec. 29th. I can't help but wonder what things would be like if Jennifer were still here with us. She dreamed of going to St. Petersburg College and attaining her (CAP) license with a goal of a Recovery Coach to help others struggling with addiction. She also was a mother who longed to be with her son, Trey and watch his milestones unfold. I am sure she would be doing both of these things if she were still alive. Life has a way of going through the twists and turns and sometimes tragedies win, in spite of efforts to attain a better place on the rung of life. This has been the case with Jennifer's brief life. I can see that God had a plan for Jennifer's life, for her son, Trey and for me. I cannot see the whole picture yet, but I can reflect on the eight years since Jennifer departed. I know that Jennifer's death launched me into a spring board of a mission and advocacy work, that I never had planned on doing. The 13 years of Jennifer's addiction, was boot camp training for … [Read more...]
WTHR- 13 News- Indianapolis, IN- Oct.26, 2017
SPENCER, Ind. (WTHR) — An Indiana mother who lost her daughter to addiction years ago says a new pilot program in the state is not enough. The program allows officials in three Indiana counties to essentially force people with life threatening drug addiction into treatment. Sharon Blair lost her daughter Jennifer in 2009, long before many of us had even heard of opioids. Now eight years later she is still fighting for her daughter and the thousands of others just like her. Jennifer battled addiction for 13 years before eventually losing that fight at the age of 29. "There is a stigma to mental health issues, a stigma to addiction issues." said Blair. "That is another reason I speak out. I am not ashamed that my daughter suffered from addiction. I am sad I could not get her the help that she needed to save her life." Now that she sees the state starting a three year, three county pilot program, she feels compelled to speak up. "That is a long time for now. My concern is what about all other counties not in those three districts that need help right now," said Blair. "For somebody who is getting ready to die, they can't wait. We are losing 144 people a day in the U.S. to overdose. That number keeps climbing," she continued. Blair would like to simplify the process by naming it after her daughter Jennifer. If someone needs immediate help and needs to be committed, she would like them to be able to simply call it "Jennifer's law." "It's too complicated and … [Read more...]
My daughters Jennifer Reynolds, (me) Sharon Blair & Sarah Blair-Hixon
I cherish the memories and the photos of my daughter, Jennifer, my daughter Sarah and the times we would spend together. This photo was on Easter. We were going to church. - … [Read more...]
Red Ribbon Week Kickoff- 2017 Owen County, Indiana Schools
We kicked of Red Ribbon Week 2017 in Owen County, Indiana. This is a great group of dedication right here! Joining me is Owen County Sheriff's Department (Sheriff Sam Hobbs & Deputies), Safe Place and Bruce Yates- School Guidance Counselor. Many thanks to them all for joining me as we educate our youth about the dangers of substance use. EDUCATION is KEY to their future. God bless these dedicated folks. -Sharon Blair Founder of The Jennifer Act Jennifer Reynolds Mother … [Read more...]
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