SHINING STAR NOMINATION
The nominee for Shining Star from OH3 (Miami Valley Chapter) is: LINDA MAURO.
Linda joined the Chapter in 2005, shortly after her son Rob joined the Marines, and was an instrumental part of the young chapter’s growth and success (just chartered one year earlier in 2004). Since joining the chapter, Linda has served as its President, 1VP, 2VP and Recording Secretary. Most recently she has maintained the position of the Chapter’s 2VP, a role which is tasked with maintaining support of the Chapter’s Troop Center, located in Centerville.
Years before this assignment, Linda was instrumental in accessing and procuring grant funding from the Dayton Foundation, which opened the doors for a permanent Troop Center. Instead of storing items needed for packing and shipping boxes in a storage room in someone’s home (and only periodically shipping packages to the troops), she (and the then-President Bev Peyton) sought the advice of the Dayton Foundation to establish a permanent presence in Dayton. They followed the advice of the Dayton Foundation, and got a Chapter cell phone, developed a presence in the community, and then they contacted the Town & Country Centre in Kettering, to coordinate efforts for a store-front facility there to be made available to the Chapter on a permanent basis. This program was sponsored by the Dayton Foundation, and Chapter members would gather weekly at the Center to pack and ship boxes to the troops overseas. This arrangement continued for seven years.
Keeping strict records of packages shipped, as well as deployment dates of the troops, Linda insured that soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen and coasties received packages when they were deployed. Linda states that this has been the most gratifying aspect of her time as a member of the Chapter, as well as encouraging nervous new military mothers on their journey of support. Since those beginning days the Chapter’s Troop Center has moved to Centerville, and is currently housed in a Kettering Medical Center office, where each Saturday boxes are packed and shipped to the troops. The shelves are organized alphabetically and filled with containers of personal care items and other necessary items to be sent to our active duty service men and women. She keeps those supplies up to date, and replaces them with Chapter funding.
Even though Linda’s son was discharged nine years ago, she continues to support the mission of the Organization (“support our troops, our veterans, and the families of our fallen”) and is a vital member of the Chapter. This Chapter has been forged by the character and commitment of Linda Mauro, and is happy to nominate her as our Shining Star.
Susan Reffner Bettinger, Chapter President Date: November 2022
