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Merry Christmas from Iraq

This is Debbie Siefert's son Ryan Johnson!

A Patriotic Christmas Parade!

Even with the bad weather Saturday, the turnout for the Christmas parade was spectacular. Lots of families and everyone in the Christmas spirit. I think I speak for everyone when I say we had a great time. Our banner illicited several positive comments. A big THANKS to the VFW Women's Auxiliary for allowing us to team up with their float with the Patriotic Christmas theme.

Patriotic Christmas Parade!!!

VFW Auxiliary
Location: Staging Area for Parade South of
200 S. 6th Ave, Tucson, AZ 85701 US
View Map | Find a Hotel |
When: Saturday, December 8, 6:00PM
Please join us for a "Patriotic Christmas" entry in the 13th annual Tucson Downtown Parade of Lights.

We will be meeting at a place to be determined and caravan toward the starting location. So, if you would like to meet early and carpool, then email Vicki.

Otherwise, meet us at the starting location. n.

The parade starts at 6 p.m., but we will need to be in place no later than 5 p.m.
Our theme is "Patriotic Christmas," and the float is red, white and blue christmas lights and flags. Please feel free to wear Patriotic Santa Hats if you have them (It will be cold so bundle up in your patriotic christmas outfit). Also, remember it is a light parade, so if you can, purchase a glow stick or glow necklace from the dollar store. :)

THANK YOU and we look forward to seeing you THERE!

Go to www.downtowntucson.org/downtown_parade_of_lights/ for a parade map and festival guide.

As a entry, we will line up on one of the streets East of

6th Ave (13 St-17th St). We will be in place by 5 pm.

*FREE* Live entertainment, food, and children's activities at Armory Park (4-9 pm). This is near where the parade starts and where it ENDS.

Minutes from 11/27/07 meeting

Blue Star Mothers Meeting

November 27, 2007

Debbie Seifert welcomed everyone and called to order at 6:35pm. Debbie led the Pledge of Allegiance.

The Minutes of the October 30^th meeting were read and approved as corrected. The Treasurer’s Report was given as follows: October balance of $859.00 and expenses of $164.85 for the banner and $170.05 to mail 19 boxes for our Troops. There was a deposit of $34.00 leaving a balance of $533.10.

DebbieS welcomed our guests –

Letty would like to join GSM. Her son is in the Army in Iraq. She works for KGUN9 and may be able to help with publicity.

David Hampton who deals with PTSS, some of troops returning stateside. He thanked the BSMs for their support.

Old Business –

1. Banner – Turned out very nice and was carried in the Veteran’s Day Parade. Linda Cagle had to redraw the logo as the emailed copy was not clear enough. The cost was $170.05 not $121.00 quoted by Fast Signs. Barbara League has the banner rolled on pvc piping. Barbara’s husband, Russell, suggested purchasing a larger diameter pvc pipe to go over the rolled banner to protect it. Russell also suggested using an length of electrical conduit pole to carry the banner as it is sturdier than pvc pipe.

ACTION: Vicki Payne will locate the original quote and contact Fast Signs regarding the price variance.

ACTION: Barbara will purchase the pvc pipe, electrical conduit pole and submit a bill to the Treasurer.

NOTE: Per DebbieS, the National By-Laws state that the official BSM logo can be used on a banner but cannot be used on a flag.

2. Veteran’s Parade, November 11^th – Everyone had a good time at the parade and got wonderful media coverage. Linda will “capture” the media coverage from the new website and add it to the BSM website.

ACTION: Linda will add media coverage of parade to the BSM website.

3. Wild Oats on Speedway, November 3^rd – There were 20-30 people attending. About 50 boxes were packaged and sent to anysoldier.com at $8.95 per box. Postage for the 50 boxes was donated by a local neighborhood. When additional monies are available the remainder of the items will be packaged and sent.

4. Avon Sales – Bonnie Hall turned in an order to Kimberlee at Avon.

5. Nominating Committee – National says officers can hold office for 1-2 years. Linda made a motion, Barbara seconded, that the current officers remain in office through 2008. The motion was approved. Barbara made a motion, Linda seconded, that a Nominating Committee be chosen in September 2008 to select candidates for office in 2009-2010. Motion was approved.

6. Dues – Dues in the amount of $10.00 are due prior to January 1, 2008. $5.00 of the dues goes to National and $5.00 to our Chapter.

7. Holiday Parade, December 8, 6:00pm – Entries must include the use of lights, glow sticks, etc. Parade starts at 17^th Street and 6^th Avenue and ends at Armory Park. Mayor Walkup will light the tree at 5:45pm. Diane of FRG (Family Readiness Group) said they may add lights to and use the same float used in the Veteran’s Day Parade.

ACTION: Vicki will contact Diane to see if we can follow their float.

8. Holiday Party, December 11^th, 6:30-8:30pm – The Party will be at the Golden Corral at 715 E. Wetmore Road. Spouses, significant others and children are welcome to attend. Attendees will pay for their own dinner on arrival. Participation in a $10.00 grab bag will be restricted to BSM members.

9. Team/Committee Sign-ups – Sign-up were as follows:

   1. Courageous Tigers – Fund Raising.

Bonnie Hall – Chair

Carol Herndon

Debbie Seifert

2. Flying Eagles – Letters and correspondence.

April Bolt

Roxanne Peroldo

Helen Quigley (2^nd Choice)

Bonnielee Walsh

Debbie Miller

3. Gentle Lambs – Emotional/moral support.

Linda Cagle

Deb Davila

Barb League

Bonnielee Walsh

4. Industrious Ants – Community service.

Bertha Topar

Helen Quigley (1^st Choice)

10. Fundraising –

Bonnie Hall –

1. Foothills Mall – Lady there was in favor of doing something with a tree where people take a name. She will supply a table that we can decorate for the holiday and where we can display our banner. Helen Quigley suggested “Adopt a Box” as our theme where people can make donations to send boxes to our Troops. Motion was made by Linda, seconded by Barbara, to hold this fundraiser on December 9^th from 12n-5pm. Receipts would be given for income tax purposes.

ACTION: Linda – Buy a receipt book and give receipts for future donations.

2. New Life Health Food – Information was sent to our contact there. Waiting on reply.

DebbieS –

1. Said she thought 25% of all fundraising should go to National. If we are raising money for our care packages, we may be able to get around this requirement.

ACTION: DebbieS will do more research on this requirement.

2. Talked with Tucson Mall and Park Place Mall re fundraising booth/table. They said they do not do anything like that.

3. Will try to contact Jim Click re donations.

ACTION: DebbieS – Contact Jim Click re donations.

New Business –

1. DAR/SAR – Charli Greenlees read an short article in the California SAR Magazine about a California BSM speaking before the Thomas Jefferson Chapter of the SAR. Offered to act as liaison to the El Presidio DAR Chapter in Tucson after the first of the year and to notify them of our service to our current Troops.

ACTION: Charli will talk with El Presidio DAR Chapter re BSMs after first of year.

2. Yellow Ribbon Bracelets/Support Our Troops Key rings – DebbieS has them for sale at $1.00 each. The total revenue made from the sale of these items will be donated to BSMs.

3. Community Calendar – Letty said she would check to see if KGUN9 had something of this sort.

ACTION: Letty will check with KGUN9 re community calendar.

General Discussion –

1. New BSM Shirts – Mike Greenlees displayed the new BSM shirts available from Tee Time.

2. VFW Auxiliary – Helen attended a meeting where Kim Sloan and ladies were filling stockings to be sent to our Troops.

3. “Operation Message” – Channel 4 called Barbara regarding the low turn-out for the Red Cross tapings of messages for Troops for the holiday.

4. Avon – Kimberlee delivered Bonnie’s order and passed out books for 2 new campaigns. She said we could contact her direct with out orders.

5. Great News! – Helen’s son will be home on December 15^th for his two weeks R&R.

6. Packaging Boxes – Bonnie mentioned that DebbieM was talking about packaging more boxes on December 1^st.

7. Coffee Get Togethers – These were held on an impromptu basis for a while. Suggestion was to get them going again.

Cares & Concerns –

April Bolt – She is slowly mending after being hit by a car.

California Connection, a PBS Affiliate –

Linda shared a video about 4 injured soldiers and their struggle to regain control of their lives. One of the soldiers is Linda’s son, Eric. (Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.)

The meeting adjourned at 8:40pm after the Serenity Prayer.

Troops give thanks in southern Baghdad

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Across the United States, most families celebrate Thanksgiving with their families with turkey and football.

Soldiers at Forward Operating Base Falcon in southern Baghdad celebrated as well, with the only family they have while deployed -- each other.

Spc. Desiree Iversen, an intelligence analyst with Headquarter and Headquarters Company, 610th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division from Cottonwood, Calif., said spending Thanksgiving dinner with her section was a pleasant proxy to spending the day with her family.

"It was nice. Even though we work together, we don't socialize and we work on different shifts," she said. "I got to spend some time talking with them. You kind of adopt a new family when you're out here."

Sgt. Charles Patton, a multi-channel transmission systems operator with Company C, 4-1 Brigade Special Troops Battalion from Monroe, La., said he tries to keep his head up while away from his wife and son on the holidays.

"I'd much rather be spending it at home with my family, but we're here and I'm trying to make the most of it," he said. "I think that's how a lot of guys feel about it, they'd rather be at home, but you're here so you have to make the best of things."

For Patton, who is celebrating his second Thanksgiving holiday in Iraq, being away doesn't get easier.

"Some people get used to it, but I don't," he said. "You just have to make the best of it and keep a positive attitude. That's what I try to do."

Iversen, who hasn't been home for a 'Turkey Day' since being in the Army, felt differently.

"The first year, I was devastated, it was really hard. Every year, I was with my family," she said. "But last year was a little easier and this year, I don't feel anything really. It's just another day."

To Spc. Ahmed Ahmed, a linguist with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th IBCT from Buffalo, N.Y., it was not "just another day" as he celebrated his first Thanksgiving as a citizen of the United States.

"It's kind of special because it's my first one as a citizen and I don't have to worry about getting my citizenship," the former Yemeni said. "This is my first time having the full joy as a citizen. It's a special day for me.

"I will remember this for the rest of my life. I had my Thanksgiving for the first time as a citizen, I was in Iraq and I was serving my country."

For all, whether it's the first holiday or one of many, the day is about giving thanks.

Patton said he was most thankful for his loved ones.

"I'm thankful for my family most of all. My family's really supportive of me. They understand I'm in a position where I do what I have to do," Patton said. "That's part of being a Soldier. You have to go out there and take care of business."

Ahmed was thankful to get the chance to serve his new nation, but he looks forward to the future.

"I'm thanking God that I'm still alive; we're actually doing a good job. That's what makes today a special day," he said. "But my next Thanksgiving is going to be even better because I'm going to be my wife in the states, celebrating as an American."

Iversen, the mother of a little girl and wife to a husband who is currently deployed with the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 4th IBCT, said she is grateful for her child and her husband's well-being.

"I'm thankful for my daughter. I'm thankful my husband's okay. I just hope he comes home safe and able to see our little girl grow up."

Spc. David Schubert, a chaplain's assistant with the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division from Fort Riley, Kan., digs into his Thanksgiving Day turkey at the Forward Operating Base Falcon dining facility in southern Baghdad Nov. 22. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Nathaniel Smith, 4th IBCT, 1st Inf. Div. PAO)

Say THANKS!

This Thanksgiving, the Department of Defense is partnering with major cell phone providers so that you can send "thank you" text messages to the troops fighting in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the world. It is called "The Giving Thanks Campaign."

A couple of seconds of your time, and your kind words will reach American troops free of charge. When you text your message of thanks to "89279" (TXASY) between November 17th and 22nd, you'll receive a special thanks in return.

We will all sit down to our dinner on Thursday in freedom because of the job that they do, and their honorable and extraordinary commitment to our the security of our country. Frankly, most of us will thank them in our blessing prayers; it would be wonderful to let them know how important they are directly.