Effective Sunday, August 3, 2008, Past Deputy Grand Regent Barbara Bryce

of the Fredericksburg Chapter accepted the invitation to become

Deputy Regional Manager for the Women of the Moose in Virginia.

Barbara joins Pat Maxey, Cindy Millard, Barbara Kochis

and Lynn Jenkins as Deputy Regional Managers

Congratulations Barbara

W.O.T.M. Chapter Ritual Competition Results

70th Annual Virginia Moose Association Convention - July 2007

Team Results         

Woodbridge Chapter #653

1st place score - 593.6875

Hopewell Chapter #1180

2nd place score - 591.8125

Manassas Chapter #1392

3rd place score - 583.8750

Individual Honors

          Senior Regent         

     Doreen Wallace  --  Manassas

    1st place score - 99.6875

     Ruth Doan-Pietras  --  Woodbridge

     2nd place score - 99.0625

     Valerie Harsh  --  Hopewell

     3rd place score - 98.8750

Guide         

     Shelia Livingston  --  Woodbridge

     1st place score - 99.3750

     Katheine Chiarolanzio  --  Hopewell

     2nd place score - 98.4375

     Bonnie Barefoot  --  Manassas

     3rd place score - 97.1875

Assistant Guide         

Junior Graduate Regent         

Junior Regent         

Chaplain        

     Rosemary Lomis  --  Woodbridge

     2nd place score - 99.0625

     Janet Rossi  --  Manassas

     3rd place score - 96.3750

W.O.T.M. Ritual Judging Team

70th Annual State Convention

July, 2007

Virginia W.O.T.M Chapters take 3 out of the top 5 places at Chapter Ritual Competition

at the 2007 International Ritual Competition in Orlando Florida

Congratulations !!

Hopewell Chapter #1180

2nd place score  -  589.8282

Woodbridge Chapter # 653

3rd place score  -  589.4375

(L-R) Senior Regent Valerie Harsh;

Chaplain, Kathy Snyder;

Assistant Guide, Dinah Martinez;

Junior Regent Joanne Noland;

Guide, Katherine Chiarolanzio;

and Junior Graduate Regent Judy Lepelley.

(L-R) Assistant Guide, Kathleen Munro;

Senior Regent Ruthi Doan-Pietras;

Guide, Sheila Livingston;

Jr. Regent Shirley Head,

Junior Graduate Regent Barbara Ullmann;

and Chaplain, Rosemary Lomis.

-----

Congratulations to the Following Ritualists for individual Honors

Click Here to view a complete listing of the

2007 WOTM International Ritual Competition Results - Orlando FL

 for Grand Regent Marion Friend

From Grand Chancellor - Barb McPherson and Director of Operations - Judy Sisson

Barb McPherson

Judy Sisson

posted 4/11/2008

Click here to load this letter for printing

Hello to all:

     You will find below a letter sent to the VMA office from the house parents of the Virginia House.  As you all know, the girls trip here last year was a huge success, and I personally could not believe what the lodges and chapters did, and how everyone pulled together to make it a very memorable trip for the girls.  I should not have doubted my Virginia Moose people!
     We have planned to have the girls back in 2009, and have funds started in an account specifically for them (they have their own account with the VMA) And if we are going to have them back here in 2009, we have a long ways to go to cover projected expenses.  But, after reading their letter, I am wondering if there is some way we can help them out for a trip this summer as well?  As you will read, Mooseheart takes care of all their needs, but teenage girls also have a lot of wants, and it would be great to provide them with as much of life's pleasures that we can, to ensure they have the same opportunities and leisure's as all other children.  So, if any of you would like to help out with this, please send funds to the VMA office and earmark for current trip/summer 2008 trip-some way that I will know that the money should be used for this summer and not next.  I know the house parents and girls really appreciate all we have done for them, but I want to thank you as well for all you have done for them in the past.

Paula

Letter from Virginia House

     Sorry it's been a while since you've heard from us. I'm hoping that by the end of the school year we can get a newsletter out with some pictures. First, let me say, the renovations are AMAZING! We and the girls are so appreciative! I will try to send some before and after shots soon. The girls love having loft beds -- it gives them more space, and they enjoy having desks in their rooms.

     Only 6 weeks left of school here! The girls are hanging in there, but everyone is ready for summer, I think. None of the girls are playing sports in the spring, so they have plenty of time to relax at home and play outside. The high school girls had military ball on March 14th and got all dressed up for their first big dance. I'll have to send some pictures of that, too. Moosheart had spring break a couple of weeks ago, so a lot of the girls went home to see their families.

     Our bad news is that Taylor left. So, for now we are down to 6 girls. She went home to Ohio and is welcome back at Mooseheart if she chooses to come back. The girls we have now (just a reminder) are Maria - 15, Sidney - 15, Lisa - 15, Arranda - 14, Darnisha - 13, and Denise - 13.

     Bob Blankenship and some other Moose members came to visit us and see the renovations about a month ago. We had a great visit with them, and they got to know the girls a little bit over dinner. They asked if there was anything else the VMA could help us out with and we discussed a few things. They said to email you, Paula, to get things going. So, here are a couple of ideas we have for the home. While Mooseheart provides us with a recreation fund, it's difficult to plan large outings or trips. Most of our money goes to things like the movies, roller-skating, and weekend outings nearby. Mark's parents own a house in Orlando, though, and we've always thought it would be so much fun to take the girls to Disney World if we could get help with tickets, gas, and food. This would definitely be a huge, above and beyond trip...so we've always thought of it as a pipe dream. But, one of the men who visited suggested that I email with an estimate of the cost. Mark and I discussed it, and we think it'd be about $6,000. If this is something that the Moose would be willing to help us out with, that would be fantastic! But, like I said, it's definitely above and beyond anything we'd expect. On a smaller scale, we're trying to motivate the girls to do well this last quarter of school. We'd like to take all the girls who receive an 80% or above in each of their classes out to dinner and on a shopping spree in Chicago. We were planning on using some of our recreation money on this, but it would use a majority of the money. Any help you could give us would be really appreciated! And I'm sure the girls would love some spending money since they aren't old enough to work during the school year yet.

     Again, Mooseheart really provides everything we need. These are just some ideas of extra things the lodges could help us out with, if they so desire. We are so appreciative of all that you do for us and your constant support. The girls keep asking when we're going back to Virginia again...they definitely loved meeting all of you and can't wait to go back!

Much love,
Rebekah and Mark and the Virginia home

VIRGINIA HOUSE

posted 3/3/2008

          Lodges and Chapters

          In November the Virginia Moose Association's Board of Officers approved the maintenance and repairs for the Virginia House.  These repairs consist of replacing furniture, some appliances, tile, carpet and hardwood flooring.  The total amount of these repairs is in excess of Fifty Thousand Dollars, ($50,000.00).

          This is all possible by the donations you have made in the past few years.

          On behalf of the Mooseheart Staff, the girls in our house and myself, THANK YOU for your continued support.

 

Bob Blankenship

VMA Virginia House Chairman

The above is a note I received from Rebekah Hewitt, house parent at the Virginia House.  I did explain how the money is raised for the renovation and maintenance of the house with the donations made by the Lodge and Chapter at each of our conventions.  It is an on-going project that we need to keep funded for future repairs.  I have asked Rebekah to email photos she mentioned and any notes she would like to make to the members of Virginia so they can be posted on the VMA website and in the magazine.  I’m sure everyone would love to hear from them and to see what is happening in their lives.
 
I’d also like to remind everyone that we need to keep doing the fund raisers in our Lodges and Chapters which will enable us to get the girls back to Virginia for a visit.  We’d love to have them visit the western part of the state next time!
 
Doreen Wallace
VA Community Service Chairman
 

Mooseheart's Executive Director, Scott Hart, applies a kiss to a goat

from the school's petting farm during Halftime festivities

at the Mooseheart Homecoming Football Game, Saturday, October 6th, 2007

http://www.chicagotribune.com/video/?slug=chi-071122mooseheart-wn

To all Fraternal Units:

"What a great week and it was way too short!" That is what I heard at the State conference after the visit of the Virginia House residents from Mooseheart.  This sentiment came from the girls and all the fraternity members who were able to meet them.  Thanks to the men and women of Virginia, the dream of bringing the Virginia House young women and house parents for a visit came true.  After going to Mooseheart last year, Virginia McFarland, Franconia Chapter, contacted me to see if we could make a trip happen.  We asked members at the Mid-Year conference for donations to start the ball rolling.  Monetary donations and offers to host the girls and the chaperons came in throughout the next few months.  Anytime we asked for help we were never turned down.  There was such an outpouring of donations and offers!

We contacted the house parents, Mark & Rebekah Hewitt, to ask the girls what they wanted to do on their first visit to Virginia.  A resounding "beach and Kings Dominion!" is what we heard.  Also to make it an educational trip, they couldn’t miss going to D.C.  An itinerary was laid out enabling them to do as much sightseeing as they could then end up at our conference to meet the people that made it happen.

 
Thanks to individuals, Lodges, Chapters, Districts and Moose Riders, for their donations, the group was able to visit DC for 2 days, Virginia Beach 2 days, Kings Dominion & Busch Gardens before ending up in Richmond.  By the time they came to the women’s meeting on Saturday to address the members, the girls were in tears.  When I was told they had arrived and were crying, I was concerned as to what could have happened.  Then I found out they were crying tears of joy and sadness.  They were so happy to have been able to make the trip and were sad to be leaving their new friends.  were just so overcome with emotion thinking that something like this could be done for them.  The whole meeting was stopped as they got everyone crying.  I think this is the first meeting that I have attended that ran late and no one complained!

If it were not for the generous financial donations received none of this would have happened.  Lodges and Chapters make monetary donations at the conferences to the Virginia House Fund which is for maintenance of the house at Mooseheart.  The fund is to make any repairs and the upkeep that is needed on the building.  If the girls want spending money or little "extras" which we take for granted, they have to earn them through jobs or rely on Moose members’ generosity.

There were so many people that made this trip a success that I’m just not able to mention them all.  I would like to thank Jessica Honecker, from the Franconia Chapter, for being the chaperone and photographer on trip.  Please checkout the website: vmaweb.com for the photos of the week.  I was unable to be with the girls for the whole trip so it was nice to have someone with them as a guide.  Thanks to Paula at the VMA Office for keeping track of the donations and making the contacts needed to complete the trip.

We are looking forward to bringing the girls back for a visit of the western/southern part of the State in 2009 and are hoping it will be a 2 week stay then.  There have already been donations received for this and it will take twice as much as the first trip.  If anyone would like to make donations, please send them to the VMA office earmarked "VA House Girls Trip".

Thank you again for making their dream a reality!

Doreen Wallace,
Virginia WOTM Community Service Chairman
 

The - Mooseheart - Virginia House Girls

Visited Virginia for a week in July And Attended the 2007 Annual VMA Convention in Richmond

the following is a summary of their visit to Virginia

Stafford Lodge Contributes to Virginia House

(article as posted in the Virginia Moose Magazine)

Back row; Dave Snyder, Tom Griffith, Tom Endoline, Tommy Staples, Prelate Frank Stepper and Butch William.

Ruthi Doan-Pietras  -  VMA WOTM Sports Chairman