Northern Kentucky Blue Star Mothers

I took my son to the bus outside the recruiter’s office on a cold December day (the longest drive I’ve ever experienced...) A few months later, I found myself a widow. My only other family member, a daughter, is in college. I was suddenly lacking anyone with whom I could share my concerns, thoughts, and fears.

A bumper sticker I picked up at the graduation ceremonies on Lackland AFB (along with a bunch of other patriotic stuff!) boasts that I’m the proud parent of an Air Force son, but I also wanted everyone who visited my house to know about my hero in the military. I remember seeing a Blue Star Flag at the WWII exhibit that was at Union Terminal quite a number of years ago. I remember how it made me feel seeing it in the window of that display, I’m not sure why, but it touched me and stayed with me.

I went online to research it, and was surprised to find that there were not only flags, pins, shirts, etc., but that there are actual groups--chapters--of other moms that meet and do things that honor and help our servicemen and women, our veterans, and the families of these brave people. I knew that’s what I wanted.

I’ve only been part of NKY Blue Star Mothers #5 for less than 4 months, but have been overwhelmed to find the wide variety of things they do. I “got my feet wet” at a wonderful chili dinner for a roomful of veterans back in April. It was great meeting so many of our heroes, and the dinner-gathering served to feed them, thank them, and to inform them of some of the many services available to them as there were speakers from places like the VA, etc. My husband had been a Vietnam vet, and I wish he could have known the heartfelt thanks that these BSM’s radiated to these men and women.

With BSM chapters all over the nation, we’re connected with that silent bond that our children are serving in the military (or have), AND we’re connected through the internet where we can share news, ideas, tears, and words of comfort.

With each activity I attend, I am overwhelmed with the devotion these women have for the cause of helping our service men and women, past and present, the way they promote patriotism, and how they come alongside each other to help and support the families left at home. It’s everything I was looking for—a way to feel like I’m helping fight the same battle to preserve our American way of life (the best on the planet!) in my own small way, and there is such a comfort knowing that each of these women also has a piece of their heart someplace, whether it’s on U.S. soil or deployed somewhere in the world, and that they know exactly how I feel. God Bless America and our heroes in the military!

Bev Dorenbusch
BSMA NKY #5

Thank you for the privilege of posting this note.

It was with great honor and a pleasure that I became an associate member of the Northern KY Chapter 5 Blue Star Mothers of America at its inception. I have been a longtime friend of Lorene’s and several other members and associates and I was able to climb on board. We are a group that works well together and we always seem to come up with bigger and better things to make it possible for out mission. I am not a mother of a son or daughter in the military, but I do come from a very long line of military.

Doing what we do is so rewarding! I think what really amazes me the most about our chapter, is how far we have come in such a short period. We became a chapter and were sending out boxes to our troops within weeks and have been able to maintain that task every quarter of the year since our inception. It just doesn’t get any better than that. It definitely makes me feel so very good inside when we accomplish each task and are able to share this with our boys and girls and their families. I just wish we could do something everyday for these wonderful boys and girls who put their lives on the line so we can leave in a free nation!

We must continue to be the support system that our boys and girls need; and, their families as well. We will march on as long as we are needed.

Ruth Ann Herzog

ANTHONY “TONY” GEIMAN
NKY CHAPTER 5 BLUE STAR DAD

Saturday night, Tony and I were doing a fundraiser for the Alexandria Adopt a Troop at the Alexandria Center. We were having a family fun night with a live band from 6-9 and a free Disney movie at 9:00. Around 11:15 with 20 people still watching the movie, a semi-tractor trailer stopped in the parking lot and got out of his vehicle and walked to the City Brew coffee shop to ask for the directions to Sara Lee.

Unbeknownst to the driver, he forgot to put on his parking break! One of the women spectators noticed the truck moving toward the crowd and hollered that there was a semi coming toward them and no one was driving it.

Everyone jumped up and cleared the path for the truck that was creeping down the parking lot toward our spectators and movie screen/projector. BSM Dad Tony ran in around the semi and jumped to see if he could get inside the moving truck.  Thank goodness the semi was unlocked and Tony was able to jump in and slam on the breaks before the semi hit the movie tent and ended up on US 27 in Alexandria. The truck was fully loaded with supplies for Sara Lee.

The truck miraculously missed all the spectators and all our parked vehicles in the lot. The semi driver said he left the break on but apparently it didn't hold.

So, I just wanted to let you BSM members know what a true hero I married. Tony has always been my hero but this incident just proves what he would do for another fellow human being without caution for his own safety.

On a lighter note, the semi had a traveling companion, a white poodle who was in the passenger seat when Tony jumped in the semi to stop it.  Tony was just relieved that it wasn't a Doberman, German shepherd or Great Dane in the passenger seat; he probably would have not jumped in!!!!  He said he could just imagine the dog attacking him, getting him stuck in the vehicle, heading over the embankment and spilling thousands of hotdogs, pies, etc. all over US 27 along with getting a ticket from the state police for not having his CDL to drive the semi!!!

We all know who was with Tony that night guiding him to stop that semi. That is why we missed the walk this morning, we made sure we attended church and thanked God for the safety of all the people involved last night.

Submitted by Chris Geiman; Edited by Lorene Friedman

Kentucky Post Article

"I became acquainted with the Blue Star Mothers group through a mutual acquaintance. I, along with the American Legion family from Kentucky, was working on the first Permanent Healing Field in the nation - located in Lawrenceburg, KY.  The Blue Star mothers offered to help in anyway they could, they even showed up for our first work party. Once I learned what they were all about, I decided to join the organization. 

I am an associate member - but have been involved in military organizations since I was a small child.   Currently - I am serving as the 2nd Vice President of the American Legion Auxiliary, Department of KY.    My father was a Korean War veteran and my uncle was a Vietnam veteran.  They are my heroes and helped convey to me what freedom really means and the price paid by everyone.    The American Legion family supports veterans in any way we can and are a perfect fit with the Blue Star Mother's organization. 

Before joining - I knew of people who were deployed but could not really relate to what the families of these people were going through.  The Blue Star Mothers is a wonderful support system for these families.   It is a place to come together to share your happy moments and your worries.   I am pleased to belong to such an amazing group of people."

My wife and I are very proud of our son and we are happy to be a part of the Blue Star Mothers.  They are not afraid to donate time and money to support our troops."