American Gold Star Mothers - Dept of KS, NE Kansas Chapter

Officers

Recording Secretary:
    Shirley Hemenway
Chaplain:
    Virginia Harris
Treasurer:
    Diana Pitts
Corresponding Secretary:
    Charlotte Myers-Dick
Historian:
    Deb Austin
Sergeant at Arms:
    Deb Murchison-Perri
Volunteer Chairperson:
    Deb Austin
VAVS Chairperson:
    Shirley Hemenway
Wreaths Across America:
    Deb Austin
Fisher House Captain:
    Deb Murchison-Perri

We are now represented on the board of the Homeless Veterans Funeral Program in the greater Kansas City area.

Members of our chapter also participate in end of month honors for unattended Veterans Burials at Leavenworth National Cemetery the last Thursday of each month.

We have members as VAVS Representatives on the board of the Dwight D. Eisenhower VA Medical Center in Leavenworth Kansas and the board of the Kansas City MO VA Medical Center in Kansas City Missouri.

Northeast Kansas Chapter

Welcome to the NE Kansas chapter of American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. We currently have 28 members and associate members. We welcome mothers within close proximity to our chapter towns to join us. Even though we are listed as a KS chapter, we currently have (and love) four mothers from NW Missouri who are in our chapter because we are the closest chapter and are very active too!!

From left to right Charlotte Myers-Dick, Virginia Harris, Cindy Butler, Deb Austin, Rhonda Bradbury, Shirley Hemenway, Diana Pitts, Maria Barry, Deb Drexler, not pictured Deann Farnan, Pam Mulvihill, Lisa LaBlance-Willis, Deb Shanahan.

Upcoming Events

July 24th - T-Bones (KC's minor league BB team) Military Appreciation Night. Stage time 5:00 and go onto field at 6:15.
July 24th - Gold Medal of Remembrance Ceremony Location/Time TBA
August 1st - Vietnam Traveling Wall, Seneca KS.
August 7th - Chapter Mtg. Bob Evans Legends Shopping Center 11:00 a.m.
August 14th - Meet and Greet new Ft Leavenworth Students, 5-11 p.m. Haymarket Square, 7th and Cherokee, Leavenworth KS.
Aug 17-18 - CAO/CNO Training Ft. Leav. KS 1:00.
August 20th - Leavenworth Veterans Memorial 3rd annual golf tournament Ft. Leavenworth Trails West Golf Course 9:00 a.m.
August 29th - Poker Run Benefiting Fisher House and the 1st Marine League Kearney MO 9:30 a.m. VFW in Kearney.
Sept. 3rd - Leavenworth High School Sports Center, 6:00 p.m. Unveiling of memorial dedicated to past students from Leavenworth High that gave their lives for our country from WWI to Present day conflict. Call Diana for info.
Sept 11 - Patriot Run. Olathe KS (call Deb Austin for more info.) Also, various events recognizing 9-11.
Sept. 21-22 - CAO/CNO Training Ft. Leavenworth KS 1:00.
Oct. 19-20 - CAO/CNO Training Ft. Leavenworth KS 1:00.
Nov 5-12 - Healing Fields Ottawa KS.
Nov 11th - Several Veterans Day Events across our chapter area. Please keep a watch on emails.
Nov 29th - Dec 2nd - Holiday Gift Shop. Dwight D. Eisenhower VA Center Leav KS. Open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day.
Dec 11th - Wreaths Across America (Hosting ceremony-Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery. Supporting ceremony Leavenworth National Cemetery. Please watch emails for times we will be needed.

The last Thursday of each month at 2:30 p.m. Leavenworth National Cemetery hosts an "end of month honors" for veterans who have passed during the month and not had family present or honors presented. AGSM, Patriot Guard and others are represented at this event.

Past Events

July 1, 2010. Members of the Dept of KS AGSM attended funeral honors and burial for veterans from the Spanish-American war to the present. These were unclaimed veterans/spouse cremains that were released, some after 88 years, to various organizations throughout the state of Missouri. HR Bill 111 passed and made this possible after several years of effort. Missouri had a total of over 450 cremains released throughout the state. Video news story.

In attendance, left to right. Diana Pitts, Jennifer Jackman, Charlotte Myers-Dick.

Dept of KS AGSM moms and associate members took part in a refueling mission at McConnell AFB Wichita KS on May 4,2010.

Gold Star Moms with their families and flight crew.

Gold Star Moms. Boy.. what a winding day on the tarmac!!

Gold Star Moms and families.

Several of our members attended the Lee Greenwood concert in Kansas City. Mr. Greenwood was kind enough to take a picture with us.

Front row Bob and Shirley Hemenway, Charlotte Myers-Dick. Back row Debbie Austin-Lamberd. Not pictured Clayton Lamberd & Thomas Dick.

Bob and Shirley Hemenway, Lee Greenwood, Charlotte(Myers) & Thomsa Dick. Not pictured Debbie (Austin) & Clayton Lamberd.

Christmas Gifts our chapter purchased for a military family on Ft. Leavenworth. The family's father is currently deployed to Afghanistan. We were able to purchase everything on their list and received a card thanking us for helping complete strangers.

Nov 22, 2009, Shirley Hemenway and Charlotte Myers-Dick attend the KC Chief's game against the Steelers with their family. This is one of the games the Chiefs won!

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

Veterans Day Parade in Wichita Ks. November 7, 2009. Kneeling L to R, Diana Pitts (NE KS Chapt.), Conner Parker and Blake Parker (grandsons of Anita Dixon, sons of SGT Evan S. Parker. Back row, Kathie Echols (Diana Pitts mother), Shirley Hemenway (NE KS CHAPT.), Charlotte Myers-Dick (NE KS Chapt.), Betty Pulliam, Andrea Schmidt, Anita Dixon, Denise Lange, Angela Cabrel, and Maria Lane.

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.

Wounded Soldiers Benefit Ride 3/21/2009. In attendance (left to right) Kathie Ecols, Diana Pitts, Rhonda Bradbury, Scott Stephensons, D.C. Big Dog Hannah, Shirley Hemenway, Charlotte Myers-Dick. Along with friends of Scott Stephensons in the back

Battlefield Cross print presentation, Leavenworth VFW Post #56, March 12th, 2009. In attendance from left to right, GS sister Joani Unger, Melissa Miller, GS sister Sadie Pitts, VFW #56 Commander Elect Lynn Rolf III, GS Grandma Kathie Echols, GS brother Shane Unger, Diana Pitts, LEW (presenter of Battlefield Cross Print) Charlotte Myers-Dick, Shirley Hemenway.