Blue Star Mothers

"By SHAWNE K. WICKHAM
New Hampshire Sunday News Staff


MANCHESTER – As a military funeral coordinator, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class James Dixon's mission was to honor those who serve and comfort those who grieve.
Now Dixon's mother wants to honor her son in similar fashion.
Anne Chouinard of Manchester is hoping to raise enough money to place at least 650 Christmas wreaths on graves at the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen. That's where Dixon conducted military honors at funerals.
It's also his final resting place. Dixon was killed in a car crash on May 9...

She was inspired after seeing a 2007 photo of wreath-covered graves at the
cemetery on the Web site of the Blue Star Mothers of New Hampshire

...On Saturday, Dec. 5, volunteers from the Blue Star Mothers of New Hampshire and from veterans' groups will place the wreaths on as many graves as possible.
Chouinard especially wants to decorate Section 4 of the cemetery, where so many service members who died in Iraq and Afghanistan are buried, including her son's classmate, Michael Ouellette. James Dixon is buried beside Ouellette.
But she wants to decorate other veterans' graves too -- "the ones that have no families and there's no one to remember them.""

more...Mom aims to transform her grief with wreaths - Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009:

"On Christmas Day in Iraq and Afghanistan, some U.S. troops will wake up to a decorated pine tree from Clifton Springs in Ontario County. There will be cards and gifts, as well."
It's "a taste of home for Christmas," says Bobbie Metcalfe of Williamson, Wayne County.
The proof that the troops are not forgotten comes courtesy of the local chapter of the Blue Star Mothers of America, which for the last two years has raised money to send the trees and gifts to units with local soldiers.
Like Metcalfe, all of the Blue Star Mothers have or have had children in the military. One of her sons, Specialist Gregory Metcalfe, 24, is a Humvee mechanic in Afghanistan. Her daughter, Jennifer Vester, 22, is retired from the service.

More...Blue Star Mothers ensure that troops are not forgotten democratandchronicle.com Democrat and Chronicle:

: "What a blessing and honor we had ministering with Russ Murphy this past week-end in Shiprock NM at a Veteren's Day celebration to the Navajo Nation. Actually it started on Thursday evening Nov. 12, 2009 at the Life Church in Durango, CO. We went to see and support Russ at an evening set aside to honor our Vet's, as well as The Blue Star and Gold Star Mom's.
During worship I was asked to join him through signing and then later in the evening Russ asked me to sign a couple songs with him again. I expressed to Russ a passion to learn the song "Welcome Home Soldier" and through that, was later invited by a Blue to Gold Liasion from the Durango Chapter of Blue Star Moms, to join Russ next September 2010, in Estes Park, CO to minister through signing at their Gold Star week-end! I just keep thinking WOW GOD You are so AWESOME in how You orchestrate things in our life to answer our prayers and heart's desire!! We are so excited to see what God is up to NEXT......."


Sean Daniel Davis Honoring the Hero's of our country with Russ Murphy Ministries