HOWDY FROM OUR PRESIDENT
Happy New Year!
Did you get to hug your Aggie over the holidays! I did. In fact, as I write this, my Aggie, her two BIG dogs, her fish, and her two horses are still in residence. In just a few days they will all leave to return to their reality and I will be left with mine. But, I will be left with a few reminders. The house and yard damage, the empty refrigerator, the available laundry appliances and telephones, and the quiet moments. Give me excessive dog hair any day over that. Oh well, it is inevitable. They all want to go back to Aggieland. No matter if they are graduated or not, they will forever hear the Call of the Maroon and the draw to Highway 6.
We had a great meeting in December. Thirty or so fun-hearted souls including several spouses and students ate their weight in goodies before the knock-down-drag-out over the gift exchange. I wish we had a video! The laughter filled the room and great stories of ‘finals survival’ flowed. I will never again miss the Christmas Party. I encourage you to do the same!
If you read your yearbooks, you already know that the meeting this month (January 20) will be held in Sonora. We do this only once a year, but it is important to give the mothers in our southern area a chance to attend without driving so far. Many Aggie Mothers faithfully drive to our San Angelo meeting several times a year, and it is a chance to return the favor - and enjoy their hospitality! Anyone who wants to carpool or caravan, should meet that Thursday at Trinity Lutheran at 5:15 PM for a prompt 5:30 PM departure.
Lastly, please make a special effort to attend all the monthly meetings this spring. We have very important meetings coming up, including a great speaker in February, Goodie Bags and election of officers in March, Muster in April, and announcement of Scholarship recipients in May!
Here’s hoping to see you soon,
Judy
JANUARY MEETING - Thursday, January 20 in Sonora
Meet at Trinity Lutheran Church - 3536 YMCA Drive in San Angelo at 5:15 p.m.
Promptly leave church at 5:30 and carpool to Sonora
Sonora is looking forward to hosting all of us. They will have a meal, so come hungry! Nancy Brockman will present a short program about the original Reveille.
DIRECTIONS TO SONORA MEETING
If anyone is planning on going to Sonora on their own, here are the directions. If you have any problems, call Nancy at 387-3370.
- Take Hwy 277 into Sonora
- Turn left at the Exxon station
- Road winds around a bit; when you get to Second Street, turn left
- Wind around a bit more, at Marigold, turn left
- Go up Marigold Street & stay to the right, cross a cattle guard & down the hill.
- There is only 1 house there, (we are out of the city limits)
- a gray house with a front porch
RING OF HONOR LUNCH - Wednesday, January 26 at 11 a.m.
The purpose of this group is to retain members of former students in an effort to continue friendships and associations that we have made during our tenure as Aggie Moms. Ring of Honor meets three times a year for lunch and to catch up with the latest activities of the main group and offer support. The next meeting will be on Wednesday, January 26 at 11 a.m. and will be held at Zentner’s Daughter. If you are interested in attending, please call Chris Hunter at 949-5139 or you can email her at christine@brazosvalleydesign.com
CONGRATULATIONS DECEMBER GRADUATES!
Shana Gould Baldwin ‘04
Andrea Shouse ‘04
Susan Talley ‘05
Julia Baldwin ‘05
Congratulations to the December graduates. If you know of anyone else who graduated, please let us know so that it can be published in the next newsletter.
MAY 2005 GRADUATES
If you have an Aggie graduating in May, please call or email Judy Turner (465-4332 or trtdoc1@wcc.net). Please be sure to include your Aggie’s name and class year (which is not necessarily the year they graduated!)
NEWSLETTER SPONSOR
A special thanks to our December newsletter sponsors Russell Socha and Laddie's Electric Company which was in memory of Ian Hord.
If anyone would like to sponsor or even co-sponsor a newsletter, please contact Lanee Warrick at 484-3005, Judy Turner at 465-4332, or Theresa Fortin at 949-3472 to find out how.
TUTORIAL SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION
- We have several tutorial scholarships available on a first come, first serve basis.
- It is necessary for the scholarship to be requested (by the student) in advance by e-mail to Paula Sweeten at pdsweeten@wcc.net. Please put “Tutorial Scholarship” in the subject line area of the email.
- Any student from our area enrolled at Texas A&M University may apply.
- The tutorial scholarship will be valid from the day issued until May 2005.
- It will be advertised by publishing it on the web, e-mail, newsletter, distributed with the food coupons and area newspaper.
- We must have the student’s name, mailing address, parent’s address and student id for the tutorial coupon.
- The student can only use tutorial sources listed on the coupon
GARAGE SALE - Saturday, March 5, 2005
The annual Garage Sale has been set for Saturday, March 5. Now is the time to start saving items to be sold. Several very generous donations have been received to date, but there is always room for more! If you have items you wish to get out of your way before that time, please give Shelley a call at 374-4640 and arrangements can be made to pick up and store your donation.
RAFFLE TIME!
A signed Benjamin Knox print entitled “Aggie Mom Mum” has been donated to the club by Judie Williams as a raffle prize. Tickets will sell for $1 each OR 6 for $5. Club members are encouraged to pick up a packet of tickets to sell to family and friends. Drawing will be held at the March general membership meeting. Please contact Shelley Gregg at 374-4640 for more information. A prize will also be given to the person who sells the winning ticket!
COOKBOOKS
Cookbooks are still available for $20 each. The cookbooks will be available at the monthly club meetings, or you may also contact Shelley Gregg at 374-4640 and she will be glad to reserve a cookbook for you. We only have approximately 30 cookbooks left.
DOOR PRIZES ALWAYS NEEDED
Everyone loves door prizes – and we need donations! If you are in Aggieland and see something that you would like to receive (in the $5 range), please bring it to Candyce Gregston at the next meeting.
SPRING BOUTIQUE
Spring Boutique in Aggieland will take place on Friday and Saturday, April 8-9 in the Reed Arena during Parents’ Weekend. This event will help raise additional revenue for the club’s scholarship fund. Anyone wishing to help with the two-day sales event is encouraged to call Shelley at 374-4640.
AG IN NEED
I ask that you please read about my Aggie roommate, Kelle Ammerman. Kelle has been diagnosed with cancer all throughout her body, including in her bones, lungs, kidneys, spine, and brain. I ask that you please read about her on her website below and pass it on to other Ags. She is truly in need of a miracle and I just ask that you add her and her family to your prayers. Thanks and God Bless, Kami Shirle ‘03
The Kelle Ammerman Fund: http://www.donationsforkelle.com
AGGIE MOM BRAGS
If any of you have Aggie Mom Brags, please call Lanee Warrick at 484-3005 and leave a message or you can email her at: laneewarrick@aggienetwork.com
Julee Baldwin ’05 (Aggie Mom, Victoria Baldwin) graduated December 17, 2004 - Whoop! She married Brandon Evans ’04 on January 1, 2005.
CORRECTION TO YEARBOOK
Diann Whisnand has a new address and phone number. Please make the correction in your yearbook:
234 Burlington
San Angelo 76901
325-223-0378
JANUARY CAMPUS INFORMATION
Thursday, January 13 – Residence Halls Reopen
Monday, January 17 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – Faculty & Student Holiday
Tuesday, January 18 – First Day of Classes
NEVIE’S NEWS - Aggie Mom Endowed Scholarship
Our drive to raise funds for our new San Angelo A & M Mother's Club Scholarship through the San Angelo Area Foundation is off to a good start! At this point we have nearly $5000 committed. At the last count we were about $350 short of this!
We met our required minimum before Christmas, and REALLY hope to meet our MAXIMUM - $10,000! Please talk this over with your families, and consider a pledge of any amount. I realize families of current students are paying tuition and may not be in a position to make large pledges. That is alright! We will accept any amount you are able to pledge! We are all working together to make this happen for our Aggies! I look forward to visiting with you about this in the weeks ahead!
The committee is still making phone calls this month, so all members who haven't pledged should expect a call and an opportunity to ask questions. We hope everyone in the organization will feel excited enough about this unique opportunity to want to participate, at any level of giving!
If you made a contribution before January 1, that donation will be for your 2004 tax return. You can make an additional donation to be used on your 2005 tax return!
AGGIE TRADITIONS
Texas A&M University, the state’s oldest public institution of higher learning, was established in 1876. Through the years and changes, A&M has held fast to what has made it so great—it’s traditions. Nowhere else can a school so rich in tradition be found. these traditions make A&M different and better than all the rest. The traditions provide a foundation upon which greatness can be built and upon which leadership can flourish. We continue this month sharing some of these traditions with the San Angelo Aggie Moms.
AGGIE CODE OF HONOR
For many years Aggies have followed a Code of Honor which is stated in this very simple verse:
“ Aggies do not lie cheat or steal, nor do they tolerate those who do.”
The Aggie Code of Honor is an effort to unify the aims of all Texas A&M men and women toward a high code of ethics and personal dignity. For most, living under this code will be no problem, as it asks nothing of a person that is beyond reason. It only calls for honesty and integrity, characteristics that Aggies have always exemplified.
The Aggie Code of Honor functions as a symbol to all Aggies, promoting understanding and loyalty to truth and confidence in each other.
SILVER TAPS
By far, one of Texas A&M's most honored traditions is Silver Taps. Silver Taps is held for a graduate or undergraduate student who passes away while enrolled at A&M. This final tribute is held the first Tuesday of the month when a student has passed away the previous month.
The first Silver Taps was held in 1898 and honored Lawrence Sullivan Ross, the former governor of Texas and president of A&M College. Silver Taps is currently held in the Academic Plaza. On the day of Silver Taps, a small card with the deceased students name, class, major, and date of birth is placed as a notice at the base of the academic flagpole, in addition to the memorial located behind the flagpole. Around 10:15 that night, the lights are extinguished and hymns chime from Albritton Tower. Students silently gather at the statue of Lawrence Sullivan Ross. At 10:30pm, the Ross Volunteer Firing Squad marches into the plaza and fires a twenty-one gun salute. Buglers then play a special rendition of Silver Taps by Colonel Richard Dunn. Taps is played three times from the dome of the Academic Building: once to the north, south, and west. It is not played to the east because the sun will never rise on that Aggie again. After the buglers play, the students silently return to their homes. Silver Taps is a sacred tradition that Aggies hold dear.
For more information about Silver Taps, visit the following website:
http://stulife.tamu.edu/co/silvertaps.htm
AGGIE JARGON – Know What Your Aggie Is Talking About
Non-Reg - An undergraduate student who is not a member of the Corps.
O.L. - A Upperclass student who volunteers to help with summer orientation.
Open House - Usually held in the MSC the first Sunday after school starts back each semester. Recognized student organizations and University departments set up booths to inform members of the student body about opportunities for involvement and available services.
RHA - Residence Hall Association – a recognized student organization working for all students living in the residence halls on campus.
R.V.’s Ross Volunteers – members of the military honor company named for Lawrence Sullivan Ross. The oldest student organization at Texas A&M
Student Y - A service organization affiliated with the National YMCA. It is the second oldest student organization on campus.
T Camp - An orientation camp designed for students transferring to Texas A&M.
Two Percenters - Students who do not regularly display the Aggie Spirit
Whipping Out - (1) The way Corps members greet each other, usually with a handshake and a Howdy! (2) To ace a quiz or do a spectacular job on anything.
Wildcat - An Aggie expression of approval. Each academic class has its own wildcat.
Zip - (1) Senior in the Corps identified by gold braid on his hat, senior boots and a noticeable strut. (2) Any Senior.
2004 - 2005 DATES TO REMEMBER - Remember to Mark Your Calendar
Officer Board Meetings
all at 6 p.m. @ Sierra Vista Methodist Church
Monday, February 7
Monday, February 28
Monday, April 4
Monday, May 4
Membership Meetings
all at 6:30 PM @ Trinity Lutheran Church
Thursday, January 20 ( in Sonora)
Thursday, February 17
Thursday, March 10
Thursday, April 21 (attend Muster)
Thursday, May 19
Additional Dates of Interest
January 15 (Saturday)
Winter Federation Dinner and Meeting at MSC
January 18 (Tuesday)
First day of spring semester classes
January 26 (Wednesday)
Ring of Honor – 11 a.m. at Zentner’s Daughter
March 14 - 18 (Monday - Friday)
Spring break.
April 8 - 10 (Friday & Sunday)
Spring Federation Meetings & Parents Weekend*
at Reed Arena
April 21 (Thursday)
Muster. Campus ceremony
April 27 (Wednesday)
Ring of Honor – 11 a.m. at Johnnie Carino’s
May 6, 9 - 11 (Friday, Monday - Wednesday)
Spring semester final examinations for all students.
May 13 (Friday)
Last day for May undergraduate degree candidates to apply for Tuition Rebate, 5 p.m.
http://www.tamu.edu/admissions/records/rebate.htm
May 13 - 14 (Friday - Saturday)
Commencement, Commissioning, and Final Review.
*The San Angelo A&M Mother’s Club has a sales booth at these functions to raise money for scholarships.
A Big Thanks!
A big thanks goes to Christopher Hunter (son of Aggie Mom, Chris Hunter) for the upkeep of the San Angelo Aggie Moms website and for notifying the members when the newsletter is ready as well as sending out reminders when needed. We sincerely appreciate all of your help
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