ABQ Beta Sigma Phi

ABQ Beta Sigma Phi City Council Meeting Reminder

Contact for City Council.  Meeting is Monday, December 1, 2008, at Cleveland Middle School library, 7:00 pm.

 

1.  Bring toys for Toys for Tots - let's make those Marines very happy.

 

2. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

 

Debbie Davis

ABQ Beta Sigma Phi Valentine Dance Invitation

 

Check here for the sign up sheet for this year's dance:

 Download Beta_Sigma_Phi_Valentine_Dance_sign_up[1]

ABQ Beta Sigma Phi City Council Meeting Minutes Nov 3, 2008

The minutes from the November 3 City Council meeting can be viewed on the "City Council Meeting Minutes" page on the right hand side of this web site.

Blue Star Mothers

 

This information in from Mary Stanton with Xi Alpha Omicron:

"Just got back from dropping off items to the Blue Star Mothers for our 
troops overseas.  I asked  them what they are collecting? Empty  Pringles cans, tall and short ones.
(Have the cans wiped inside and must have lids)  They really do appreciate all the help we can give them for our troops;-)"

Chapters can drop off the empty Pringle cans at each CC council meeting.  Mary would be more 
then happy to take the cans to the Blue Star Mothers.

Here is more info on Blue Star Mother by Linda Jewell, forwarded from Vera Butts of Laureate Alpha Sigma:

Blue Star Mothers History, Happenings and Hope

by Linda Jewell*

History

During WWI, those who had loved ones in the military displayed Blue Star banners in their windows. The banner had a white background with a wide red border and a blue star representing each family member serving.

During WWII, families again displayed their banners and mothers of service men and women also joined together in chapters to volunteer in hospitals, meet troop trains, and send care packages. Congress chartered Blue Star Mothers of America in 1960.

In 2003 military moms formed the first Blue Star Mother New Mexico chapter in Farmington/Four Corners followed by chapters in the Rio Grande Valley (Albuquerque area), Del Norte Rio Arriba, Rio Rancho, Valencia County, and Santa Fe. A chapter is pending in Dona Ana County. To find contact information for the closest Blue Star Chapter, go to www.bluestarmothers.org and click on "Locate a Chapter," then scroll down to New Mexico.

The Blue Star Mothers organization is not limited to moms. Associate members include fathers, family members, friends, and other concerned citizens.

 Happenings

Blue Star Mothers support various local chapter activities, which may include, among other things:

•            Greeting returning troops at homecomings held at airports and armories,

•            Sending care packages with snack-sized foods and/or hygiene items,

•            Making craft items to place in care packages with the goal of putting grins on grim faces,

•            Sending deployed troops a "Birthday in a Box" complete with a canned cake,

•            Making neck coolers for troops stationed in hot desert locations and on flight lines,

•            Working at fund raisers to make money for shipping and other expenses,

•            Sending Wounded Warrior packages to war zone field hospitals and US military hospitals,

•            Making lap robes for wounded troops,

•            Participating in Memorial Day and Veteran's Day and other ceremonies, events and parades,

•            Providing services in VA hospital facilities, and

•            Arranging for Blue-to-Gold ceremonies requested by families of fallen heroes.

The Blue Star Mothers also join efforts in other organizations, such as:

•            Sew Much Comfort–making adaptive clothing for wounded troops,

•            CAUSE (Comfort for America's Uniformed Services)– providing entertainment electronically, appreciation, and connections to integrate the wounded into the community,

•            Walking Tall–sending shoes and knitting and crocheting caps, mittens and scarves to send to troops who distribute them to needy children in Iraq and Afghanistan, and

•            United Through Reading–helping deployed parents send home an audio recording so their children can hear their mommies and daddies read them a night-time story.

 They also have special projects which include:

•            Organizing You-Will-Be-Home-for-Christmas community trees projects where pictures military service men and women are scanned onto wooden stars. The troops receive a photo of their loved ones hanging the stars on the tree and the donors receive the stars when the trees are taken down.

•            Supporting Patriot Guard Riders' involvement in Wreaths Across America (to decorate graves in military cemeteries, including Santa Fe National Cemetery).

 The moms also help each other with a common goal and a purpose greater than themselves–to support our nation's troops, encourage their families, and honor our veterans. A mom finds out she's not the only ones who wakes up at 1:00 a.m., does the time-zone math, and wonders what her deployed son or daughter is doing at that moment. They give each other hugs, shoulders to cry on, hands to hold, and friends to pray with. They also provide useful information on topics ranging from why they can't phone sons and daughters at the beginning of Recruit Training; to how to pack, wrap, and strap a package for Iraq; to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder; to what to do if they receive The Dreaded Phone call from a Casualty Officer with news that their child has been wounded.

 Hope

Each Blue Star Mother's hope is that every one of our nation's sons and daughters will come home alive and well.

They also hope that others will join their activities. What are your talents and available time? There's a lot that still needs to be done, and you can help:

•            Spread the word about Blue Star Mothers to military moms who don't know about the organization but could use the support,

•            Pray for our troops and our nation,

•            Welcome home troops,

•            Sew neck coolers, lap quilts and adaptive clothing; knit or crochet scarves, mittens and caps; or join moms in making craft projects,

•            Invite a Blue Star Mother to speak at your local civic, church, corporate or community group, or

•            Help arrange for corporate sponsors to adopt the Blue Star Mothers as their service project.

Of course, the Blue Star Mothers will always take donations to support the troops and honor veterans.

Bottom line, are their efforts worthwhile?

It is to the moms when talking to veterans who tell them it's the first time anyone has thanked them for their service to our country. Or when the troops send notes back to the home front with thanks for remembering, encouragement, prayers, children's notes, and green and red chili. Or when a grieving family thanks the moms for their care and kindness. It's all worth it when the moms join veterans and other volunteers at homecomings and they see big grins on the faces of the returning troops. Or when the moms put out a call and the community answers with care package donations. Or when their own children are deployed, they can rest easier at night knowing they've taken some positive action during the day.

Think on these things, then you can decide for yourself if Blue Star Mothers' efforts are worthwhile.

 *Linda Jewell is the media mom for Rio Grande Valley Chapter Blue Star Mothers. She is also the author of the weekly Support Our Troop Blog at http://www.lindajewell.us/ to help military moms face anxious moments with brave hearts.

Toys for Tots-ABQ BSP Service Project

                                                   

                                     SERVICE

Each year we, the sisters of Beta Sigma Phi, support a service project. The Albuquerque City Council has also sponsored a service project each year. At the inception of our City Council in 1947, the Service Committee researched and proposed several worthy causes for City Council consideration--Raising funds to donate to groups such as All Faith’s Receiving Home, Goodwill, Salvation Army, Carrie Tingely Hospital, Red Cross and many others; donation of clothing and food to The Storehouse, Food Bank, St. Felix’s Pantry and others; donation of service such as helping these and other organization by volunteering to work. The Service Committee after vote by City Council on the Years Project would put together various funding ideas—raffles, garage sales, cake bakes and others. The goals were to provide as much for the chosen recipient as possible.

As all plans change over time, the idea that City Council Service project be big and make a STATEMENT began to get more than the chapters and sisters wanted and thus the proposal was made that City Council pick an on-going project to support that would not change from year to year. After much searching and discussion, it was decided by the Executive Board and passed by the membership that the U.S. Marine Corp “Toys for Tots” drive each Christmas season to provide toys and games for needy children would be the City Council yearly Service. The tradition was and still is that each chapter would bring one or more unwrapped gift for a boy or girl valued at $10 or more to the December City Council meeting. This collection of gifts would then be accepted by representatives of the local “Toys for Tots” Marines assigned to this project.

This project has been most successful and fulfilling for City Council and many toys, games and crafts have been given. We will again be collecting items for this drive at the December 1^st City Council meeting. The current committee chair has also received a request from the Marines that volunteer position are needing additional hands. If you wish to find out more, call Preceptor Alpha, Beth Talbert to volunteer or get ideas of needs for collection.

Click here for more information on Toys for Tots in New Mexico.

Janice Swope, reporting