By Toni
The Celebrate Freedom Schedule of Events flyer was passed around. The event takes place August 14-21 in Pigeon Forge, TN. You can find more information on this event by visiting http://www.mypigeonforge.com or by calling 1-865-429-7350. The flyer is attached to the end of the meeting notes.
Next, we handed out an informational sheet with the leaders’ contact information. If you do not have a copy of this, please email me at obsydiansun@yahoo.com and I will get a copy to you as soon as possible or contact Camille.
Word of Faith Ministries brought cards to send to our soldiers in Mississippi . The cards have inspirational verses on them and each soldier will receive one.
The FRG has purchased some of the blue and yellow yard signs that say “We Support 278 God Speed...” and are selling them for $5.00 each. We paid $3.00 for each sign, $1 of which will go to the American Legion Emergency Fund. The signs will be available for purchase at the armory. SFC Hicks and MAJ Pig will be taking care of the sales for us. They will be at the armory Mon-Fri from 9am to 5pm. One of these signs will be going down to Mississippi to be hung in the barracks.
Next, Camille read a poem by SPC Jeff F. titled “A Soldier’s Wife” and a poem by a military mother titled “My Soldier Serves”. If you would like a copy of either of these poems, please contact Camille.
All stood and recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
Camille then apologized for her outburst on the Yahoo! group site, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/troopf2-278acrfrg/
Terri spoke out and expressed her belief that “this group works”. She related to us how efficient and helpful everyone was when her father passed away recently and her husband had to be brought home. She says she made just one phone call and the rest was taken care of for her by both the FRG and the Red Cross and was very proud of how her situation was handled.
Yvonna suggested making plastic nametags for each member of the group that we could put on as we walk through the door, then take them off and put them in a certain place when we leave, that way the nametags are already there for us for the next meeting.
Another member stated that our soldiers need phone cards. AAFES and AT&T have worked out a deal with one another. The rate is only $0.28 per minute from Iraq to the U.S. when purchased from the AAFES site vs. other retailer’s cards. The Military Exchange Prepaid Calling Cards are being offered for sale to customers not otherwise authorized to make purchases through the Exchange Online Store. For more information, please visit this site:
[As a side note: AAFES is also offering “Gifts from the Homefront Gift Certificates”. AAFES currently has 34 stores located throughout the SW Asian theater in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. CertifiChecks can be redeemed at these facilities to purchase such items as health and beauty items, soft drinks, candy, snack items, pre-paid calling cards, music, DVD players and much more. And, once the fighting ends, AAFES will follow our service members north and set up facilities to support them in those new locations as well. For more information, visit this link: www.aafes.com/docs/homefront.htm , or call AAFES at the number above.]
Camille explained the Telephone Tree. The only people who can legally be put on the Telephone Tree and contacted by the FRG are the people each soldier named as their contact persons on the SRP papers. It is illegal to add anyone else to the Telephone Tree other than those named by the soldiers on their SRP papers. It is then up to the soldier’s SRP contact person to contact the rest of the family, friends, girlfriends, etc. Others who wish to be invited to meetings or called about other events will be added to a separate list that Camille will contact herself.
Next, Tracy introduced herself to the group and explained her job as Regional Volunteer Coordinator.
After that, we went around the room and introduced ourselves to one another.
Tracy asked if anyone has not been contacted through the Telephone Tree. One person spoke up and Camille took her information.
Next Tracy spoke about rumors and went into explaining the rumors behind family time with our soldiers in Mississippi . She warned not to start booking rooms based on what our soldiers have heard because what they have heard may well be rumors and we may drive all the way down to Mississippi and not get to see them because the information we received through the rumor mill was wrong. She also explained that it was important for our soldiers to start to try to distance themselves from us a little in order to be better able to focus on the serious job they face and their training for it. She warned us not to call our soldier’s cell phones, because if it becomes a problem, all of them may get their phones taken away. Also, we need to tell our soldiers to leave their phones turned off when they are on duty so that if there is a call, it will not disrupt their training and get them in trouble.
Tracy then emphasized that if one of us is in a situation that we needed to get in touch with our soldier immediately, she had a list of all the phone numbers for the personnel in Mississippi that could help her get in touch with our soldiers quickly and she would be more than happy to help us get in touch with our soldier as soon as possible, should that need arise.
We were also warned about safety issues concerning our soldiers. Please do not ask your husband where he is, especially when they get to Iraq , just in case the phone line is not secure. We don’t want to draw the enemy a map that shows them exactly where our loved ones are located. We don’t need to know, and for their safety, they don’t need to tell us.
Sally was officially elected as our Care Response Team Leader by unanimous vote.
Toni was unanimously elected as our new Secretary.
Yvonna was elected by majority vote to be our new Treasurer.
Sally has been acting as our Care Response person for several weeks. She used $50.00 gift card to purchase greeting cards for those we need to send them to. The FRG also purchased soup, crackers, and ginger ale for Melanie when she was sick recently. Donald has sent flowers to three funerals recently on behalf of the FRG and will be reimbursed for his cost soon.
Frank, an Air Force retiree is making a monthly $100.00 donation to the FRG for the duration of time that our soldiers are away from home.
The FRG has also received a donation of 200 Bristol Whitesox tickets which will be given to the children of the FRG. All leftover tickets will be donated to orphanage or other underprivileged children.
Next we discussed making Terri, whose father recently passed and whose mother is seriously ill, a goody basket with bubble bath, chocolate, and other items she may like. A collection was taken, and $115.00 was raised to use toward this gift.
Larry was introduced to the group. He is a super nice guy who does great plumbing work, should anyone need him. If you need to get in touch with him, please call Camille to get his number.
Sheets were passed around for our members to sign up for three committees: Youth, Care Response, and Fundraising. Thank you to everyone who volunteered to work on these committees!
Sgt. Hawkins and his wife, Rebecca, have donated Troop F car tags and 278th tag holders that they had made. We will be selling them for $5.00 for both a tag and a tag holder. A big thank you goes out to the Hawkins family for their generosity.
Shaylene and the kids took down the pictures and drawings in the drill hall for the kids to take home with them.
Jean says she is dedicated to getting every single soldier “adopted” while they are away so that all of them will receive mail and care packages. Thank you, Jean!
Also of note: There is an optometrist in Jonesboro charging $1.00 – yes that’s right – for eye exams. Please see Camille for more information.
It was suggested that we may want to use a room in Fellowship Chapel Church on Crockett Street for our next meeting, as the little room we were in at this meeting was seriously lacking in air conditioning, and we may be more comfortable at the church since it is air conditioned.
Goody’s clothing store is offering 15% off purchases for all active and retired military personnel, their immediate families, and their dependents. Just present your military I.D. or dependent I.D. to your cashier when you check out. **Some exclusions apply. See store for details.
Sears Portrait Studio: Show your military I.D. at time of session and receive 20% off your in-studio and online portrait purchases and your session fee is FREE. See flyer attached at the end of the Meeting Notes.
Our next meeting is Saturday, August 7, 2004 , location to be announced.
Toni
To inquire about helping support the families of the 278th, call the Family Readiness Group at (423) 279-0864 or the armory at 989-6640.
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