Texas A&M University’s Bush School of Government & Public Service is pleased to welcome John Cronin and his father Mark X. Cronin, founders of John’s Crazy Socks, to the College Station campus on Thursday, September 8, 2022. The pair will deliver a talk about their encounter and subsequent friendship with President George H.W. Bush and the impact that the Americans with Disabilities Act has on their lives. The talk, which is free and open to the public, takes place from 12:20 p.m. to 1:20 p.m. Central Time in the Bush School’s Annenberg Presidential Conference Center. Pre-registration is required.
REGISTER ONLINE TO ATTEND
MEET SULLY & MISS REV PRIOR TO THE EVENT
In celebration of the Bush School’s 25th Anniversary, John’s Crazy Socks has created three unique sock designs to honor President Bush. These socks will be available for purchase in the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, located on the Texas A&M University College Station campus.
In the fall of 2016, a then 22-year-old John Cronin asked his father if they could open a business selling socks. His father Mark agreed. He and John, who has Down Syndrome, started John’s Crazy Socks in December 2016. One of their goals was to show what people with differing abilities like John, could do. A year later, after reading a story about President Bill Clinton giving a pair of colorful socks to President Bush, John Cronin decided to send a box of his company’s socks to President Bush’s office in Houston. That prompted President Bush’s office to reach out in 2017 for additional socks. John sent a pair of Down Syndrome Superhero socks which he designed.
President Bush then sent John Cronin a pair of socks and a letter saying “We knew that people with disabilities like Down Syndrome are capable of doing amazing things if they are given the opportunity. You are a wonderful example of what Americans can do despite the challenges that they face. We are proud of all that you have accomplished.”
The president also wore John’s Down Syndrome Super Hero Socks on World Down Syndrome Day and tweeted about it. He later wore a pair of John’s Crazy Socks to the funeral of his wife, Barbara Bush. John then created socks to honor the President and Mrs. Bush and raised money for the Barbara Bush Family Literacy Foundation.
Built on a mission to spread happiness, John’s Crazy Socks provides inspiration and hope by employing people with differing abilities to showcase what they can do. Over half of their employees have a differing ability. The company gives five percent of its earnings to Special Olympics; many of its products raise money for charity partners such as the National Down Syndrome Society and the Autism Society of America.
To learn more about the Bush School, or to register for John and Mark Cronin’s lunchtime talk, please visit bush.tamu.edu.
About John’s Crazy Socks
John’s Crazy Socks was inspired by John Lee Cronin, a young man with Down syndrome, and his love of colorful and fun socks—what he calls his “crazy socks.” He and his father, Mark X. Cronin, started the company as a social enterprise with a mission of Spreading Happiness™. With more than 4,000 socks, John’s Crazy Socks is now the world’s largest sock store. More than half their employees have a differing ability, and their Giving Back program has raised over $525,000 for charity partners like the Special Olympics, the National Down Syndrome Society and the Autism Society of America. Most of all, they are Spreading Happiness™. For more information about John’s Crazy Socks, visit the company’s webpage, Facebook page, Instagram account or YouTube channel.
Meet & Greet with Miss Rev & Sully the Service Dog
Prior to the lunchtime talk, join us at the George Bush Presidential Library Museum Store at Texas A&M University at 11:30 a.m. before the event to meet Sully, the inspiration for one of of John Cronin’s special sock designs for The Bush School’s 25th anniversary. Sully, George H.W. Bush’s former service dog, will be there along with Texas A&M’s very own Reveille along with sock designer John Cronin.
After the lunchtime talk, America’s VetDogs & Sully will make a second appearance, this time at the Texas A&M Veterans Center at 2:30 p.m.
