March 22, 2015 – 4th Floor: It’s quiet on the ward!

Yep, things are quiet on the ward these days.  This is good.

The Menu:

March 22's buffet
March 22’s buffet

Turkey, ham, and roast beef sandwich platter

Tuna salad

Macaroni salad

Rolls and condiment tray

Chicken noodle soup

Fresh fruit platter

Sandwich fixin's and sides
Sandwich fixin’s and sides

Cherry tomatoes

Individual bags of chips

Smoothies

Assorted drinks.

The Donors:
Continue reading March 22, 2015 – 4th Floor: It’s quiet on the ward!

February 22, 2015 – 4th Floor: A soup and sandwich kind of day…

2015Happy New Year

After taking a break, our 2015 luncheons have begun!

We had quilts from Bayside Quilters and Katie made up snack bags to give out to our guests. Earlier in the week Gladys, Bob and I met up to give them the supply boxes. They were ready to roll!

Saturday's snow
We were keeping our fingers crossed the snow and ice that came in on Saturday would melt before they headed out Sunday morning. Thankfully, Gladys and Bob’s street was plowed and the roads in Katie’s neck of the woods were clear by the time they were ready to leave.

Continue reading February 22, 2015 – 4th Floor: A soup and sandwich kind of day…

Thursday, December 4th – MM-B’s “Holiday Cheer 2014” Luncheon at the USO

Our annual Holiday Luncheon!

stockings, cards, and cookiesSpecial Thanks to:

The Warrior Family Coordination Cell for helping us coordinate the event.

The Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment-East at Walter Reed for their advice and help.

Preventative Med for ensuring the safety of our service members through good food practice policies.

The USO at Walter Reed for the use of their room and kitchen, and to their volunteers for assistance.

Huge Thanks to:

Our “Elfs”, many of whom who have been doing “Elfie” stuff with us since 2007, helping to make the event so special!

Our MM-B Volunteers, who pull everything together to make the luncheon a success!

And most especially, Tremendous Thanks to:

Our Nation’s service members and Veterans who’ve put their lives on the line defending our country.

Gingerbread houses at USO 2014
Gingerbread houses in front of the welcoming fireplace at the Walter Reed USO. Photo courtesy of Gladys.

Location:

 A room at the USO at Walter Reed.

Luncheon Sponsors:

Choptank Marine Corps League Detachment #439

Washington State Operation Thank You

Joanna & Joel in Florida

Barbara in Alabama

Mary T. in Maryland
Continue reading Thursday, December 4th – MM-B’s “Holiday Cheer 2014” Luncheon at the USO

November 9, 2014 – 4th Floor: Marines, Veterans, and Thanksgiving

Julie & LCpl. Smitty
Happy Birthday, Marines!

Today’s Luncheon was a celebration of the USMC’s 239th Birthday and Veterans Day, serving a Thanksgiving Day meal!

 

The Sponsors:

Carey & Chris

Joanna & Joel

Mary T.

WA State Operation Thank You

Thank you!

Room Before
The room when we arrived, the “stuff” we brought (first trip up), and almost ready to serve.

the food
The buffet, missing are the mashed potatoes and stuffing.

The Menu:

Turkey & Ham

Gravy, Stuffing

Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans

Potato Soup & Fresh Fruit Salad

Stuffed Celery, Cranberry Sauce

Cheese & Pepperoni Tray

Pickles & Olives

Asst. Rolls

Assorted Drinks & water

Fresh Smoothies

Chocolate Chip Cookies, Pumpkin Pie & Cake

The Niftie Gifties:

pantry bags, quilts and pillowcases

Quilts from Olde Kent Quilters

Patriotic Pillowcases from Bayside Quilters of the Eastern Shore

Marine & Army Lap Quilts from Jean in Ohio

Scarves from Eleanore in New Jersey

Snack Bags

Thank You!

The Day:

We send out the call for sign-ups to our luncheon volunteers and they help when they can. Some months we have two or three, this month we had seven. Even though we staggered the arrival times, I thought we’d be knocking elbows with everyone in the room, and we were – until the line began to form. Continue reading November 9, 2014 – 4th Floor: Marines, Veterans, and Thanksgiving

October 23, 2014 – Good people doing good things.

There are a heck of a lot of nice people doing good things for our service members at Walter Reed.

Mercy Hall has closed. The residents moved over to Sanctuary Hall, the new barracks, in the early summer, and food events aren’t allowed there. Base policy. Today was our first luncheon at the USO Warrior and Family Center.

Luncheon room at the USOWe reserved a room in the new USO for today’s luncheon. Their volunteers were very helpful, checking in with us every so often to see if we needed anything. They stayed busy greeting people as they entered the building, making them feel at home, keeping the snack bar stocked for the guys and gals coming in, and a multitude of other things.

The Warrior Family Coordination Cell (WFCC), the office tasked with coordinating events in cooperation with the different service branches and the USO, sent a Sailor down to offer help, and then later during the event, stopped by to check on us again. Yes, they are military, doing the job they’re assigned, but they went out of their way to help us out. Continue reading October 23, 2014 – Good people doing good things.

October 19, 2014 Newsletter

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Greetings!

After taking some time off, Marine Moms-Bethesda’s Newsletters are back!

Nine years ago this month, October 2005, Janelle and I made our first visit to Bethesda Naval Hospital to visit a Marine mom and her son who had been wounded in combat. Where have the years gone?

Flag afghan
An afghan from Bayside Quilters given out at the July 20th – 4th floor luncheon.

What’s in this edition:

  • What we’ve been up to

  • Thank yous!

  • We need your help!

  • Changes

  • Upcoming luncheons

  • Surfing

What we’ve been up to:

We continue hosting monthly Sunday luncheons at Bethesda, now Walter Reed NMMC, on the 4th floor, and invite the Critical Care Unit combat families and the Traumatic Brain Injury Ward guys & gals and their families to join us. Continue reading October 19, 2014 Newsletter

Holiday Cheer 2014 – Would you like to be an MM-B Elf?

Marine Moms-Bethesda 2014 Holiday Cheer LogoThe holidays are right around the corner and it’s time to plan for “Holiday Cheer 2014”!

We’ll be serving out-patients at Walter Reed during this luncheon. They live on their own or with their caregivers in dorm-like rooms. Many are young, single, and do not have family living with them.

Not all are “combat wounded”, however they are at Walter Reed-Bethesda for medical reasons during active duty service. Our Holiday Cheer event and bi-monthly luncheons are a HUGE morale booster for them!

The event consists of a holiday meal, Christmas stockings, handwritten holiday and Christmas cards from across the USA, cookies baked by our local “Elfs” AND a whoooole lotta CHEER!

“Holiday Cheer 2014” will be on December 4th, 2014. Location: USO. Serving Time: 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM  This event will be limited to 25 wounded, injured, or ill service members and their family members, first come, first served.

Would you like to be a Marine Moms-Bethesda Elf? Sponsor a stocking or send cards! Here’s how!

Continue reading Holiday Cheer 2014 – Would you like to be an MM-B Elf?

October 5, 2014 – 4th Floor

quilts, scarves, afghan
Quilts and afghan from Bayside Quilters, scarves from Edythe’s mom in New Jersey. Thank you!

Today’s team was Dina and Deb. Here’s Dina’s AAR (slightly edited):

Hey Jane. Just wanted to fill you in on today’s luncheon. Since it was just the two of us, we pushed back the start time to 11:30. But we were more than ready to start at just after 11:00!

The highlight for me was a family I saw walking the halls…that I invited to come have some lunch. They declined at first, but came by about 30 minutes later without the older gentleman. I asked them who they were visiting and the man said, “My dad, he just got a kidney on THURSDAY!” I couldn’t believe he was the man I saw walking the halls earlier…three days after a kidney transplant!!! Amazing things happening at Walter Reed, as you know!!!!

The quilts were a big hit and families were so appreciative! It never gets old to see how genuinely thankful the families are to receive our goodies!

I got the wings and wraps at Wegmans (through their catering department). I was very satisfied with their stuff. I was able to order the food on line and then pick up the stuff on Saturday night. I would definitely use them again. They have a great variety too.

Here are some pictures from today…

Dina

Thank You! Job well done, Ladies!

Menu:

Wings

Wheat Wraps (Roast Beef, Ham, Turkey and Cheese)

Potato Soup

Green Beans

Cole Slaw

Fresh Fruit Platter

Cheese Platter

Potato Chips

Sodas & Water

Cookies

Cake

We’re very grateful to our supporters who help make the luncheons happen!

cheese and pepperoni

wings and green beans Desserts and drinks

 

 

 

 

Thank you to those who serve our country, past and present!

In other news:

DoD May Deploy up to 4,000 Troops to Combat Ebola

https://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=123336&source=GovDelivery

By Jim Garamone
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

FORT MEADE, Md., Oct. 3, 2014 – The Defense Department could deploy up to 4,000 service members to Liberia as part of Operation United Assistance against Ebola, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby told reporters at the Pentagon today.


There are 205 U.S. service members in Liberia today with another 26 in neighboring Senegal. All service members are supporting the lead federal agency for American participation in the crisis — the U.S. Agency for International Development.


Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel “has approved the potential deployment of up to 4,000 [service members],” Kirby said. “But I want to make one thing real clear, that that’s a potential deployment. That doesn’t mean it is going to get to that number.”


Testing labs operational
Operations are moving forward in Liberia. “Over the last 36 hours, two Ebola testing laboratories manned by personnel from the U.S. Naval Medical Research Center are now fully operational,” Kirby said. The labs can process about 100 samples each day.


U.S. personnel are also on track for completing a hospital for infected medical personnel on Oct. 18. “Construction of two treatment centers for other Ebola victims will begin today and should be completed by the end of the month,” the admiral said.


Kirby forecast a significant increase in the operations tempo in Liberia and with it an increase in troops.

Read more at the link above.

Hot Zone 10/03/2014 03:52 PM CDT Surrounded by Ebola patients, a health worker, center, gives a thumbs-up to visitors near the hot zone, defined by the double barrier orange fence, in Liberia, Sept. 26, 2014. If a sick person falls, the patient cannot contaminate the clean zone. U.S. Africa Command is supporting the effort by providing command and control, logistics, training and engineering assets. U.S. Agency for International Development is the lead U.S. government organization.
Hot Zone
10/03/2014 03:52 PM CDT
Surrounded by Ebola patients, a health worker, center, gives a thumbs-up to visitors near the hot zone, defined by the double barrier orange fence, in Liberia, Sept. 26, 2014. If a sick person falls, the patient cannot contaminate the clean zone. U.S. Africa Command is supporting the effort by providing command and control, logistics, training and engineering assets. U.S. Agency for International Development is the lead U.S. government organization. (DoD photo)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check this article from Oct. 1, 2014 out.

Hagel Authorizes 700 Soldiers for Liberia Deployment

https://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=123305

A snip from it:

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has authorized the deployment of 700 soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division headquarters element to Liberia to help with the Ebola epidemic there, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said here yesterday.

The soldiers will deploy in late October, Kirby told reporters during a briefing, and they will become the headquarter staff for the joint forces command, led by Army Maj. Gen. Gary J. Volesky.

Read more at the link above.

Is sending our troops over there really a good idea? What will the long-term ramifications of this be to our troops, their families, and our country?

And then there’s what’s going on in Iraq…

Until next time, continued prayers for our military and their families.

Love and Hugs,

Jane

Bringing "Comforts of Home" to Bethesda (now Walter Reed NMMC) since 2005.