Dept. of KS meeting in Emporia KS May 17, 2009. Members present were: back row L to R Jennifer Jackman, Diana Pitts, Charlotte Myers-Dick, Cindy Butler, Deb Austin, Maria Lane, Anita Dixon. Front Row L to R Virginia Harris, Shirley Hemenway, Rhonda Bradbury.

Upcoming Events

• Sunday Feb 14 - Lee Greenwood concert, Foley Theater, 300 W. 12th Street. Kansas City, MO 64105, 816.474.4444 (Contact Shirley Hemenway for more details and RSVP).
• Monday Feb 15 - Aaron Tippin concert, The Cotillion Ballroom, 11120 West Kellogg Street, Wichita, KS 67209, 316-722-4201 (Contact Anita Dixon for more details and RSVP).
• Friday February 19, 2010 6:00 p.m. - Set up of Rummage sale (proceeds to benefit Walk to Remember) 523 Cherokee (VFW Post #56) Leavenworth. Call Diana with questions.
• Saturday February 20, 2010 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. - Rummage sale 523 Cherokee Leavenworth (VFW Post #56) Call Diana with questions.
• Sunday March 28, 2010 - Welcome Home Day for Vietnam Veterans. Time and location to be announced.
• Saturday May 1, 2010 - Walk to Remember in Weston MO. Registration begins at 9:00 a.m. Walk begins at 10:00 a.m. Please call/email Diana or Patrick Farnan for more information.
• Saturday May 1, 2010 - Dept. of KS Meeting (after the Walk to Remember). We will be voting for new positions if you all choose to do so. Please let me know if you'd like to run for a position or if you'd like for the offices to stay the same for another year. If you'd like to nominate someone for a position please let me know by April 24th for planning purposes. Please refer questions about positions to me (Diana Pitts) and I can brief you on what will be required.
• We will have many more unscheduled events. Please email Diana Pitts (Chapter President) or Charlotte Myers-Dick (Corresponding Secretary) for information regarding any of the above events.

Past Events

Moms from the Wichita and NE Kansas chapters participated in several Veterans Day 2009 events around the area.

We are at Soden's Grove Veterans Memorial Park in Emporia Ks. for Veterans Day November 11, 2009 standing next to the Operation Iraq Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom Memorial Monument. L to R, Anita Dixon, Angela Cabrel, Denise Lange, Maria Lane and Andrea Schmidt.

L to R, Angela Cabrel, Andrea Schmidt, Maria Lane, Denise Lange, and Anita Dixon lined up ready for the Emporia Veterans Day Parade November 11, 2009.

Several Gold Star Moms were the invited guests of the Kansas City Chiefs on Oct 25, 2009.

Anita Dixon, Diana Pitts, Deb Murchison-Perri and Deb Austin pose for the camera at the Military Appreciation Day at the KC Chiefs game. We were invited guests of the Chiefs. Setting around us and in attendance were many retired and active military. The Chiefs lost 37-7 but we had a great time watching the great half time show and thanking our veterans and military.

Approx. 140 uniformed active military from the "Big Red One" out of Ft. Riley KS watched the Chiefs game Oct. 25th at field level.

Half time display of a 40X60 American Flag. Forty men and women took their military oath to protect and serve our nation on the field during the half time events.

Country Gold Star Picnic, Sept 20, 2009

Dept of KS members met Sept. 20th at Diana Pitts house for a "Country Gold Star Picnic". We invited Patriot Guard, American Legion and VFW friends to attend as well. We took up a collection of items for our local Veterans Hospitals.

Pictured are: Back row L to R Maria Barry, Cindy Butler, Maria Lane, Charlotte Myers-Dick, Anita Dixon, Deb Murchison-Perri, and Virginia Harris. Front row L to R Deb Austin, Deb Drexler, Diana Pitts.

Grinter Applefest Booth, Sept 12, 2009

We obtained several sponsorships for the Wreaths Across America Project and invited individuals to join us on the event date. We also raised funds for the Dept Acct. to go towards the "Walk to Remember" event. We most enjoyed just spending the day with each other in a beautiful 1800's setting.

Front row (L to R) Gold Star Dad Jim Butler, Cindy Butler, GS Sister Sadie Pitts, Deb Drexler
Back row Gold Star G'ma Lou Baswell, Deb Austin, Gold Star G'ma Kathie Echols, Diana Pitts, Gold Star Brother Joe Butler.

Those in attendance but unfortunately not in the picture; Deb Murchison-Perri and Shirley Hemenway.

On Saturday, June 13, 2009 the Dept of KS attended its first event since being restructured. The Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Central KS Chapter invited the Dept. of KS American Gold Star Mothers, as their guests, to the 234TH Army Birthday Celebration.
We were honored with kind words and three white carnations. We had a wonderful meal and evening full of excitement.

Back row left to right Anita Dixon, Diana Pitts, GS Dad Clayton Lamberd, Charlotte Myers-Dick, Jennifer Jackman, Rhonda Bradbury.

Front rowleft to right Deb Austin, GS Grandma Kathie Echols, Shirley Hemenway, Deb Drexler.