Howdy Aggie Moms!

Thanksgiving…isn’t that a wonderful word?   It encompasses such a wonderful feeling…and I think it can mean two things:   thankfulness for what we give and thankfulness for what we have been given.   As Moms, we will always be thankful for the children that we have been given and the joy they bring to us.   As Aggie Moms, I believe that we can be thankful for what we give to our Aggies and the university that they have chosen to attend.    We should take pride in what we accomplish through our efforts in this club – and it takes all of us to do that together!  

Speaking of which, the effort of our club to present the second annual China Luncheon was nothing short of monumental!   We don’t have final figures yet, but it initially appears that we will have surpassed the amount that was raised last year by this event.   That is just outstanding!   A special thanks to Suzy Mears, J.Ann Lange, and all the people who had a part in this – also to our Aggie Dads who came and served tables for us!    The tables were just spectacular and I know that all who came had a wonderful time.

The next general membership meeting will be Thursday, November 15 at 6:30 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church.   This is our Goody Bag meeting, so be prepared to bring enough of one item to fill 70 goody bags.   Moms, you don’t have to do this alone!   Get with another Aggie Mom or Moms and bring something together.   And please be sure to come and pick up your Aggie’s Goody Bag.   We prepare one for all of our students, even if you do not come to the meeting.   If you cannot be there to pick yours up, contact any officer and we will keep your bag until you can pick it up – within reason…my kitty cat will not leave that bag alone forever...

I hope that you will be with your Aggie on Thanksgiving and that your journeys at this time of year will be safe ones.    Thank God for all that He has given us!

In Aggie Mom Love,

Chris Hunter

NOVEMBER  MEETING — GOODY BAGS! Thursday, November 15, 6:30 p.m.

Trinity Lutheran Church - 3536 YMCA Drive - San Angelo

Refreshments served at 6:30 and meeting will start promptly at 6:45

NOVEMBER MEETING – Goody Bags

Our November meeting will be at Trinity Lutheran. We will assemble the Fall Goodie Bags for our students at that time and we have approximately 70 students at A&M.   Be on the lookout for what you will want to include for our kids. Additional info you might think about:

• Goodies can include pens, pencils, small food/snack items, (candy, popcorn, Raman noodles, crackers, gum) toothbrushes, note pads, etc.

• Please avoid liquid items.

• Please do not bring strong flavored minty gums. Apparently, the strong flavors permeate other items.

• Watch for heat sensitive items, as bags are sometimes stored in the truck of a car for several days.

Please do not feel you have to purchase for all 70 students. Either contact other Aggie Moms and go in together or if you would like to let Lanee know at lanee.warrick@wvisd.net and she will hook you up with 2 or 3 other people.

COOKBOOK UPDATE  

The new cookbook, Aggie Traditions, has arrived. If you preordered cookbooks, please contact Chris Hunter at 949-5139 to make arrangements for picking them up. We will also have some cookbooks at the next meeting.

CHINA LUNCHEON – A Place at Our Table

If you missed “ A Place at Our Table,” then you missed one of the most fun events of the season!   Sixteen tables were beautifully set and decorated, a delicious meal was prepared, and 120 ladies gathered to enjoy the fellowship, food, and style show planned.

I want to thank those of you who were table hostesses!   I could not have imagined how all of the plans could have come together any better than they did last year, however, you all blew me away with your fabulous table displays!   So, THANK YOU Kande Bahlman, Jeanne Begnaud, Nancy Book, Debbie Busker, Lindsay Cranek, Melissa Faubion, Anne Fischer, J.Ann Lange, Nancy Lester, Debbie Lisoski, Terra McMahon, Suzy Mears, Kim Peterson, Valerie Sheppard, Judy Turner, Sara Vanicek, Lanee Warrick, and Kay Young.

A huge thanks also to all of the ladies who prepared the meal!   Cooking for 120 is quite the challenge, and since we were featuring a menu out of our Aggie Traditions cookbook, we wanted it to be especially tasty, and it certainly was!   THANK YOU Kathe Conner, Melissa Faubion, Theresa Fortin, Maria Gomez, Chris hunter, Jett McGarvey, Terra McMahon, Suzy Mears, Donna Palmer, Susan Solomon, Sara Vanicek, Lanee Warrick, and Judie Williams.

So many of you took on all of the various jobs necessary to make this event a success, and I cannot begin to thank you all enough.   It was a wonderful day, and we were successful in raising more than $3,500 for our scholarship fund.   That is an outcome we can all be proud of!  

Much love to you all –

Suzy Mears      

2007 Luncheon Chair

GRADUATES

If you have an Aggie that will graduate in December '07, please keep us informed so that we can acknowledge our Aggies and their accomplishments.  A diploma from Texas A&M is something to brag about! When leaving a message, please leave your Aggie’s name, when they will graduate and their class year. You can contact Chris at 949-5139 or email her at

christine@brazosvalleydesign.com

SINGING CADETS ARE COMING!

Mark Thursday, January 10, 2008 on your calendars, and DO NOT PLAN TO MISS!   Our Club was asked to host the Singing Cadets on their 2008 Winter Tour, and January 10 is our date!   This is yet another event that takes many hands!

We will be asking for sponsorships.   If you have a business and would like to place an ad in the concert program, we will have a place for you.   If you would be willing to host at least two singers in your home overnight on January 10, we will have a place for you.   If you would be willing to assist in greeting the group when they arrive in San Angelo, we will have a place for you.   If you can prepare cookies or other snacks that we can make available to the guys, we will have a place for you.   If you have a business where we could put up a poster announcing the concert, we will have a place for you.

We hope to provide the concert as a free program to our community.   We will pay all concert expenses with funds raised through sponsorships.   We will also accept donations on the evening of the concert that we will add to our scholarship fund.

For more information, or to volunteer to help in one of the ways listed, call Suzy Mears at 944-9146.

CHANGES AND CORRECTION TO YEARBOOK

Below are some changes and some corrections to the yearbook, please make these changes in your book:

Chris Hunter – please add her home phone number 325-949-5139

Sherry Flannary – new work number 325-223-7524

Terra McMahon – Email change: terra.mcmahon@ballingerisd.net

CONDOLENCES

We offer our sincere condolences to the family of J.Ann Lange.   Her mother, Joyce LaBarr Jordan, passed away on Monday, October 29, 2007 and the funeral was October 31 in Mason.   Please hold J.Ann and all her extended family in your prayers at this time.

We also offer our condolences to the family of Ruth Bystrom, a long-time member of this club.   Ruth had moved to Georgia to be near her family and passed away on October 26 in Loganville, Georgia.   Her funeral was Wednesday, October 31 in San Angelo.   Ruth was an active member of our club well into her 90’s and was 95 years old when she passed away.   She is survived by her sons Paul and Karl Bystrom.  

DONATIONS TO ORGANIZATION

At our next meeting we will be selecting the student organizations that we provide our financial support to this year. You may nominate organizations by attending the November membership meeting.

Please visit with your Aggies and ask what organizations they are involved with and that may need our financial support.

FOOTBALL TICKET CORNER

Several people are looking for football tickets and hotel rooms for all games.   If you have tickets or rooms that you do not need please email Lanee and we will get the word out (lanee.warrick@wvisd.net).

AGGIE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Thursday, November 23 A&M vs texas 2:30 p.m. (Maroon Out)

GET TO THE GRID! – Parking

From pre-game tailgate parties to the breathtaking corps march-in, you won't want to miss a minute of the many activities surrounding Fightin' Texas Aggie football.  Ride the FREE game-day express shuttles from Post Oak Mall to our tradition-rich gridiron, Kyle Field, and leave the parking and traffic worries to us.

Cost:   FREE!

Hours of Operation:   Beginning 3 hours prior to kick-off and for 2 hours after game ends

Shuttle Stop:   Post Oak Mall-parking lot between JCPenney & Dillard's south and  Texas A&M University - Lubbock Street

2007-2008 SAN ANGELO AGGIE MOM OFFICERS

Chris Hunter – President

            949-5139 (home)

            christine@brazosvalleydesign.com

Kathe Conner, 1^st VP (Programs)               

944-7186 (home)

kathe.conner@angelo.edu

Vickie Foreman, 2^nd VP (Membership)

            944-1887 (home)

            rvf4@verizon.net

Lanee Warrick, 3^rd VP (Publications)

            484-3005 (home)

            lanee.warrick@wvisd.net

Susan Solomon, 4^th VP (Fund Raising)

            949-8558 (home)

            susan.Solomon@suddenlink.net

Lucy Jochum, 4^th VP (Fund Raising)

            949-7384 (home)

            lucyjochum@yahoo.com

Suzy Mears, President at Large

            944-9146 (home)

            gmommymears@gmail.com

Kande Bahlman, Secretary

            944-2987 (home)

            kandebahlman@suddenlink.net

Sherry Flanary, Treasurer   

            944-0401 (home)

            s_flanary@yahoo.com            

Carolyn Kuhn, Parliamentarian

            465-8067 (home)

            ck56@zipnet.us

Melissa Faubion, Historian

            365-5424 (home)

            cliffmel@hotmail.com

Suzette McIntyre (Auditor)

            651-7470 (home

            suzette.mcintyre@wallisd.net            

San Angelo Texas A&M University Mother’s Club

General Meeting Minutes

October 18, 2007

The October meeting of the San Angelo Texas A&M University Mothers’ Club was called to order by President Christine Hunter.   Chris provided an agenda and led us in prayer.  

Kathe Conner introduced the evening’s program.   Speakers were Linda Gossett and Sally Reid, financial consultants with A.G. Edwards Investments.   They spoke to us about women as investors.   They suggested two books on the subject of investing; Smart Women Finish Rich and Start Later, Finish Rich.

Donna Palmer presented the Sunshine Committee report.   Our next meeting will focus on the fall semester Goodie Bags.   Donna reminded members to not purchase mint gum or candies as the container as well as the other items in the container absorb the taste and smell of the mint flavor.   She suggested we plan for 70 students and that we combine our purchasing with another member to reduce cost.   She reminded that moms do not have to be at the meeting for our students to receive a goodie bag.

The minutes of the September meeting were read.   Corrections were made to reflect that we owed $11, 351.44 at a cost of $10.01 per book.   Minutes were approved as corrected.

Sherry Flanary gave the Treasurer’s report.   The cookbooks are paid for at this time.   We have approximately $12, 680 from cookbook sales.   We currently have deposited $240 from A Place at Our Table ticket sales and &1, 955 in dues.   Our Total Income for 10/18/07 is $2,195 with expenses of $948.50.   As of 9/28, our checking account has a balance of $11, 104.79.   Scholarships and bills need to be paid.   The 3 Month CD, maturing 10/27/07 has a balance of $10, 275.37.

Vicki Foreman gave the Membership report.   We currently have 102 members representing 68 students.   The 2007/2008 yearbook was passed out.   Report was made that we can give goodie bags to selected students because goodie bag contributions come from members and are not purchased with club funds.

The Fundraising report was given by Susan Solomon.   She reported that the Board had voted to begin accepting debit cards.   We will be using the card machine at the China Luncheon on Saturday.   The Houston club received $100 for referring us to the card machine company.   If we refer someone, we also will receive $100.

China Luncheon:   Aggie Dads are still needed to serve drinks and desserts.   They will be asked to wear jeans and a nice shirt.   A few seats are still available for the luncheon.   The silent auction items and door prizes are ready.   Music is being provided for dining and for the style show.   The newspaper article about the luncheon appeared in today’s paper.   Shelley Gregg has the letter ready to go out to donating businesses.   She also has the tax & useage certificates.   Table hostesses were reminded to have ready their name tags for guests to wear.

Aggie Mom Camp will be held November 9-11 at TAMU.   Chris asked for names of those who could help her at the club table on the 10^th.   We will be using the card machine.  

The Salsa Festival in Mertzon was successful in raising awareness of our club in that community.   We sold 15 cookbooks and received invitations from other organizations to participate in their events.

The Singing Cadets will perform January 10, 2008.   The tour manager called stating that they have graduated over 20 members, so their membership is down to approximately 40 members.   They will be coming from Burney to perform and then going on the Austin.   Susie Mears suggested to him that their first meal be a dinner reservation at a local restaurant.   We will need to provide host homes, placing 2 cadets per home.   The cadets arrive on the 10^th and leave on the 11^th.

The Wine Tasting is set for March 27, 2008.   This will be a fun and easy fundraiser for our club.   Just show up and taste the wine!

Chris Hunter reported that the District meeting will be held November 3 in Menard from 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM. at a cost of $15 each.   Speakers will be TAMY Singing Cadets and Parson Mounted Calvary.   Checks should be made out to Hear of Texas Mom’s Club and due by the end of October.  

We held Yell Practice and Door Prizes were drawn.   The Fish Bank went to Teresa Wood.   The Lucky Loot of $13 went to Collin Wood.   Aggie Brags were shared.

Meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,

Kande Bahlman

Secretary

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