American Gold Star Mothers lay wreath at Tomb of the Unknowns, Gold Star Mothers Sunday, 09/26/05 Soldiers looking at Vietnam Wall Memorial Francis Turley at a funeral for a forgotten veteran. One of the many markers at Arlington Cemetery remembered by a mother Perpetuating the noble principles for which they fought and died.

Take a Tour of Headquarters

Street View

Renovations

Decorated for
Christmas 2009

February 2010
Snow Storm

Meet the Neighbors

 


Headquarters Renovation Projects

Stained Glass Window Renovations

In 2009 we undertook a complete renovation of the stained glass panels in the 3 sets of windows you see at the right. Each group of windows on the front of the house has stained glass in the upper lights. The leading had deteriorated over the years and the weather tightness and structural integrity of the windows was becoming questionable.

All the stained glass windows were removed, rebuilt and reinstalled; a process that took several months and created some difficulties when the moms gathered for business.

 

The second floor bay window where our office is located. In this photo the bottom clear windows are covered by new cellular shades which can be opened from the top or bottom. These give the office staff some privacy when we work at night.

A better look at the center panel in the photo at the left and a view of some of the neighbors across the street.

Front Garden Renovations

From left to right SueAnn Beck, Jane Frenke and Joe Beck. Joe, a Vietnam veteran and professional blacksmith specializing in reproduction colonial ironware, made and donated the screen in the background which covers the gas and electric meters and the hose bib. It's appropriately decorated with gold stars and has a colonial motif. If you look carefully you can see some strategically placed openings in the screen through which the meters can be read.

Joe is known is some circles as "Hollywood Joe, blacksmith to the stars" because he has made ironwork for several major movies including The Patriot (remember the chained church door handles?), Pirates of the Caribbean 2 & 3, and the HBO miniseries John Adams. Joe and his wife SueAnn operate Iron Apple Forge in Buckingham, PA.

Ruth was also present for the screen installation and planting of the new garden. Jane Frenke, grinning in the background, is a master gardener from West Virginia who volunteered herself and many of her plants to spend the day digging in our mini-garden. Jane also has her own business, Fiesta Fibers, where she creates mostly one of a kind quilts and hand dyed fabric.

Copyright American Gold Star Mothers, Inc      [Home] [Site Map]