Blue Star Mothers Blog

From a Deployed Hero, son of a local Mom-September 2023

Hi Mom! I just got three of the Blue Star Moms care packages in and they really are awesome care packages!!! It’s so much stuff I’m gonna bring it into work for everyone to share! lol Tons of snacks and then a bunch of toiletries and games below that! It’s definitely going to be appreciated. I’ll leave it inside the front door of the TOC which is very high traffic so I’m sure it’ll go quick. A lot of creature comforts!”

Thank You from Troops in Afghanistan June 2020

This is why we send our care packages:

We found this thank you letter when searching through our older emails and thought everyone would enjoy it too.

Hello,

        My name is PFC Steven Txxxxx. We recently received your packages and wanted to express our appreciation for them!! We really enjoyed everything in them and needed alot of the toiletries. We are a small cannon crew of around 15 members and we run the XXXX and XXXXX firing points on one of the bases in Afghanistan. As things are starting to dissolve over here we are starting to lose our amenities such as the place we would walk to to get meals and the small store we would purchase snacks and toiletries from. We mainly have 2  meals a day with snacks in between when we have them. We have no running water so everything is out of bottles. We do have a bath house we can walk to for showering which is nice. All the items you have sent us will and are being used and we definitely appreciate the thought you and your group have put into all of the packages. I have a couple of names of some brothers that could use a letter if you are looking for some names. Tyrone Exxxxxx, Matthew Sxxxxxxxx, and Antonio Pxxxx. Most of us receive letters and we all love them. These few I listed I hadn’t put their names in. I have attached a file of our unit on our 3 month anniversary. Thanks again and please feel free to email me if you have any questions. Again, we really really appreciate your support. Thanks,

                                   PFC Steve Txxxxx

Thank You from Deployed Hero-February 2023

My name is P. B. I received two care packages from the blue
star group of Dayton. The guys and gals greatly appreciate everything
that came in the care package. Thank you for taking the time to prepare
the care package and support troops deployed abroad.
 We have about 25 people here,we have access to a microwave several
coffee makers (all drip makers),3 females. We have access to a px on
post. Most needed or wanted items would be coffee of any kind, due to
supply chain issues the px gets a little in but runs out fairly quick
and with us being group of mechanics we have weird hours and late nights
to get equipment and trucks back up and running so we consume what some
might consider an unhealthy amount of coffee. Thank you for your support and god bless

Blue Star Mother Shining Star Award 2022

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