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General Orders Newsletter #5
December 2021

NO FORMAL 3rd Thursday ZOOM MEETING
However, we welcome our members and their guests to join us for a special lecture:
"The Gift of Gratitude"
on 12/14


Tuesday December 14, 2021
8 PM EST / 5 PM PST
All Members, Patriots, and Guests are Welcomed to join us.

LOGIN ONLINE: https://zoom.us/j/4981732263

Meeting Code - 2020
Call in via telephone: 1-929-436-2866
Enter this Meeting ID: 4981 732 263
National President
Colleen Orfanello

Traditionally, the MOPHA does not schedule a ZOOM meeting during the month of December, but we are aware that for many of our members, our monthly Zoom calls are a way of "visiting" with friends. So we chose to present a casual lecture entitled " The Gift of Appreciation". The 20 minute lecture will feature Life Coach Joy Fragola. She will share techniques to gain better mental health and less stress during the holiday season by understanding that when you appreciate others, you begin to appreciative oneself. After the lecture, Joy will be available to answer questions. All members, Patriots, and guests are welcomed. Members are welcomed to remain on the zoom call and visit with friends afterwards. BEE JOYFUL this season!

GREAT NEWS! REBATE CHECKS have been prepared and I can't wait to sign and mail them.

I have been preparing an "end of year" newsletter. We will be using photos and activities our members have sent in throughout the year. If you have not done so already, send in any photos or information you wish to share via our website (under the Historian Forms link) or send them to PNP Flener at Communications.MOPHA@gmail.com.

Kay Jo and I were so proud to represent the MOPHA during Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. I participated in an event at the 1st Mainland Pearl Harbor Remembrance Park (Just on the outskirts of New Orleans) and the WWII Museum. Kay Jo was our representative in Hawaii, where she presented a memorial wreath and participated in honoring our Patriots in the Pearl Harbor Parade. Photos to come...

Today (12/11), tragedy struck several states in the form of deadly tornados. We are requesting welfare checks for our MOPHA and MOPH members that were affected. Please contact us at MOPHAUX@gmail.com and we will forward the information to our National MOPH Leadership team.

And lastly, many of our members know Patriot Zachariah Fike. Zach is the founder of Purple Hearts Reunited. Patriot Fike is once again deployed and will not be home for the holidays. Let's keep him, in our thoughts, and all others serving, during the holidays. Patriot Fike's mailing address can be found below. If you have a loved one serving, let us know so our members can send "little happys" to them.

I am so thankful for our members. I am always in awe of their creative ways to help our Veterans and their families. THANK YOU to all, and Happy Holidays.


Colleen
504-296-5022
National Senior Vice President
Kay Jo Baucom

Here are a few words from Kay Jo when she arrived in Hawaii. We are so proud of her!

Today, I am touring the Arizona and my heart and mind is full of emotion. Know I will represent each of our membership in the most respectful way possible for me to do so. Everywhere I turn, I am in awe of the service, dedication and sacrifice made by all who have served before and are currently serving. Having a dad who served in WWII , I am keenly aware of the seriousness of this 80th anniversary. The weather has been unsettled here- flash flood warnings, high wind advisory and 70s temperatures instead of 80s but come what may, my mission is clear and I am honored to be a part of this important occasion. God bless each of you as you serve others so unselfishly. I speak for everyone when I say, we are grateful!


Serving proudly with you, 

Kay Jo Baucom
MOPHA National Senior Vice President

Kay Jo
A visitor to Waikiki posted a video of the PURPLE HEART BALLOON during the Pearl Harbor Day. Did you see it live? https://fb.watch/9R3vprTrWm/
Thank you to "The Hawaii Admirer" for sharing your video!
National Junior Vice President
Barbara Hale Ray

Barbara encourages members, Patriots, and guests to visit AuxiliaryRaffle.org and purchase tickets for the winter HOLIDAY HAPPINESS raffle! The raffle is for a 3 night vacation in Keystone, Colorado in a luxury condominium with 5 ski lift passes. The winner can use their prize during any season.

Proceeds will be used for Ways & Means. Winning ticket will be drawn on December 30th.

Please share the word and BEST of LUCK!

Barbara Hale-Ray
MOPHA National Junior Vice President

Barbara
National Communications Officer
Amanda Flener, PNP

Amanda has been extremely busy keeping up with social media postings and showcasing our Units and Department's activities.

She wishes to remind MOPHA members to send in photos of activities and events via text 229-325-8106 or via email Communications.MOPHA@gmail.com


Amanda Flener, PNP
MOPHA National Communications Officer

Amanda
National Chaplain
Gwendolyn Gilliard, PNP

REMEMBERING, CELEBRATING AND SHARING
Season Greetings and Salutations,
Being greatly aware of the holiday season we are in I thought I would recall some of the calendar events that are a part this month’s observations and celebrations. I’m a bit behind and I sincerely apologize (forgive me) but I can assure you that daily prayers have gone up each day for the ones that have passed or ending soon, and will continue. 
 
Firstly, let us take time to reflect on the Day of Infamy, World War II which occurred 80 years ago on 7 December 1941 when there was a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. It has been reported that over 2400 people lost their lives as a result of that infamous day. The survivors and families have remained resilient and we are thankful to God for the sacrifices and their legacies of which we pay tribute to through remembering and honoring-“gone but not forgotten.” (I immediately think of a few Patriots who are in their heavenly home like Patriot J. J. Witmeyer and Patriot Art Bishop-there are many more).
 
Here are the rest of this month’s calendar celebrations: Happy Holidays!
 
      *Hanukkah began the evening of November 28 and ends the evening of December 6
      (Belated “Hanukkah Sameach!”  “Chag Sameach!”)
     *Advent started Sunday, 28 November ends Friday, 24 December
      *Winter Solstice will be at 0958 AM on Tuesday, December 21
      *Christmas Day (“Merry Christ-mas!” “Merry Christmas”; to many folks Happy Birthday Jesus!)
      *Kwanzaa will begin 26 December and ends 1 January 2022 (Happy Kwanzaa)
      *New Year’s Eve 31 December 2021 (entering year 2022 at 1159p.m.-0000-Happy New Year
 
Being amongst such a beautiful and diverse group of MOPHA members, perhaps you have a special cultural celebration during this time of year that can be shared. What better way to get to know each other and embrace our diversity of caring and sharing? I’m open for suggestions to experience the oneness in our relationship that includes our hearts of service to our Veterans and their families-and to each other. We really do have a lot in common. For more info on the above mentioned events, I suggest Goggling-yeah. BTW, thank you for your awesome service!
 
Whatever your “Reason for the Season” is I encourage you to celebrate life, celebrate family and friends, good eating and fun, focus, meditate, worship, pray, keep the faith, hope, forgive and stand forgiven, claim the peace that surpasses all understanding and experience harmonious relationships/friendships. Even more so I strongly encourage sharing the Gift of Love-after all, it’s free and it’s already wrapped. Glory to God in the Highest, our Creator!
 
I pray that each and every one of you, your family, friends, neighbors and every person that crosses your path have a beautifully blessed and spiritually rich Christ-mas celebration with every gift given or received. Let’s not forget those who have not, alone, ill, incarcerated, widowed, grieving or whatever their concerns may be is given an extra measure of grace by our Father. I’d been praying about how to present this to include everyone and this is what I was lead to present. Let’s bless the Lord. And this is my prayer I am submitting in His Beloved Jesus Name. Amen. 
 
“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26 (NKJV)
 
National Chaplain
Gwendolyn Gilliard, PNP

Gwen
WELFARE CHECK!
A stretch of more than 250 miles from Arkansas to Kentucky was hit by a deadly tornado.

One of the most devastated sites is the southwestern Kentucky city of Mayfield.

We pray our members and their Patriots are safe.

Please let us know if there are members who have been affected by this tragedy.

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Region II NEWS!
Unit 750 In Ventura California, in conjunction with Chapter 750, donated Thanksgiving food baskets for Veterans and active duty at the Santa Barbara VA Clinic and Port Hueneme Navy Base.
                                 
The gift bags which were comprised of a
really nice reusable gift bag, a
bottle of sparkling cider and a $100
universal supermarket food card.
They were met by Santa Barbara
V.A. Clinic Social Worker Wendy
Park who will distribute the ten gift
bags to vetted needy veterans and
their families.

For Ventura, Hugh Claybaugh
followed through and contacted
 the Navy Base Ventura Commissary
 at the Port Hueneme base and the
management there was happy to
assist. Hugh and Kitty Hurliman
distributed fifteen $100
commissary cards to appropriate veterans
 and active duty SeaBees.
 
Brilliant Idea for Membership Recruiting
Last year the units of California purchased purple Heart material and made masks for Purple Heart
recipients. Unit 750 has a great idea. Expert Mask-Maker Kitty Hurliman came up with an idea for Purple
Heart recipients, to recruit new members. For example, you see someone sporting a PH license plate,
you talk to them and if there is interest in joining, give them Kitty’s Purple Heart mask along with an
application.
The Chapter will talk of subsidizing to a degree for new members, as the joining fee is $200.
Purple Heart Themed material can be found at Spoonflower.com
PATRIOT Zachariah Fike is deployed oversees.
To send him a care package to share with his fellow teammates, please use the following address:

MAJ Fike, Zachariah, CNS 29
CMR 12, Unit 93221
Camp Bondsteel
APO, AE 09240
Rickie Gunn OR 72

Pamela Graig CO 375

Heather Thomas MI 1985

Clint Steele Weirick CA 750

Please pray for the family of Dale Manke, who passed away. Dale was the husband of long time Unit 228 member Leslie Manke and his daughter Rhiannon also has been active for a long time and served as National LAMOPH Treasurer for several terms.


National Chaplain Gwen Gilliard's email address is Chaplain.MOPHA@gmail.com
Connie Sue Jackson MI 1985 on 11/16/2019
Barbara Sanford Unit 110 on 8/31/2021
Mildred Lundsten WI 550 on 5/31/0021
Dorothy Every WI 550 on 2/6/2021
Carol Kautz CO 423 on 7/8/2021
Marguerite McRoy CO 423 on 5/6/2020
Arlene Kelly CO 423 on 9/21/2020
Emmie Booth MS 803 on 5/16/2021
Catherine Faulkner TX 1876 on 9/30/2021
Joyce Turner DML 6 on /5/2017
Jeane Weddle DML-776 on 8/19/2021
Dolores Wickman MN Unit 268 on 10/31/2021
Helen Volz MN 268 on 11/7/2021
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to shop online and support our Auxiliary.
Rada has amazing cutlery and items that would be perfect in your kitchen or to give as a gift. After all, the holiday-season is here!
What a great hostess gift!

WEBSITE TESTERS NEEDED
ShopPurple.org is a nation-wide business directory to share our members businesses or talents with potential customers. No matter if you cut hair or construct skyscrapers, ShopPurple.org is for you! It's only available to MOPHA Purple Heart Family Members, MOPH Associate Members, and of course our Patriots.
Even if you don't have a business to showcase but want to help test the site, simply visit the website and jot down what you think about the simplicity of the site or what needs to be improved. Our Website Committee will be meeting soon and truly wants your help! Visit ShopPurple.org to help us out.