April OSC Minutes

Thank you Marlene Valenzuela for hosting. The food and ambiance was great. As always you did a wonderful job.

Thank you to Heather Hoffacker for filling in and taking the minutes for us.

Welcome and Farewell
-Welcome to Pilar Burkland, Kathryn Bacon, and Jenny Castellani. We enjoyed talking to each of you last night and are looking forward to seeing you at future events!

President – Carmen
-Thank you to: Cynthia for helping with the invitations, Marlene for the picnic tables at the Easter Egg Hunt, Mellissa Herdemen for helping to sell T-shirts at the Easter Egg Hunt, Lori for all the work you did for Kathy’s Farewell, Monika Woods for the information on the banners and signs, Becca Taylor for organizing our T-shirt sales and for taking over webpage/Newsletter, and to Michele Mergen, my wing man, co-pilot. You all make this group a wonderful OSC with you dedication and contributions.

-“COW” Party Saturday, May 16th 5 – 7 at the Fleming Island Splash Pool. If you have not received you invitation, please contact Carmen at 771-6594.
- “COW” gifts can be dropped off Cynthia Huntington’s or Michele Mergen’s home.

Treasurer/Webpage - Becca Taylor
- Balance $ 1210.61
- T-shirt Profit $367.00
- Expenses: Farewell Dinner, flowers
- T-Shirts at Homecomings
- Dues are $40 for a year. Make check payable to: VP-5 OSC

Lori-
-Welcome Tea Sunday May, 3rd from 2 – 4 at Lori Naylor’s home. EVERYONE Please RSVP to Lori at L.Naylor@comcast.net or 269-6104
- RSVP for the Welcome Home activities to L.Naylor@comcast.net or 269-6104

Ways and Means- Melissa Herdeman
-Fundraisers –T-shirts, coaster. Sloppy Joe, pizza sales once VP-5 returns.

Scrapbook- Mary Blaschke
-Take pictures please of all the upcoming events (Homecomings, Tea, and “COW" Party) and send to Mary at mtstringer@mac.com.

Call Tree- Amanda McElhannon
- Please let me know if you need to update your contact information.
- Please send all evite information to me.

Social – MJ Ask/ Cynthia
- Join us at Mellow Mushroom Friday, May 1st 7:00 PM. Lets all get together to relax, Laugh, and have a good time. This will be out Change of Command celebration while our significant others celebrate in Japan and El Sal. Please RSVP to MJ Ask at mjask1@hotmail.com.
- Shopping date on Memorial Day weekend. More details to follow.

Little Foxes Playgroup - Nathalie Hawkins
*May Playgroup – Natalie will host at the (end of May)

Congratulations to Monika Woods for winning the raffle basket last night! Gator Pride! We look forward to the next raffle basket in May. Remember, tickets are only $1.00.

Next OSC Meeting is Saturday, May 23rd 7:00 at Lori Naylor’s Home

Welcome Home Activities

Hello Mad Fox Families,

Great news!! The end of deployment is in sight and our Mad Foxes will be returning soon!! We do not have any definite dates as of yet, but we are looking at an early June time frame. We will be sending out emails quite often with any changes or updates concerning the flights and homecoming preparations, so please check your email daily.

With that said we have several projects we will be working on for our Sailors return and are hoping our Mad Fox families here at home will join in the fun and help make this the best homecoming VP-5 has ever seen!!

The following projects we will be needing help with are as follows:

Single Sailor Barracks Room Fix up. - We have several sailors who will be coming back from deployment to no families and stark bare rooms. Our goal is to brighten their rooms with welcome home posters, fix their beds, and leave goodie bags in their rooms so they know their extended Mad Fox Family welcomes them home as well.

Front Fence Cup Sign - The message - Welcome Home VP-5 – is written out using red plastic cups on the front entrance to the base letting our Sailors know they were missed and all who enter the base will know WE LOVE OUR MAD FOXES and are glad they are home at last!

Pillow Case Banners - The pillow cases which some of our family members have made for their Sailor will be displayed in the hanger. If you have not made your pillow case and wish to do so there is still time!

Welcome Home Signs – Signs for the Barracks rooms as well as signs to hang in the hanger for the homecoming.

Cookie bake – Although MWR does provide snack foods for the families to enjoy while waiting on the plane to arrive, special home made cookies and brownies (or any finger foods) would be a welcome treat for the families as well as adding some to the Single Sailor bags. Nothing says welcome home & your loved like home made goodies!

If you would like to help with any of the homecoming projects please let me know which one by giving me a call 904-269-6104 or email me at l.naylor@comcast.net.

Remember this is our homecoming, join in the fun and together let’s make it the best homecoming ever!

VP-5 Beach Det Office

Mad Fox families,
As many of you know our Beach Det Office is now fully Operational and manned 24/7 onboard NAS Jacksonville. Our OIC (Officer in Charge) is LCDR Cunillera. Our Det office can be reached @ 904-542-0960 if you have any questions or concerns.

v/r
Jeffrey P. Alcott
Command Master Chief
PATRON FIVE

March 21st OSC Minutes

President- Carmen Kelly
Updates:
Easter Egg Hunt (April 5th 3- 5)
-Bring 12 candy filled eggs for each child that will be hunting for eggs. Remember to bring your Potluck dish as well.
- We will have our "American Flag /Welcome Home VP-5 " Sheet out once again so that we can fill it up with our handprints to be displayed in the Main Hanger for all the Homecomings.
-Sara Colemen will be collecting Scrapbook pages at the Easter Egg Hunt.

Kathy's Farewell (April 19th 4 – 7 at Cantina Laredo)
If you plan to attend, please make the check out to VP-5 OSC for $25 and send to
Carmen Kelly
2392 Watermill Dr.
Orange Park, FL 32073

Please send before April 13th!!

Please keep in mind that the $25 will cover your appetizer, dinner, dessert, beverage, and one alcoholic beverage. If you have questions, please give Carmen a call at 771-6594

We will be presenting the scrapbook to Kathy at her Farewell. Please turn your scrapbook page in to Mary by Sunday April 5th.


COW Party (May 16th at the Fleming Island Splash Pool Center)
-Wear black, while, and pink. It will be an Italian Themed Potluck . An Evite will be sent mid April with specific items and foods that we will need.
-REMEMBER!! Your special "COW" gift can be dropped off by MAY 13TH at:
The Easter Egg Hunt (4/5)
Kathy's Farewell on the (4/19)
April OSC Meeting at Marlene's (4/25)
The Welcome Tea for the new XO (5/3)
or
Cynthia Huntington's or MicheleMergen's Home. If you need some ideas, contact me or Cynthia for a list of websites and places you can go to.
Please contact me if you have any question at 771-6594 or Cynthia at 551-7434.

Welcome Home VP-5
- 6 Signs have been ordered from Giglio to match the two we already have.
A banner has been ordered as well that we will display on Yorktown.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH to MONIKA WOODS for providing us with a website to order a FREE Welcome Home sign/banner (you pay shipping and handling.)

If you are interested in getting a banner for your significant other to display at you home, here is the website:
www.buildasign.com/troops

-Please get your pillowcase turned in by May 20th in the ziplock bag. You can drop off your pillowcase with me at:
The Easter Egg Hunt (4/5)
Kathy's Farewell on the (4/19)
April OSC Meeting at Marlene's (4/25)
The Welcome Tea for the new XO (5/3)
Lori's COW Party (5/16)

-Last week in May we will need help to put the cups up along Roosevelt, hang the Pillowcases, the welcome Home sheet, the signs, and the banner. More information will follow.

Welcome and Farewell –Theresa
- Welcome to Heather Fletcher! We are glad you could attend Heather and are looking forward to seeing you at future events.
-Farewell to Beth Vinyard! Beth is off to Italy. She received a very touching farewell written by Shantel Smith and read by Katrina Barlow. You will be greatly missed. You have done so much for the group and you will leave a lasting impression. Take care and enjoy your next assignment!

Treasurer - Becca Taylor
- Balance $2048.88
- Expenses: flowers, first batch of T-shirts
-Dues are $40 for a year. Make check payable to: VP-5 OSC and sent to:
Rebecca Taylor
309 Twinleaf Court
St. Johns, FL. 32259
(cell)361-537-3255
(home)904-460-2022

Ways and Means- Melissa Herdeman
*Fundraiser
-T-Shirts and Coasters will be sold at Easter Egg Hunt
-Order Forms will be available as well.

Scrapbook- Mary Blaschke
* Mary will be holding another Scrapbook party on Sunday, April 5th at 2:30 at:
The Crop Shoppe10584-8
Old St. Augustine Road
Jacksonville, FL 32257
A reminder evite will follow.

Call Tree- Amanda McElhannon
* Please let me know if you need to update your contact information.
*Please send all evite information to me.

Sunshine- Heather Hoffacker
*Flowers were sent this month to Michele Mergen.

Social – MJ Ask
* Dinner and a movie at the new Fleming Island Theater! More detail will follow. Please contact Mary Jane with any questions at 451-3006.

REMINDER: If you are going to donate your old formal dresses for Clay High School, please contact Cynthia Huntington at 551-7434.

**NEXT MEETING April 25th 5:30 at Marlene Valenzuela’s**

Navy Relief

Navy Marine Corps Relief Society Needs You!
In 2008 the Navy Marine Corps Relief Society had a 34% increase in clients it saw in the office. The Society staff and volunteers handled 77,754 cases in 2008 and disbursed $44.2 million in interest free loans and grants to Sailors, Marines and their families.
Society Volunteers learn how to help others find lasting solutions to their financial problems. Many Volunteers gain skills that make them more marketable for future employment. Flexible schedules allow you to make a world of difference by assisting military families. The training is free, and you are reimbursed for child care and gas!
To put this into my own words, I started volunteering the Navy Relief in 2001. In all honesty, I was looking for a way to help with preschool costs for my twins. I started volunteering in Reception, now called CSA (Client Services Assistant.) I enjoyed stepping out of my full time mommy role one day a week. It was good to be working with adults, as well as seeing the good works that were happening in this office while I was there volunteering. As my kids grew older, I found myself extending my volunteer hours and adding additional days. In time, I decided to train to become a Caseworker. The society taught me how to work with clients and trusted me with the donated dollars to loan out (interest free!) to sailors coming in with emergency problems. It’s very rewarding to write a check to a service member in need and see the look of relief spread across his or her face. Eight years later, I’m still enjoying my time with Navy Relief. Each base has an office and I’ve enjoyed having a skill to utilize no matter where we are stationed. I’ve made great friends along the way and even caught up with them in different offices over the years.
Navy Relief has been around for over 105 years. There is no way we would make it without our volunteers, they are the backbone of the society. If you would like to know more about volunteering, please consider attending our Awards Ceremony on April 21st at 10:30 am. Chris Scorby (also a weekly volunteer) will be hosting the event at her home on the base. If you have an interest, please let me know and we’ll send you an invitation. Or if you would just like to ask questions about volunteering or how the reimbursement of childcare works out (we do not use donated dollar for this, by the way) please feel free to ask anytime.
Thanks for taking your time to read through this note.
Your fellow OSC member,
Monika Woods
Monika.woods@nmcrs.org