GENERALLY SPEAKING
Blue Star Mothers of America - 101
We are mothers who have or have had children serving in the military . We are a non-profit 501(c)3 service organization that supports each other, our children, troops serving everywhere in the world, and veterans of all ages here at home. We do not favor one branch of our military over another and in fact support all branches equally We also do all we can to promote patriotism during times of war and during times of peace.
The Broken Arrow Chapter of the Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc was chartered in April 2003 by some moms when their sons and daughters answered the call to duty. They found out that the Blue Star Mothers organization had been restarted in Tulsa. These moms met in various homes or churches. They packed boxes to send to the soldiers in Iraq & Afghanistan that first Christmas.
In April, 2004 this group of moms had nearly doubled. Late summer that year, the Broken Arrow Elks Lodge was approached & they allowed them access to their building for future meetings. In November 2004 one of the new members had an empty house and offered to allow the BA Chapter to store the donated items & for packing of Christmas boxes. Over 1,500 soldiers received a little bit of Christmas from the Broken Arrow moms.
With the taste of a place to call home, and keep all the donations the moms got spoiled & were saddened when the property finally sold & they had to move all that stuff back into their garages & empty rooms. In April, 2005 it was announced the chapter had a home for at least a year. They were allowed to move in nearly a month before the actual lease began. Lots of clean up from the previous renter, wall completion & painting had to be done. The Grand Opening was held on May 6, 2005. Broken Arrow Mayor Carter & MSgt Wayne Adams did the honor of cutting the ribbon for the official opening. The Broken Arrow Chapter has grown to over 50 family members, with lots of new moms, dads & a few associates. Some are deployed, some are not, and some are just beginning, but for the moms, they are all proud of each one of them.
It is out of love that these moms volunteer their time &
energy to show support to their military, past, present & future. In their
future plans they are hoping to help out the veterans by supplying them with
toiletries & other needed items. Thanks go out to these veterans because
without their sacrifices America would not be FREE. Freedom isn’t free!
There are sacrifices and our sons & daughters have made that sacrifice.
God Bless them!