DEPARTMENT OF OHIO. In This Issue: Message from the President Convention Photos News from Chapters

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1 DEPARTMENT OF OHIO February 2017 Volume 1, Number 2 In This Issue: Message from the President Convention Photos News from Chapters Department of Ohio Officers: Brenda Russel - President Karen Stillwell - 1st VP Cheri Spurlock - 2nd VP Diana Vance - Treasurer Deb Earll - Financial Secretary Lynn Feldman - Recording Secretary Send articles to: Cheri Spurlock ohbsm2vp@yahoo.com Greetings, I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season with their family and friends. Now that we are in full swing of the new year. I want to make sure that you are aware of some upcoming Conventions and Conferences so that all the Ohio members can start to plan on attending one or both of these events. Our National President, Cyndi Ventura and her Convention Committee is working very hard on planning our 75 th National Convention. The National Convention will be held in New York City at the New Yorker. By now, you should have all, received the National Newsletter that included the Convention Chatter, that will give you more information on how to make your reservations and travel arrangement. The Department of Ohio board is working hard to plan a fun and informative North- South Conference. The North-South Conference will be held on April 8 th at the Double Tree by Hilton Columbus-Worthington, 175 Hutchinson Ave. Columbus OH The block of rooms will be available to make your reservations by February 20th, by calling and telling them that you will be with Blue Star Mothers on Friday, April 7 th. The rooms will be for the night. We will be having a buffet lunch in the hotel restaurant. There will be a room for vendor tables for Chapter Sales. The Department will also be having a silent auction that will be used to help offset the cost of North South and the Department Convention. We are hoping that each chapter will bring a basket or item, to be placed in the silent auction. The Conference Call and registration will be going out in the coming weeks, along with more details as they become available. We look forward to seeing everyone at the conference. I just returned from the Mid-Year conference for the NEB. We spent the weekend in meetings, working on multiple items that affect the organization. It was a busy weekend, but very interesting, learning more about what all the NEB officers do, some of the history of the organization and getting to really know the other BSM sisters that I normally only get to hear their voices over the phone. As your Chapters plan their events and meetings for the coming year, please be sure to let the DEB know and/or place an article in the newsletter. I m hoping to be able to visit as many Chapters as possible with my work schedule. In Service to our Military and Blue Star Mothers. Brenda Russell

2 Chapter 2: NEB at Mid-Year For the third year, Chapter 2 was invited to attend American Legion Post 290 s Legion Riders Chili Cook-Off. We were so excited to be asked back to this fun event. Chapter 2 has a bake sale-desert table at the cook-off where the attendees can purchase their deserts to go along with the chili tasting. Along with the chili tasting, they have raffles, 50/50 and a small live auction. So, there is something going on the whole time. The Post 290 Legion Riders presented Chapter 2 with a check from a portion of their fundraising. So, in all we had fun-filled day and came home with just under $1,

3 Chapter 21: We have had a very busy winter so far. This year we participate in the Sawmill Creek Festival of lights. With the help of some designers that I know, we created a beautiful military light display that was available for viewing from November 18 through the January 7. Building, painting, stringing lights was a lot of work and we could not have done it without the help of a carpenter, a graphic designer, our entire chapter of Blue Star Moms, and most of all our Blue Star Dads! As part of that, we worked the Santa house for two of the coldest days of the year. (With Barb Cook as Mrs. Clause.) In addition, on November 25 we were part of a silent auction. As many of you did, we participated in the Wreaths across America on December 17 at the Sandusky Ohio Veterans Home and even went back after a windstorm and stood them all back up. We all arrived early on that day to spend time with the veterans listening to their stories and thanking them for their service. We hope to be even more involved with this good work next year. Last year the OVH received only 250 wreaths. This year there were 450 and our goal for next year is 1,000.

4 Chapter 7: Here is a little snip-it of what our Chapter 7 Brunswick Patriot Moms have done and are doing that may be newsworthy! Dec. 6th, (Tues) we had our Chapter Christmas Party at Tammy Felix's home. We celebrated thankfulness and prayers for all our sons in Ch. 7 that are currently serving our country, and exchanged great fellowship and friendship, with new members and old. We are VERY thankful for our BSM chapter 7 friends! March 1st (Wed.), we are having a DINING to DONATE event at Applebee s. We hope those in our Medina County and surrounding area can come to support our local Medina County active duty troops and us! We will receive 15% of all food bills on this day that BLUE STAR MOMS is mentioned when the party orders! Thank you in advance for your help! A BIG THANK YOU TO OHIO BLUE STAR MOTHER'S OFFICERS for supporting each local chapter in their time of happiness and/or need! We are all here and in this together for our local military! God Bless the USA!

5 Chapter 7 ADDITIONAL TRAVEL INFO FOR NATIONAL CONVENTION As you know, the National Convention is in New York City this year. With that in mind, some of the women will be taking the Amtrak from Cleveland to New York for this event. The information is below: Round trip is $ The train will leave from Cleveland at 5:50 a.m. Sunday, July 30 th and get into New York at 6:23 p.m. We will return to Cleveland on Saturday, August 5th. Return times are 3:40 pm leave New York City and get into Cleveland at 3:32 am August 5th. If you want more information, you can go on the Amtrak site. Barb Cook submitted this information.