BLUE STAR MOM MEETING NOTESOctober 9, 2007•MEMBERS Present (at Mi Casa Too Restaurant Room): Erin A., Ana A., Jeanne BP., Barbara C., Leslie E., Debbie E., Paula F., Marge G., Amy FJ., Lori M., Sally W., Debi Y.. GUESTS: Jim & Trilja L. with FRA/Aux. and Sgt. 1st Class Michael G. with US Army Recruiting Station, PJ with Web of Support

•MINUTES: NOTES from meetings posted as Blogger Update for review. Notes accepted as posted with change to one son’s update.

•CALENDAR: Monthly Meetings (2nd Tues. 6pm, NEW LOCATION Mi Casa Too, 3809 N Carson St, Carson City, NV Tel: (775) 882-4080) Nov. 13th Nominations for Offices. December monthly will be replaced with more intimate Holiday/Op Postcard/Elections Party at President Barb’s Sunday, Dec. 2nd. •TREAS. REPORT: Balance of $1900+ available. Candy Dance brought in $366 donations. Membership up to 49(51 following meeting).

•UPDATES ON SONS/DAUGHTERS:
oErin was pleased to share that Rosendo is now a Sgt.. Having switched companies, he will be on ship driving zodiac inflatables.oAna reported that Gieorag’s sub’s reconfiguration was complete and one of his first maneuvers was one of those telling “measure of a man” moments for all on board, thankful to be a tight team. Andrew will be transferring to the reserves. While in Italy he got an invite to a formal ball event.oJeanne says Jason’s still booking it at UNR by day and doing security at night with flexibility to study. Her cousin just returned after his one year tour with multinationals training the Iraqi Navy.
Her sister-in-law who’s a physician with the local VA is on maternity leave with baby #1 Luke MP.
oAnna joyfully emailed that son Christopher returned to Reno yesterday from Iraq.
oLeslie B. shared at the library that Cody returns from Iraq next month. She’s taking Cody’s wife and child back to Ft. Bragg to buy a home and get set up for his homecoming. While on leave they’ll have to visit Feddie’s father in Italy who has been quite ill as of late.
oPatricia sent word that Nicholas will be home from Iraq soon.oBarbara told us that Patrick’s wedding plans have moved up to February in La Jolla. He just passed his ESWAS and will bring fiancé home for a visit/introduction on the 22nd.
oLeslie told us that Henry is deploying later this month for his second tour in Iraq. Mom’s going back to the base to spend time with him beforehand. Will is a Navy Corpsman at Bethesda Hospital and doing great.oDeborah related that Eric is still at Ft. Benning as a cook but is trying to get into Airbourne for some more action. He’s doing a-okay.
oPaula says that Josh is now in school to be a physician’s assistant and loving it.
oDeanna sent word that her son, Shawn, will be coming home soon…YEAH.
oCheryl’s friend shared that Matt will be concluding his tour where he conducted Intelligence training to Iraqis. He’ll exit next month to Germany where she’s shipping a very special homecoming gift to him.
oMarge let us know that Stuart and his new bride Andrea are sharing newlywed bliss. She’s a nurse with Renown and he’s now doing community rep work from his teller position with BofA.
oCarol H. sent word via Jo that Brady is now a medic at Camp Call.
oAmy’s son Nicklas will be sent to Qatar in May. Her brother-in-law David just left for Afghanistan
oLori (a guest that became a member that night) related that her son, Natthaniel, is a Marine in training with anticipated deployment in Feb.. He was a firefighter in the forest service for 5 years before joining, so he’s a mature leader at 26, though new to military service. He’s stationed at Camp LeJeune, NC and really enjoyed the amphibious training he did onboard the USS Nashville.
oDonna sent word that precious only child Deirdre returned from Iraq to Hawaii.
oSally ‘s son Sean is on field training in the Mojave Desert with the engineer corps.
oDebi (a guest that became a member than night) shared with us that her son Nathan joined the Marines while a missionary in Argentina. He is a Lance Corporal in a reserve unit now in Fallujah as a light armored vehicle driver.

•NEW BUSINESS:
- Jim Laird, retired Navy, gave a wonderful presentation on the Fleet Reserve Association (FRA) comprised of Navy, Marine, and Coast Guard. They meet monthly on the 4th Friday at 6:30 pm off 4th Street and do a monthly breakfast as well at Sharkeys. They recently helped an injured marine with chemo adapt to re-entry. Their group helps facilitate Champus, Tri-Care and other benefits and even found a mechanic to fix his car. Their fund-raising consists of patches for each branch, Welcome Home pins, and All Gave Some/Some Gave All pins. He encouraged members to join their auxiliary if interested.

- New format for Member Applications was received from nationals and distributed.
- Business Cards are running low and so $19 was authorized to order 1,000 right away.
- Nominations / Elections coming up Nov./Dec.. Be thinking about how you can serve as a leader.
- At the Genoa Candy Dance a Marine lap quilt was donated to us by Melinda and Lynne at www.nonasnotions.com for fund-raising. Thank you patriotic crafters!

•OLD BUSINESS
-Barb reported on a successful presentation to Sertoma with them committing to do 100 postcards for our Holiday drive.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:
oDeployment Support:
-Ana asked Jeanne to send out an email to all members to check the current directory location of their son or daughter as we’re seeing a wave of returns from overseas and then a fresh wave of new deployments. Members will be instructed to bring 12 each of one care package item so that we can do up a special holiday box filled with Nevada love for each of our deployed heroes.

oBSM to BSM Support:
No report. Email received alerting members to prayer/support needs for two BSM’s – one whose mom had undergone open heart surgery twice in one day and another mom whose parent was diagnosed with lymphoma while grandson is undergoing surgery. oBlue to Gold:
There are still 3 or 4 “old” gold star banners to present. Contact will be maintained and the banners are available if/when the family is ready/receptive to receiving it. See PJ below for the Joshua Rodgers Gold Star Family Memory Walk details. oWelcome Committee: No report given

oOperation Postcard:
Once again members took bundles of recycled holiday cards, signed up their commitment to oversee schools, churches, and other organizations, and took how-to tools where new or needed. Deadline for return will be our Dec. 2nd Party where we’ll collate and prep for shipping. Members were asked to “screen” cards for appropriate language and separate out those that were extra encouraging for the bundles that go to recovering injured service persons.

oVeterans Affairs/Events Committee:
Sally Wiley was confirmed as chair to our newly formed committee to spearhead involvement and support for activities involving veterans.

Special Presentation: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Michael Gargano, Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, Active Duty Recruiter out of Reno
Michael’s mom is one of our BSM’s and so his presentation was geared to the moms from firsthand experience. The important things he highlighted were that PTSD may come on silently. It is a very progressive illness that can become more severe if left untreated and can eventually consume those suffering beyond what their minds are able to deal with. He reviewed the physical, behavioral, and emotional signs and symptoms. The most beneficial way we as moms can help our sons and daughters is to know that they need to talk it out and process their combat times. We can’t change their experiences but can help ensure that they process it through to a healthy state of mind. He emphasized that most veterans don’t “talk it through” with mom or even family or friends on the home front. They open up most when they can get “real” with other military or veterans that know what they’re going through. This is where connecting them to VA or American Legion or Reserve Association groups can really make a difference. He passed out a Fact Sheet from the National Center for PTSD with identification and treatment information that BSM’s will make available to moms upon their loved one’s redeployment and transition.

PJ’s update on her Web of Support included information on one of our Gold Star families. They started RED SHIRT WALKS IN MEMORY OF CWO2 JOSHUA RODGERS and to SUPPORT OUR TROOPS. Some of our BSM’s have participated. The walks are staged every Friday evening at 5:30 in the parking lot at Carl’s Jr. on South Carson St. The red-shirted, flag-waving adults and children walk to Highway 50 and back in about an hour’s time. For info contact Mike McElfish 884-4430 or go to www.WebofSupport.com.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned following a closing prayer offered by Marge G.

Meeting Notes Submitted by Jeanne B.P. (Thanks!)