​My first two weeks as National President . . .

What a whirlwind! I left Colorado Springs late Monday, the 24th and, thanks to flight delays, arrived home in NC around 2:00 a.m. on Tuesday, the 25th. I slept a few hours, repacked and headed to DC. While in DC, Pam Stemple and I unpacked a few suitcases full of Convention supplies and met with a representative from Philip Morris International (one of our Convention sponsors) to hear what PMI is doing for our Veterans. It was very informative, and I look forward to AGSM being able to partner with PMI in the future. Later that evening, Pam and I attended the opening ceremonies for the 133rd Continental Congress of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. It was a beautiful evening of patriotism and pageantry.

One thing I’ve learned in the first two weeks is the phone calls and emails are steady.  I’ve gotten calls with questions ranging from how do I find other Gold Star Mothers in my area to VSOs looking for Gold Star Mothers to invite to events in their communities.  Some of the calls have been heartbreaking. One was from a 98-year-old Gold Star Mother (not a member) in a nursing facility in the New England area who was concerned about the level of care she was getting in the facility. I connected her with the licensing agency in her state to call for help, but her concerns have haunted my sleep, wondering how she’s doing. Then there was a call from a lady in Oregon trying to organize a reunion for a specific unit and looking for the families of 13 fallen members of that unit to invite to the reunion. Sadly, none of their mothers are or ever have been members of AGSM and I wasn’t able to help them. Maybe one of the most distressing contacts was an email sent from a Gold Star wife who is living in her car with her child and on the verge of that car being repossessed. She was looking for resources. I was able to connect her with the Survivor Outreach Services coordinator for her area and I’m hoping they were able to provide assistance.

As I said in my address at Convention, all of us have a story, and while no two stories are exactly the same, we all are faced with the task of finding purpose in every day and making each day count. My prayer every morning is for me to be able to make a positive impact on someone’s life that day. I wish that for each of you as well!

I have a busy couple of weeks coming up in July. I will be attending Stem to Stone for Wreaths Across America and then on to the Blue Star Mothers of America National Convention in Oklahoma City. Keep me in your prayers for safe travels and that I will represent AGSM in the best way possible.

Until next time . . . Hugs!!!

Patti Elliott
National American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. President