On May 31, 2007, Winston, Bruce, and Harvey went to Michigan and attended the "It's a RAP" Benefit Gala organized by the Aphasia Program of the University of Michigan.
They attended a 2-day workshop on June 1 and 2 that featured various reputable speakers specializing in aphasia studies and researches. In addition to the informative speeches delivered by the medical professionals on various topics such as the use of technology, the options of pharmacology, research in intensive therapy, stroke rehabilitation, and the future of stroke, various certified speech language pathologists participated in a questions-and-answers and live discussions forum. The speeches delivered by the speakers and the handouts during the workshop are informative and helpful, which include resources for families to locate other organizations that provide support and help, tips for people to communicate with people who have aphasia, computer resources and speech software to assist aphasia recovery, technological devices to assist communications, and more.
WinGo Global was one of the sponsors of the event. With a donation made to the program's lead actor role, Winston, Bruce, and Harvey were invited to the premier screening of the film The Way Back Home, featuring Tony Award-winning actress Julie Harris. Julie Harris, who has aphasia, was a celebrity guest at the UMAP's gala. During the event, Winston met Julie Harris personally, and they exchanged their experiences in stroke and aphasia recovery.
View Winston's Photo Album from the Benefit Gala
PREMIER SCREENING OF JULIE HARRIS' FILM, THE WAY BACK HOME
GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY THE ESPERANCE FAMILY FOUNDATION
WITH TONY AWARD-WINNING ACTRESS
JULIE HARRIS AS UMAP CELEBRITY GUEST
Q & A WITH PRODUCER AND ACTOR MICHAEL KING
FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2007
MICHIGAN THEATER, ANN ARBOR, MI
THE SCREENING IS A PART OF
IT'S A RAP: CELEBRATING 60 YEARS OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN APHASIA PROGRAM (UMAP)
JULIE HARRIS
Julie Harris, one of the most awarded actresses of the stage, headlines UMAP's anniversary fundraising event, It's a RAP: Celebrating 60 Years of the University of Michigan Aphasia Program. In her movie, Ms. Harris portrays the character of a woman who has a stroke and subsequent aphasia.
Ms. Harris is a former client of UMAP. She attended the program for six weeks in the spring of 2006 as part of her recovery from a stroke that occurred in May 2001, which left her with aphasia.
Born in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, Ms. Harris is the most honored performer in Tony history with 10 nominations and five victories (1952, 1956, 1969, 1973, and 1977). During her acting career, she won three Emmys (1962, 1969, and 2000). Television fans of Knots Landing remember her fondly in the role of Lilimae Clements. She was awarded the American National Medal of the Arts in 1994 by the National Endowment of the Arts in Washington D.C. and received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002. Ms. Harris was a recipient of the 2005 Kennedy Center Honors, along with Robert Redford, Tina Turner, Tony Bennett, and Suzanne Farrell.
MICHAEL KING
Michael King was born in Winter Park, Florida. He has an English degree from Duke University and a Masters of Fine Arts degree in Acting from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While training at the professional Actor Training Program (PATP), Mr. King acted in many equity productions as a member of the 'Playmakers Repertory Company.' Upon graduating from the PATP, he moved to New York City where he began his television acting career on the soap opera As the World Turns. Mr. King then moved to Los Angeles where he worked in film and appeared in numerous guest spots for television. He now lives in Orlando, Florida where he helms his production company, Back Home Productions, which is dedicated to bringing quality film productions to the Central Florida area. The Way Back Home is Mr. King's first screenplay to be made into a motion picture.
What they're saying about The Way Back Home...
"4 out of 4 stars - a beautiful, tender, indie gem" by Todd David Schwarz, CBS
Everyone involved with UMAP would like to extend a special thank you to Julie Harris and Michael King for their participation. We also thank the Esperance Family Foundation for supporting the screening and Zingerman's for supporting the Red Carpet Reception.
The University of Michigan Aphasia Program (UMAP) is one of the programs housed at the University Center for the Development of Language and Literacy (UCLL). UMAP offers intensive language and literacy evaluations and intervention services for adults with brain injury and children with language and language-related disorders. The Center was founded more than 60 years ago and is one of the original programs in communication disorders in the United States.
UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LANGUAGE AND LITERACY
1111 EAST CATHERINE STREET
ANN ARBOR, MI 48109-2054
734.764.8440
International Aphasia Movement (I AM),
For more information contact Harvey Alter at 212-217-2610 or email: aphasiamovement@aol.com.
University of Michigan Aphasia Program
http://www.aphasiahelp.com
"Mapping New Directions"
University Center for the Development of Language and Literacy
http://www.languageexperts.org
"Intensive Therapy. Innovative Research."
Regents of the University, Julia Donovan Darlow, Ann Arbor, Laurence B. Deitch, Bingham Farms, Olivia P. Maynard, Goodrich, Rebecca McGowan, Ann Arbor, Andrea Fischer Newman, Aim Arbor, Andrew C. Richner, Grosse Pointe Park, S. Martin Taylor, Grosse Pointe Farms, Katherine E. White, Ann Arbor, Mary Sue Coleman (ex officio)