CONFIDENTIAL

MINUTES

79th MP Company - Family Readiness Group Meeting

October 5, 2003

Key Volunteers Present:

Karen Butler, Group LeaderMary Meline, Volunteer Coordinator

Shannon Larsen, Group Leader

Robyn Gifford, Secretary

Number Present:6 Members0 Guests

Announcements:

  • No announcements.

Minutes of the Last Meeting:

  • The minutes of the September 7, 2003, 79th MP Company Family Readiness Group meeting were reviewed and accepted.

Treasurer’s Report:

  • The current balance in the FRG account is $1042.32.
  • No action required.

Old Business:

  • December 13thHoliday Gathering:
  • Training topic:
  • The redeployment video is 45 minutes long, 15 minutes of which are on the actual family topics. Karen obtained a list of facilities who have this information so that our out-of-state members can contact the other facility to see the video. The contact phone number will be in the next newsletter. Again, the video is extremely important and has a lot of information for the family and the soldiers. Some of the information is for right away but there are also topics dealing with how things are going after the soldiers have been home a bit and how the kids can react. Homecoming and Reunion is the name of the video. The video also helps the soldiers left behind and those returning to reintegrate as a single unit again.
  • No action necessary.
  • Family activities:
  • Shannon Larson is willing to take photos of the families at the gathering. The FRG will cover the cost of one 5X7 picture and the family would pay for additional pictures wanted. The family will have the option to bring a few pictures from home for Shannon to onto a CD and send to the troops.
  • Dee will research how to get a Santa for the gathering.
  • The cost of the meal will be $6 dollars per person for the gathering. Children under 2 years of age are free.
  • Parents will provide a gift for Santa to give to their child/children so that the children will have age-appropriate gifts, etc. $10 dollar limit please.
  • Catering needs two weeks notice and will need a firmer headcount a few days before the gathering.
  • Shannon will handle the creation of a flyer with the gathering information, which will be folded at the November FRG meeting and mailed by November 15.

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CONFIDENTIAL

  • Fundraising
  • Sweatshirts/T-shirts

  • T-shirts were approximately $9 the last time, and Shannon will look into current pricing options for these items.


  • Pins (pictures are NOT actual sizes!!) The wholesale cost is $6, $7 and $1.25 respectively.
  • Other
  • At the family gathering in December, we could sell additional pictures beyond the initial 5x7 one at $5 per 8 x 10 sheet.

New Business:

  • Morale Boosters
  • Shannon has the disk with the 79th embroidery logo on it that could be used to create sweatshirts to help build unity. It might cost about $40 for a sweatshirt and the money would be collected up front to pay for printing.
  • Remember to send little things, little reminders to the soldiers so that they have more reminders from home that they are missed.
  • Send Christmas trees, decorations, ornaments, and gifts for your soldiers well before Christmas so those items reach the soldiers before the holidays; mail can get backed up around the holidays at the post office.
  • No action required.

General Discussion / Other:

  • Patriotic window clings are available over the Internet.
  • To order a window cling, send your soldier’s name and rank to Sheri Dieck: . She will work up the window cling and send it to you via e-mail for your review. If you want the cling, you will need to send a check or money order for $5 percling to Sheri Dieck, 937 Colleen Circle Drive, Quinnesec, MI 49876.
  • Meeting site
  • We tried having the meetings up in the Cities to allow more people to attend, but it hasn’t increased attendance and therefore, the members present approved the request that the meetings be held only in Rochester.
  • FRG stamp/ink pad
  • Karen requested a stamp that says FRG on it for mailings. It will cost about $12-15. Members approved this request.

Meeting Adjourned: 3:12 pmMinutes submitted by Robyn Gifford, Secretary

Next meeting is: November 2, 2003 at 2pm at the Unit

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