How to Carve a Military Themed Pumpkin: Free

It’s the season for colorful leaves, cooler weather, costumes, and of course, carving pumpkins. And what better way to combine your autumn spirit with your military pride than to carve a military-themed design in a pumpkin?

If you’re not sure how to go about this, let Military Spouse Central help. Our Veterans United crew crafted some military-themed pumpkins, and we included the free pumpkin stencils to get you started!

How to Carve a Military-Themed Pumpkin: Free Pumpkin Stencils

Military Appreciation Day at Apple Hill Farm ~ October 5, 2014

Due to the generosity of Chuck and Diane Souther and the Apple Hill Family, Military Appreciation Day 2014 at Apple Hill Farm has been scheduled for Sunday, October 5, 2014 from noon to 4:00PM. As in the past, there will be free apple picking, face painting, pumpkin painting, apple crisp with ice cream, and lots of other activities. Best of all, the day is FREE to Military Members, including Retirees, and their families. Don't forget your military ID, it's your ticket into the event.

Parents of military members are also welcome. Contact Karen Thurston at our Blue Star Mothers table to register.

Apple Hill Farm is located at 580 Mountain Road, Concord, NH. Take Exit 17 off Route 93 from either the north or the south (same exit as the Veterans Cemetery), and follow the signs to Apple Hill Farm.

The Souther Family is looking forward to seeing all of you again this year.
http://www.applehillfarmnh.com/

Wreaths for Boscawen ~ 
We want to share with you a great event that is happening in New Hampshire on December 13, 2014. 

Wreaths for Boscawen at the
NH Veterans Cemetery

We will be laying 1,500 wreaths at the NH Veterans Cemetery

on December 13, 2014 ~ Starting at 10:30am

This is an idea that started with a Gold Star Family in 2007 and was inspired by the wreaths placed at Arlington National Cemetery (Worcester Wreath Company) the Blue Star Mothers decided we needed to answer this Christmas wish.

If you would like to make a donation to help us purchase a 12" Balsam Wreath with a four loop red bow is $6.50, our wreaths are purchased locally and delivered to the NH Veterans Cemetery on December 14th. Download the donation form ~ you may make your donation in Honor of or in Memory of someone that will be entered on our Tribute page.

To learn more visit: 
http://www.bluestarmothersofnh.org/WreathsBoscawen.html

Sunday, September 28, 2014 is Gold Star Mother's Day. A day to remember our fallen and be grateful to to mothers who raised them.

Toast to our Troops

Please join us, the Blue Star Mothers of NH, on Sunday, July 6, 2014 for our first annual Toast to our Troops at the beautiful LaBelle Winery ~ 345 Route 101, Amherst, New Hampshire 03031. This will be a fun filled afternoon of wine tasting with food pairings, raffles and 50/50 drawing. Our own Blue Star Dad and professional voice over artist Larry F. Murphy will be our master of ceremony. 

The event runs from 1:00pm to 3:00pm. Tickets are $30.00 a piece and can be purchased from our website: www.bluestarmothersofnh.org for more information you can contact us at bluestarmothersofnh@yahoo.com.  Tickets must be purchased before the event. The first 130 ticket holders will also receive a complimentary wine glassed etched with "Toast to our Troops" as a thank you for your support. 

We have some great raffle items...Salmon Falls Pottery, signed hockey puck by Jonathan Quick of the L.A. Kings and Coach of the US Olympic hockey team, gift certificates for dining out at many of our NH restaurants, cruise tickets for the Mount Washington, just to name a few. 

The mission of Blue Star Mothers of NH is to support our men and women who are serving our country around the world. Although our mission will never change, time has come to adjust our focus and provide greater levels of support for our valued veterans. This can be done in so many ways – providing meals at local Vet’s Centers, helping out at our local homeless veteran shelters, getting involved in local colleges who have set up special educational Veteran Centers, and the list goes on.

We owe these men and women so much.  We look forward to seeing you at the Toast to our Troops.

Blue Star Mothers of New Hampshire
www.bluestarmothersofnh.org

Happy Birthday Bowe Bergdahl

Today is Bowe's 28th birthday. While birthdays are typically a cause for celebration, the thought that Bowe has now seen 5 birthdays come and go while in captivity is heartbreaking. This is why today, Bowe's birthday, is a day of solemness. We reflect on it in our own way and it motivates us all differently for different reasons. But in the end what we all want, what we pray for, is that Bowe will soon return home to his family, to the place that is safe and familiar.

Maybe today we can all tell somebody that a friend who you've never met is having a birthday, that his name is Bowe Bergdahl. Tell them about Bowe and ask them to tell his story too. Today give Bowe the gift of your time. Dear Bowe Supporters, it's YOU who stand in the gap for Bowe until he comes home. We are all waiting and advocating for Bowe until we can celebrate his homecoming.

Don't forget that you can go to supportbowe.org and leave a message of support for Bowe and his family. The Guest Book entries are being saved so that when Bowe gets home, they'll always be there for him to read. Here's the link to the Guest Book if you'd like to add your name to it: http://supportbowe.org/guest-book-current/

Vietnam Welcome Home

For Immediate Release
March 18, 2014
Contact LTC Greg Heilshorn, 603-225-1340

An open letter from Maj. Gen. William N. Reddel III, adjutant general of the New Hampshire National Guard:

A year ago New Hampshire welcomed home its Vietnam veterans.

Held to coincide with the national commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the war, the March 30 ceremony inside a Concord national guard hangar drew more than 2,000 people. Some traveled from other New England states to hear Gov. Maggie Hassan, the state's congressional delegation and numerous generals officially recognize a generation of service members treated badly by the nation that sent them to fight.

On Saturday, April 5, the governor and New Hampshire's elected officials will host another ceremony for Vietnam veterans beginning at 2 p.m. at White Mountain Regional High School in Whitefield. With 46,000 Vietnam-era veterans in New Hampshire there were many who could not attend the first one. The state's intent is to make the event an annual gathering, each time
in a different location and each time to say, "Thank you for your service.
Welcome Home."

I understand that there is no excuse for nearly a half century of apathy -- that no amount of polished speech and glad-handing will completely erase such an embarrassing period in our national history. For some Vietnam veterans Memorial Day, Veterans Day, or their military branch's birthday are sufficient enough reminders of their service. I am also aware of the lingering doubt of what constitutes a Vietnam veteran. Does it also include those men and women who were drafted and served stateside or in a country
other than Vietnam? I believe so. Is their service and sacrifice any less meaningful because they were sent to Germany, Italy or Alaska? Certainly not.

Underscoring this national reconciliation is the fact that these very same veterans swore that the next generation of soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast guardsmen returning from war would receive the gratitude they deserved. Spend some time with the Pease Greeters and you will understand just how serious they have been about delivering on that promise. Since 2005, nearly 200,000 U.S. troops have passed through a gauntlet of praise and admiration at the International Tradeport whether they are flying
home or overseas. They do not distinguish by operation, country served in or branch of service.

The rest of us can learn by their example.

Join us on April 5.

Let these ceremonies -- one is being planned for June for New Hampshire's Korean War veterans -- serve as rally points to reinvigorate our collective conscience. To remind us of those who sacrificed more than was ever asked of them. And to appreciate them and, hopefully, be inspired by them.

Sincerely,

Maj. Gen. William N. Reddel III
Adjutant General, New Hampshire National Guard