Tampa Bay Chapter, FloridaAGSM, Inc. Tampa Bay / VAVS CDCE Rep FH dinner
Submitted by Toni Gross AGSM, Inc., Tampa Bay VAVS CDCE Chairman
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In 2017, I attended my first Westgate Foundation Military Appreciation Weekend. I was invited during my first week as the Department President of FL-PR, and it marked my first official opportunity to build relationships outside my local chapter. Every year, the Westgate Foundation provides vacations to eligible active-duty military members, veterans, and Gold Star families. These families enjoy a three-day, two-night, stress-free weekend filled with family-friendly activities, live music, and patriotic displays at the Westgate property in Kissimmee, Florida. Additionally, various veteran service organizations, including American Gold Star Mothers, set up tables for a one-day resource fair. Many of these organizations focus on managing PTSD through counseling, equine therapy, and the use of service dogs. Seven years later, that initial opportunity has allowed me to connect with numerous individuals from various veteran service organizations. They share a common vision and a commitment to the same goals as AGSM, Inc. If you attended our 2021 national convention in West Palm Beach, you may remember that the Westgate Foundation was a sponsor. Since then, the Foundation has generously donated to the Department of FL-PR. With these donations, we established our own Chapter Grants for veteran service projects, similar to our National Chapter Grant program, and named it the Georgie Carter-Krell Grant. This past weekend, my Gold Star sisters, Lorrie Fleming and Sandy Miller, managed the resource table, after which we attended the concert. It was during this event that we received a generous $10,000 donation! Just imagine how many veterans we can support with that funding!  
Annette M Kirk
National 1st Vice President American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. Proud Gold Star Mother of PFC Paul O Cuzzupe II, US Army 12/2/86 - 8/8/10 “Standing in the Gap”  #NationalGuardBirthdayDecember 13th commemorates the National Guard Birthday. On December 13th, 1636, the Massachusetts General Court established an official militia for the first time in the American Colonies. A component of the United States Army, the National Guard is primarily composed of citizen-soldiers who hold down full-time, civilian jobs, attend school, or as is often the case, both. At the same time, they are available to provide support and protection for the states' civilians or be called for military operations at a national level. Each U.S. state, District of Columbia, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the territories of Guam and U.S. Virgin Islands maintain both an Army National Guard and an Air National Guard. HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL GUARD BIRTHDAYWhile not recognized as a Federal Holiday, National Guard members across the country celebrate the birth of the oldest military organization in the United States with galas, balls, and birthday parties. Since the National Guard is an integral part of each state, commonwealth, and territory, we all have a reason to celebrate this birthday! Take time to recognize a National Guard soldier or airman you know.
 National Wreaths Across America Day is the culmination of a yearlong mission to Remember the fallen, Honor those who serve and Teach the next generation the value of freedom. This mission is in part carried out each December with the placement of sponsored veterans’ wreaths on the headstones of those who have served our country. The observance is designated annually on a Saturday in December by Congress. By coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery and at more than 3,100 other participating locations around the country, Wreaths Across America strives to remember our fallen heroes. The day honors those who serve. And it teaches our children about the sacrifices made by veterans and their families to preserve our freedoms. Remember. Honor. Teach. HOW TO OBSERVE WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA DAYAll across the country, volunteers come together to lay wreaths on the gravesites of the military. You can help by volunteering, too. Bring your children, no matter their age. It's an excellent opportunity to teach them about the sacrifices our military and their families make and show respect for our military. You can also donate to make sure every fallen hero is honored. Many volunteers start by laying wreaths for their family members but find they continue to help each year. The meaning of a somber commitment of honoring service members with a wreath grows every year. Volunteer or donate by visiting www.wreathsacrossamerica.org. Use #WreathsAcrossAmericaDay to post on social media.  Gardenia Chapter, North CarolinaMembers from the Gardenia Chapter partnered with their local Blue Star Moms Chapter, Triangle Blue Star Moms - NC-17, to fundraise for their chapters at Apex Tuning's Toys for Tots Toy drive and car show.  BSM Jodi, BSM Stephaine, BSM Christine, GSM Nichole, GSM Courtney, BSM Lynn and BSM Danielle.  #PearlHarborRemembranceDayEach year in the United States, National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day honors all those who lost their lives when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. More than 3,500 Americans lost their lives or were wounded on that solemn day.
The day marked a turn in the United States' position regarding involvement in World War II. The Japanese attack damaged several battleships, permanently sinking both the USS Arizona and USS Oklahoma. Still, others capsized, taking crew members with them. One noted ship was the USS Utah. Along with naval vessels, the attack destroyed aircraft, too. As a result, the attack forced the U.S. into a war that had been raging for two years. Veterans Last Patrol: Operation Holiday Salute Three years ago, American Gold Star Mothers, Inc., teamed up with Veteran’s Last Patrol for Operation Holiday Salute. Each year we have seen the number of cards collected grow. For the 2024 year, we are excited to share that we collected 26,680 holiday cards to be delivered to our nation’s Heroes who are currently in hospice care. We received cards from 37 different states! 
Members of the AGSM National Board spent the day sorting and counting the cards during their visit to Washington, DC for the Veterans Day weekend.
Some of our favorite cards were cards sent to us from children and the handmade cards sent to us from schools across the country.
After all cards had been received, sorted and counted, National President, Patti Elliott and National IT Chair, Nichole Chilton, delivered the cards to VLP Headquarters in Spartanburg, SC.
 VLP’s extensive network of volunteers across the country helps put these notes of appreciation and encouragement in their hands. To find out how you can assist in the distribution of cards, please visit VLP’s website: Welcome | Veteran's Last Patrol | USA
Thank you for helping us complete another successful collection campaign! We could not do this without you!! Mission Impossible? You decide!How do you attend several events on the same day around the same time?
The National Executive Board (NEB) members had several opportunities during Veterans Day weekend to honor those who served our military.  1. Medal of Honor
The most prestigious of all U.S. military decorations, the Medal of Honor (sometimes informally called the “Congressional Medal of Honor”) is the highest medal any U.S. service member can receive. Since it was created during the Civil War in 1861, the medal has only been given to “the bravest of the brave” and is awarded to service members who have displayed exceptional valor on the battlefield against an enemy. There are three versions of the medal – for the Army, Air Force and Navy (Coast Guard and Marine Corps personnel receive the Navy version) – and all recipients are given the award by the current president. Past Medal of Honor recipients include former President Theodore Roosevelt, Daniel Daly (known for his famous World War I battle yell, “Come on, you sons of b******, do you want to live forever?!”) and Travis Atkins (who sacrificed his life for his men in Iraq in 2007). To date, there have been 3,473 Medals of Honor awarded to service members across all branches. |
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