Charles Runner, President
November and early December were very busy times for Support Our Troops members. The support teams were described as “energizer bunnies” as they shopped, packed and shipped 73 boxes of items to personnel deployed overseas. The shipments included comfort items, snacks, candies, electronic games, tee shirts, i-Pads for those deployed in combat zones, Christmas bags handmade by the Robson Ranch Material Girls, cookies baked by the Robson Ranch Sweeties, paracord bracelets handmade by SOT volunteers and items provided by Partnership members from the 1st United Methodist Church, Grapevine, the Key Club, Liberty High School, Frisco, Mike and Pat Sabo and Debbie Williams. Game Stop Merchandizing, Grapevine, donated a very significant number of electronic items and games to the SOT order.
A large number of the items were sent to the 8-Ball Moral Welfare Recreation Center at Bagram Air Base; the Resolute Support Command, Kabul and the BAF Regional Mail Distribution Center, all in Afghanistan. Hundreds of soldiers using the MWR Center and many hundreds assigned to the other units will share the shipments. Thank you notes from military personnel who have received some of the items have already begun to arrive in the SOT mailbox. These final shipments for the year brought the 2015 total to about 400 boxes. The correspondence team processed over 70 Christmas cards handmade by the Robson Ranch Sassy Stampers containing gift cards and mailed them to the relatives of Robson Ranch families on the SOT support list.
Here are the results of the 2015 SOT elections: Quinn Sowell was re-elected as treasurer, a position he had held since 2007. Bill Wright will be the new secretary. He succeeds Bonnie Glod who has gallantly served as secretary since SOT became a chartered club in 2007. Kathleen Wazny was elected to the Board of Directors, and Karen Keris and Ira Weinstein were re-elected to their board positions. Nancy Thomas has succeeded Carol Hilton as leader of the correspondence team. Nancy’s husband Roger will manage the key Military Support Roster. Bonnie and Carol, many thanks for your many years of service to SOT.
SOT membership reached a record 265 for 2015. The SOT 2016 membership drive is underway. Annual membership is $10 per person. The membership form can also be used to submit information about family members and relatives of Robson Ranch residents serving in the U.S. military to be placed on our support roster. Sponsor level donations of Silver ($50), Gold ($100) or Platinum ($250 or more) may also be made. Membership and sponsorship forms are available in the HOA kiosk or can be requested by email from [email protected].
The first SOT meeting for 2016 will be on Saturday, January 23, at noon in the clubhouse. We hope to see many of the 440 veterans currently living at Robson Ranch at our future meetings. Thank you all for your support to SOT.