Senior Connections January / February 2024
Blue Star Mothers spread holiday cheer
BY MASHELL BJORGE
Staff Writer
The Wright County Chapter of the Blue Star Mothers had a recent get-together and invited the community to join in .
On Sunday , Oct . 15 , they and about 50 community members came together to decorate and stuff over 300 Christmas stockings to be delivered to service members who are not going to be home for Christmas this year . Community members get involved Community members picked their stockings and various crafting materials , and created unique stockings that will be filled with goodies and Christmas cheer .
Blue Star Mom and newly-elected Blue Star Mothers Department of Minnesota President Jen Pecarina says that the Wright County chapter has been stuffing stockings annually for about 14 years .
“ This started many years ago when I was in Cub Scouts with my son , and one of our members had a son who was in the Army , and the Family Readiness Group was getting ready to send him stuff for Christmas .” Pecarina said . “ We decided to do stockings and have the boys in the Cub Scouts decorate the stockings for his unit . We thought it was a great idea for us as well .”
Over the years , the group has had a variety of community organizations join them in the stocking stuffer program . “ We have had Girl Scouts , Boy Scouts , Cub Scouts , and last year , the new recruiter in town came with his wife and their little one to join
PHOTO BY MASHELL BJORGE
Blue Star Mothers Pam Dickson and Teresa Hawkinson enjoy crafting for a good cause .
us .” Jen said . “ It ’ s just people from the community that want to come out and help .”
The Wright County Chapter membership fluctuates , with most of their members in Buffalo or St . Michael , and Jen is hoping more members will want to learn about them and sign up . Her brother , who is an Army veteran , lives in Cokato , and his son is in the National Guard . Jen has a son who is currently stationed in Alaska . Military families Jen has a significant tie to the military . The first child she had in the military was an Army National Guard for 13 years . One of her sons is active duty in the Air Force , and another son is currently an Air Force Reserve ; he was active duty for 10 years , becoming a Reserve six years ago .
Jen knows how hard it is for families and mothers whose children are serving in the military . The Blue Star Mothers offer each other support through these difficult times .
Teresa Hawkinson , who is a member of Minnesota Chapter 7 Palmer Lake VFW in Brooklyn Park , came out to participate in the activity . One of her sons served for four years in the Navy , and she has another son who is active duty in Pensacola .
She said that the Blue Star Mothers is a wonderful group of women who are moms of not only active duty or deployed military , but also of veterans and
even families of the fallen .
“ They understand each other .” Hawkinson said . “ They ’ ve gone through the deployments , and they know what it ’ s like when a son or daughter is deployed .”
The stockings , once stuffed , will be sent depending on certain criteria . They prioritize Minnesota service members and those who are deployed during the holidays . If a chapter mom has a family member who is deployed , they are shipped to that unit , or send the stockings to service members who are unable to make it home for the holiday .
The chapter has many contacts in the military , and will reach out to those contacts to make sure they are able to reach as many family members as possible .
The Blue Star Mothers of Wright County are looking for items to fill the stockings with , and there is a list on their facebook page . Their regular meetings take place on the second Monday of the month . They also have a monthly crafting meeting where they get together to create and socialize . For more information , contact Jen at president . mn13 @ bluestarmothers . us .
PHOTO BY MASHELL BJORGE
A sampling of decorated stockings , which will be filled and shipped to military members who are deployed or won ’ t make it home for the holidays .
Community members decorate stockings for the troops .
PHOTO BY MASHELL BJORGE
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Senior Connections January / February 2024
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