July/August 2014 SPECIAL SUMMER ISSUE Vol. XXXIX No. 4 KOS REACHES OUT TO YOUTH WITH OUR E R U S A E R T D N A T N E L A TIME, T Fostering military values in the newest generation! Lt Col Sharon Murry, USAF (Ret.), President, 2013-2014, Kingdom of the Sun Chapter, MOAA I Tiffany Liu, winner of the Junior Division at the Big Springs Regional Science Fair held in Ocala on February 12-14th of 2014. Judged by CDR Thomas Dann, USCGR. t s hard to believe our small chapter accomplished as much as we did for the youth of Marion County this spring. We dusted off our military skills to plan, organize, and execute events of which we should all be proud. First, we held the traditional dinner to honor our scholarship award winner and the eight JROTC juniors who received the MOAA awards. At the dinner, Linda Byrd s warmth and COL Bill Murry s stern bearing were the perfect combination to present the face of KOS to the young people who are our military future, and to their parents. In addition Hunter Stafford, winner of the Senior Division at the Big Springs Regional Science Fair held in Ocala on February 12-14th of 2014. Judged by COL Bill Murry, USA. Schedule of Events JULY/AUGUST NO JULY or AUGUST KOS MEETINGS 12 August KOS Board Meeting at Ocala Elks SEPTEMBER 4 KOS Luncheon at Ocala Elks 11:30 A.M., Cocktails 12:00 Noon, Lunch Ben Taylor speaking on Fire Safety for Seniors Stuff the Bus at various locations 9 KOS Board Meeting in July/August 12:30 P.M., at Ocala Elks OCTOBER 2 KOS Dinner/Dance at Ocala Elks 6:00 P.M., Cocktails 6:30 P.M., Dinner Halloween Party and Dance 14 KOS Board Meeting 12:30 P.M., at Ocala Elks Visit our website at: http://www.moaafl.org/chapters/kosmoaa/
SUNBEAMS PAGE 2 July/August 2014 Kingdom of the Sun Chapter, MOAA PO Box 114, Ocala, Florida 34478-0114 SUNBEAMS is published bimonthly for the information of the members of Kingdom of the Sun (KOS) Chapter, an affiliate of The Military Officers Association of America (MOAA). The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of either organization. SUNBEAMS is printed by the Concord Press of Ocala, Florida. KOS is a nonprofit organization, incorporated under the laws of the State of Florida on 13 April 1976. It is not associated with the Department of Defense. It is mailed as Third Class bulk mail at the U.S. Post Office, Ocala, Florida under Permit #122. Editor: COL Tilford Smith (Army), 352-383-0426 Legislation & Assistant Editor: LTC Philip Johnson (Army), 854-3403 Publisher: Kingdom of the Sun Chapter of MOAA Chapter Officers: PRESIDENT: Lt Col Sharon Murry, (Air Force) 347-8760 1st V.P.: COL James L. Bud Smith (Army) 620-0340 2nd V.P.: LTC Arlo Janssen, (Army) 237-9720 SECRETARY: Mrs. Betty Hayes, Auxiliary 622-7813 TREASURER: Mrs. Linda Byrd, Auxiliary 509-4317 Directors: COL Robert Schlegel (Army), 516-815-2816 LTC Philip Johnson (Army), 854-3403 CDR Thomas W. Dann (USCGR), 245-3571 Lt Col Carol C. Walker (Air Force), 237-6546 CWO3 Ralph Spiller Jr. (Navy), 454-7238 Mrs. Bonnie Morris, Auxiliary, 622-8331 Immediate Past President CPT John Rose, (Army), 307-6130 Distaff Representative Mrs. Marilou Truitt, Auxiliary Meetings: The Kingdom of the Sun Chapter (MOAA), meets monthly on the first Thursday of the month. Dates, times and occasions are announced in advance in the SUNBEAMS. Members are encouraged to attend and guests are always welcome. Meetings are usually suspended during the summer months of July and August. The KOS Board currently meets monthly on the second Tuesday of each month at 12:30 P.M. at the Ocala Elks Club. Officers and Board Members are required to attend. Visit our website at: http://www.moaafl.org/chapters/kosmoaa/ to the dinner, we honored our award recipients at every high school awards ceremony and at the graduation of our scholarship winner John Stabler. John will attend the US Military Academy at West Point. KUDOS to Linda our scholarship committee chairperson for organizing the dinner, and to COL Bob Schlegel and LTC Phil Johnson, members of the scholarship committee who chose an excellent winner this year. A week after the scholarship dinner, we held our first major fund raiser. As you know, fund raising is not a major activity of KOS. However, we started Stuff the Bus twelve years ago to help 400 homeless children. Since the Marion County Public School system now has 2700 homeless children, Lt Col Sharon Murry presenting certificates to COL Bud Smith and Suzanne Smith for their work making the LUAU an outstanding success. Certificates were also given to CDR Jim Chandler and Kay, Lt. Col. Carol Walker, and CPT John Rose for the Stuff the Bus Committee A certificate was also given to COL Bill Murry for his work with MOAA Awards for the JROTC cadets as well as for his work with the Science Fair. Lt Col Sharon Murry, in rear, presenting certificates to LTC Phil Johnson, Linda Byrd and COL Bob Schlegel, for outstanding work on the Scholarship Committee
SUNBEAMS PAGE 3 July/August 2014 KOS raised over $17,000 for Stuff the Bus Lt Col Sharon Murry, President KOS (right) and Mrs. Suzanne Smith (left) presenting a check for $17,200 to Ms. Suzanne McGuire for Stuff the Bus. the summer Stuff the Bus campaign won t provide the clothes and supplies they need to go to school in the fall. Enter KOS. The Board decided to hold a LUAU to raise money for the program. Everyone in the chapter supported the Stuff the Bus LUAU with publicity, monetary donations, silent auction items, and with sweat equity. Ladies and gentlemen, with a sell-out crowd of 300 and nearly 100 silent auction items, KOS raised over $17,000 for Stuff the Bus. Some of you saw us present the check to Suzanne McGuire, the Homeless Children Liaison, at the June meeting. Everyone who attended the LUAU complimented the food, the decorations, and Sala South Seas review. Two of my favorite mental images from the fund raiser: CPT John Rose (right after helping set up 40 tables) with rivulets of sweat starting at the top of his head, rolling down his face to soak his t-shirt; and petite Suzanne Smith the LUAU chairperson trying to maneuver 15-foot bamboo branches into a large dirt-filled pot to make a tree. COL Bud Smith and LTC Arlo Janssen in wigs and hula skirts are also memorable images, especially since Arlo has a beard! KUDOS to Chairperson Suzanne Smith and everyone who helped stage the LUAU. KOS gave $2000 to help Francis Marion Military Academy deal with some financial challenges this spring. Treasurer and Scholarship Chairperson Linda Byrd gave FMMA a $2000 matching gift because the cadets impressed Linda when she visited the school for scholarship interviews. KOS gave small gift cards to the MOAA award winners and to
SUNBEAMS PAGE 4 July/August 2014 fifth graders who wrote the best essays for the Flag Day celebration at the Veterans Memorial Park. This year we also gave monetary awards to Science Fair winners, and a scholarship for Kiwanis Camp to a military dependent. At the KOS Halloween party on October 2, 2014, we plan a small silent auction and a program book to help replenish KOS charity coffers. More about that in the next Sunbeams, but ask your friends to put the event on their calendars. KUDOS to these members who received at the June meeting awards for outstanding support of KOS Outreach to Youth programs: Suzanne Smith for the LUAU; Joe and Marilyn Smith for securing a $5000 foundation grant for the LUAU; CDR Jim Chandler and Kay, Lt. Col. Carol Walker, and CPT John Rose for the Stuff the Bus Committee; Linda Byrd, COL Bob Schlegel, and LTC Phil Johnson for the Scholarship Committee; COL Bill Murry for MOAA Awards; and CDR Tom Dann for Science Fair Awards. Enjoy the photos of the spring events. Be proud of what you have done for young people this year. Notice the absence of legislative news in this issue in order to make room for photos. I hope you contacted your representatives about the military pay and benefits risk discussed in the April and May issues of Military Officer, and in the May 22, 2014, e-mail from LTC Phil Johnson. If not, please do. Have a great summer. Be ready for a Welcome Back recruiting initiative in the fall. Lt. Col. Sharon Murry From left to right: LTC Ed Johnson and Lois Johnson, sponsors of the LUAU who were celebrating their wedding anniversary that night; Joe and Marilyn Smith, new social affiliate members who acquired a $5000 foundation grant for the LUAU; Lt Col Sharon Murry, KOS President; Suzanne McGuire, Homeless Children Liaison for the Marion County Public Schools; Suzanne Smith, LUAU Chairperson and her husband, COL Bud Smith. Hawaiian Luau photographs by Robert Wood
SUNBEAMS PAGE 5 July/August 2014 STUMPKNOCKERS Restaurant Featuring Our Famous ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT Catfish HAWAIIAN LUAU Casual Dining on the Scenic Withlacoochee Fresh Grouper, Snapper, Shrimp, Scallops, Oysters, Crab Legs, Frog Legs, New York Strip, Ribeye, Grilled Chicken Breast Full Liquor Bar Highway 200, at the Withlacoochee River in Dunnellon Phone 854-2288 Visit our website at: http://www.moaafl.org/chapters/kosmoaa/
SUNBEAMS PAGE 6 Scholarship and MOAA Award winners... July/August 2014 We interviewed Gabrielle Jones at Dunnellon High School on April 9th. She has a 4.55 GPA and will graduate 6/230 from Dunnellon High School. She is in the JROTC program and plans to become a doctor. Unfortunately, she does not plan to be in ROTC COL Bill Murry in college nor does introducing JROTC attendees. she plan to enter the military in the future. Therefore, we did not award her a scholarship. After receiving a check Linda Byrd, We interviewed John Stabler at Francis Marion Scholarship Chairman and John Stabler introduced his family. Military Academy on April 10th. He has a 4.67 GPA and will graduate 1/24 from Francis Marion Military Academy. He has been accepted to West Point. We awarded his brother Charles a scholarship last year. Christine Heagy, John Stabler and Brent Stabler enjoying their dinner.
SUNBEAMS PAGE 7 July/August 2014 We decided to give John the same amount in scholarship ($1,000) as we gave his brother, Charles. John and his entire family came to the dinner. We also hosted many JROTC award winners, their families and JROTC instructors. Since we only had one award, it was decided that we would pay for the meals COL Bob Kilmark and his wife Edna, with Suzanne Smith. LTC Frank Rasbury and his wife Naida, with Lt Col Carol Walker and her mother, Pat Woods. LTC Terry Dickensheet and wife, Drew, Cadet Greene and mother. of the JROTC people from the Scholarship Fund. (This decision was simplified by the fact that the Chair of the Scholarship Committee and Treasurer happened to be the same person.) Linda Byrd, Chair Phil Johnson Bob Schlegel Scholarship Committee Tina Fagan (back to camera), Maj Kathleen Long, Lt Col Tim Long, COL Bill Murry, Lt Col Sharon Murry, Barbara Spiller, CWO3 Ralph Spiller.
Return Service Requested