A Letter from the President

HOWDY and welcome to the San Angelo A & M University Mothers’ Club. This is an exciting time for our club as we start preparing to celebrate the 75th year anniversary of the organization of our club. We are the third oldest A & M Mothers Club in the state with only the Dallas and Fort Worth Mothers Clubs being older. Our Aggie Moms can be especially proud of the support that has been given to our many area Aggies and their beloved Texas A & M University throughout these many years.

I hope that each of you, whether your Aggie is a new incoming student or has graduated many years ago, will be able to participate is some way during this special year for our club. We need everyone working together with their diverse talents to accomplish the goals set by our club. Please join us this year by being involved in some way. For more information call me or any club officer, and thank you for your support in keeping the Spirit of Aggie Moms alive.

Sincerely,
Valerie Sheppard, President 2001 - 2002

Officers for 2001 - 2002

President Valerie Sheppard (944-4946)
President-Elect Jane Wardlaw
V P #1 (Programs) Becky Trojcak
V P #2 (Membership) Shirley Anderson
V P #3 (Publications) Penny Talley
V P #4 (Fund Raiser) Paula Sweeten
V P at Large Susan Clark
Secretary J. Ann Lange
Treasurer Kay Young
Parliamentarian Kathy Dickson
Historian Chris Hunter
Auditor Jeri Denniston

Important Upcoming Dates

Aug 7 – Aggie Sendoff Meeting
Aug 27 – A & M School Starts
Sept 27 – Howdy Meeting
Oct 18 – Meeting
Nov 2 - 4 – Fish Camp
Nov 15 – Goody Bag Meeting
Nov 22-23 – Thanksgiving Holidays
Dec 7, 10-12 – Finals
Dec 20 – Christmas Party
Mar 2 – Garage Sale (BE SAVING THOSE GARAGE SALE ITEMS).

Send-Off Meeting

As you receive this newsletter, August has arrived and with it thoughts of sending our Aggies back to Aggieland. But before they leave home, we would like in invite them and you (their Mom or guardian) to a special “Aggie Send-Off Meeting” on TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2001 at 7:00 P.M. The meeting will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church located at 3536 YMCA Drive in San Angelo. Our club officers will act as hostesses by providing refreshments. Please take a break from your busy summer schedule to bring yourself and your Aggie(s) to join us for a special time to meet and visit with each other, our new and current Aggie students and their Moms. All current Aggie students and “not so long ago” Aggie graduates and their moms are encouraged to attend to help answer any questions that our new Aggies and their Moms might have, and to help us give a grand “Send-off” to all of Aggies who are leaving soon for A & M.

DIRECTIONS: Exit off of West Loop 306 on Foster Road. Heading west on access road, Church will be on the right. Park in the front parking lot next to 306 access road.

“What’s An Aggie Mom?”& “What is the Federation of Texas A&M University Mothers’ Clubs?”

As far as is known, Texas A & M is the only University in the United States where Mothers are organized for the purpose of supporting their students and aiding in the promotion of the University. Mothers who are affiliated with the Texas A&M University Mothers Club are members of this unique group. The first Texas A&M Mothers Club was organized in February 1922 in Dallas with the club’s objective being “to contribute in every way to the comfort and welfare of the students and cooperate with the faculty of the college in maintaining a high standard of moral conduct and intellectual attainment.” The objective remains the same today.

The Mothers’ Club idea spread rapidly, and eight clubs became a Federation in 1928. The Federation Board of today consists of fourteen elected women and several positions that serve as a coordinating board for the 114 clubs. There are now clubs in Texas, five in Louisiana, and one each in Colorado, Georgia, Missouri/Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Virginia and Washington D.C. with a paid membership of almost 8,000 mothers. Mothers who live out-of-state or more than 25 miles from a Mothers’ Club may apply to the 8th Vice- President of the Federation to become adopted by an existing club. These mothers may also seek to start a new club by contacting the 1st Vice President.

In spite of the expansion, the objective of the Mothers Clubs remains the same today. From the largest membership of over 500 to the smallest, all clubs have the same goal — that of banding together for the benefit of the A & M student body. The mothers also experience a companionship they cannot experience elsewhere. A club meeting is a place to share joys and sadness, success and setbacks. The mother of a student who has failed a course is sure to the have her worries eased when another mother tells her, “Yes, that happened to my student as well, but in a few months he will graduate.”

The mothers are continually looking for ways to serve Texas A & M University. The list of their accomplishments is long, varied and impressive. The Aggie Band, The Corps of Cadets, The Endowment Fund for the Sterling Evans Library, Fish and Transfer Camps, Peer Orientation Conferences, and 650 plus campus organizations have benefited from their support. During the 1999-2000 year, the individual Mothers Clubs sent $339,379 to Texas A & M University, including nearly $236,000 for scholarships. The Mothers’ Club have a close working relationship with the President of Texas A & M as well as other administrators.

The federation of the Texas A & M Mothers Clubs has three meetings on the A & M campus each year; a meeting the Saturday before the Fall semester begins (Aug. 25, 2001), before the start of the Spring semester (Jan. 14, 2002) and the final meeting of the year on Parents weekend (Apr. 12-14, 2002). During this last meeting, the election and installation of Federation officers is held. It is also the time and site of the World Largest Aggie Mom Boutique (more than 230 tables of craft items - many with an Aggie and/or Aggie mom theme). This is a major fund raising event for many Aggie Mom Clubs. In 1999-2000, proceeds from boutique were almost $204,000. In addition to the regular meetings on campus, in the fall, the Federation hosts an annual Fish Camp for Aggie Moms.

The Texas A&M Mothers’ Clubs are proud of the daughters and sons they send to Texas A&M and proud of making a contribution to the education of their students and to the future of A&M and the state of Texas. The federation website is: www.aggiemoms.org

Aggie Mom Fish Camp VIII

On November 2-4, 2001 the Federation of A&M Mothers’ clubs will hold the eighth annual Fish Camp for Aggie Moms. This is a great weekend filled with fun, games, spirit and traditions. Registration forms will be available at the August Send Off Meeting and need to be completed and sent in to be received before October 1, 2001. Remember your Aggie does not have to be a “fish” freshman for you to attend, all Aggie Moms are encouraged to go. There will be workshops for “new” and “old” Aggie Moms, and lots of opportunity to meet other Moms and learn about Texas A & M. For more information call J. Ann Lange or Valerie Sheppard (Fish Camp counselors)

NEW GUIDELINES FROM IRS CONCERNING LEGALITY OF LOAN FUNDS UNDER NON-PROFIT STATUS

During a recent Aggie Mom Federation workshop, an IRS auditor from Austin, reviewed several guidelines concerning the non-profit status of the A&M Mothers’ Clubs serving under the Federation non-profit status umbrella. One item brought to the attention of the San Angelo A&M Mothers’ Club is the legality of our loan fund. According to the auditor, our club is in violation of IRS rules by giving out loans while maintaining a non-profit status.

This information has been passed on to our president, Valerie Sheppard, and to the club board. Actions are being taken to correct this situation and a report will be forthcoming at a future meeting. Loans have been a valuable source of help to our students, but we have no choice if we are to stay nonprofit under the Federation organization. Please be patient as the board sorts out options as to the future of this fund. If you have any questions, you may contact Valerie Sheppard or Susan Clark.

COOKBOOK

Hello New Aggie Mom’s, and Welcome! This will be an exciting year to join Aggie Moms. We will be celebrating the 75 anniversary of the San Angelo A & M Mother’s Club. *We are in the final stages of preparation of a Celebration Cookbook. You still have time to get a recipe (or two) in so that you can be apart of this terrific Cookbook. The Aggie Artist, Benjamin Knox is donating a cover for the cookbook, and it will be full of great recipes from our membership, life members, and former students.

There are levels of sponsorship available as well as a memorial page and page of honor if you are interested in making a donation.

Carmen Behrens & Kathy Dickson - Cookbook Co-Chairmen