October Meeting Notes

• MEMBERS Present (at Carson Tahoe Hospital’s Juniper Rm.): Mary A., Carol B., Jeanne BP, Barbara C, Leslie E., Paula F., Marge G., Joyce H.
• DIRECTORY Updates – none; new members processing later.
• MINUTES: NOTES from meetings posted as Blogger Update for review. Sept. approved as posted.
• CALENDAR: thru Oct. 14th - Pampered Chef F/R online sales; Oct. 20/21 – Air Force Band Concert Carson CC then Reno Oct. 28th Nv. Day Parade Op Postcard outside Chili Feed Carson Nugget; (Nov. 8th 11am Carson High ROTC Veterans/Families Honor Event); Monthly Meetings (2nd Tues. 6pm Juniper Rm. Carson Tahoe Hospital) Nov. 14th, Dec. 12th ; Dec. 3rd – Holiday Social Pres. Barb’s with new group photo; Bowers Military Family Picnic Sept. 8th, 2007; Natnl. Convention Tent. Oct. 3-7th, 2007 in NM
• BLOGGER UPDATES: Links to Natl. Org. and letssaythanks.com troop cards support installed.
• TREAS. REPORT: given by Marge G. Balance on 10/10/06 $929.45 - detail attached.
• UPDATES ON SONS/DAUGHTERS:
o Leslie’s son Henry will return to Carson after 31st for recruiting position. Interesting paper trail tale along the way. Youngest son William just joined Navy – heads out in February.
o Barbara’s son Patrick passed Hawaii two weeks ago headed for Persian Gulf – experienced his first typhoon at sea. Mom shared concerns about contact frequency with another Navy mom.
o Joy’s son Christopher will get R & R in Jan. Halloween deco’s much appreciated. It’ll be another beef jerky weekend for mom.
o Jeanne’s son Jason discharged home to Reno – all set for R & R in Australia on the 18th with H.S. buddy.
o Paula’s son Josh on light duty from knee injury when gurney went down. As an aside, Paula went to Fleet Week in San Fran and had pictures to share. Quite impressive. Josh called on way home.
o Mary’s son Chris was one week at Ft. in Ky; back at Ft. Bragg; to be home for Thanksgiving family feast.
o Carol’s son Joe will be discharged in January to Nv.. Folks brought stuff back from S.D. - divorce final.
o Marge’s son Stuart now a teller at B of A and UNR Bus. Mngt. Major. Wedding plans challenging.
• NEW BUSINESS:
o Officers’/Chairs’ Job Duties and Time Lines turned in. Discussion given to breaking Secretary into Recording/Correspondence. Revamp for next month. Special Events Committee tabled for now. Raffle with Web of Support voted down. After discussing location next to Operation Uplink at Nv. Day Parade it was decided to keep our past spot outside free chili at Nugget so people can do postcards while standing in line. Pres. Barb sent a big thank you for the beautiful meeting facilities at Carson Tahoe extending through 2007. Reminder - Nominations in November with Elections in December.
• COMMITTEE REPORTS:
o Op Postcard: Christmas Holiday Postcard Drive: Contact list shared with those in red handled so far by BSM’s. Members to also get new contacts. Target set: 200 postcards per BSM (events/4H Clubs will cover any individual shorts). Troop addresses are needed for sending postcards and donations received from Candy Dance Crafters. Mothers of deployed will get Commanding Officer or Chaplain to aid in distribution. Next priority will be to send state-side to sons/daughters’ c.o./chaplain.
Events for Postcard Drives: Air Force Band Concerts at 1) Carson Comm. Ctr. Oct. 20th 7 pm contact Barb at bluestarmoms@charter.net; 2) Reno Del Webb Senior Comm. Lawn Oct. 21st 2 pm contact Jeanne1bp@sbcglobal.net, and then Nv. Day Parade Chili Feed at Nugget Oct. 28th 10:00 am contact leslieevans@charter.net. All postcards needed at Nov. 14th Mtg to bundle & ship unless prior arrangements made to send on own later.
o Welcome/BSM to BSM: Joy gave update and coordination with Leslie’s verbal/Joy’s admin great.
o Deployment Support: Halloween Theme Pumpkin Baskets from Joy used to assemble the 5 items brought by members for the 5 deployed. Members will bring 5 items again to the Christmas Social Dec. 3rd for our next support shipment. It was decided to have Leslie as chair bring flat rate boxes, labels and customs forms ready to go but leave open so Moms can tuck in a love note with return address.
o Blue to Gold: No change. News flash heard about Douglas High grad fallen soldier which later was released as PFC Brandon Williams.
• OLD BUSINESS:
o Veterans Day activity from last year display only. Leslie calling VA Hospital. (Post meeting at Williams’ memorial BSM’s were invited to be honored with Gold Star Moms Nov. 8th at Carson High ROTC event.)
o Nov. Agenda: Jeanne prepare hx / projected annual budget. POSTCARDS turned in to send!!
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned following a closing prayer.

THESE NOTES WERE FORMULATED BY Jeanne, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, CONTACT her at: jeanne1bp@sbcglobal.com

Fallen soldier eulogized as 'everybody's son'
by Sheila Gardner, sgardner@recordcourier.com
October 22, 2006
(Article Reprinted in Part)

More than 1,000 mourners - from bikers to World War II veterans - gathered Saturday in Minden to honor Army Pfc. Phillip Brandon Williams cut down by a sniper's bullet in Iraq where he served as a military policeman.

Williams, 21, was Carson Valley's first military casualty in the war in Iraq.

"It's like he's everybody's son," said Alejah Miller, 14, who attended services with her mother.

Williams was serving with the 101st Airborne Division in Baghdad and was dispatched to Iraq in March. He was assigned to the 4th Brigade Team in Fort Campbell, Ky.

He died Oct. 9, shot by a sniper as he guarded Explosive Ordinance Disposal personnel who are trained to eliminate roadside bombs and other improvised explosive devices.

Scores of law enforcement personnel attended in honor of Williams' father and uncle who are sergeants with the South Lake Tahoe Police Department.

More than 400 flag-waving motorcyclists showed up from across northern Nevada and California, some spurred to attend by a threat from a Kansas-based religious group that they would send protesters to the funeral.

The protesters did not materialize and the bikers provided a colorful addition to the ceremonies.

His parents, Lisa Hall and Brad Williams, were presented several medals including the Purple Heart and Bronze Star.

Each family member including his brothers, Justin, 20, and Aaron, 17, and sister Amy, 16, were given Gold Star lapel pins, a tradition from World War I for families who have lost relatives in combat.

Ana Andrews, a member of the local Blue Star Mothers, helped hand out hundreds of flags to people as they entered the high school. Her son Gieorag, 23, is a graduate of the Naval Academy, and is completing submarine training. Andrew, 22, is in Australia and is headed for Officers Candidate School. "I'm here because of my sons," she said. "And because their father died in active duty in the military."
Gieorag was 15 months old and she was pregnant with Andrew when her husband died in Panama. "And I come from a country where you couldn't have the freedoms we have now," said Andrews who is a native of Colombia. "Brandon reminds me of my children," she said.

Blue Star Moms were invited to set up a Christmas post card table at the October 20th Air Force Concert held at the Carson City Community Center. Those in attendance had a great time and the BSM's were greeted with much enthusiasm