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General Orders # 8
February 2026
| | The month of love, appreciation, and gratitude. | | |
MONTHLY ZOOM MEETING
Thursday, February 19, 2026
8 PM EST / 7PM CST / 6 PM MST/ 5 PM PST
All Members and Patriots Welcome
LOGIN ONLINE: https://zoom.us/j/4981732263
Meeting Code - 2020
Call in via telephone: 1-929-436-2866
Enter this Meeting ID: 4981 732 263
| | NOTE: Some browsers offer condensed versions of General Orders. If your version is shortened, click on the "expand" or "show more" hyperlink on the bottom of this email. | |
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National President
Fran Holtgreven
The month of love, appreciation, and gratitude
I know Valentine’s Day is over for 2026. Happy belated Valentine’s Day to all of you. Valentine’s Day means “Love” and it is a commercial holiday with cards, chocolate, flowers and other gifts. I believe that this day is not only for romantic love, but should show gratitude, appreciation, reflection, kindness, praise, acts of service and selflessness. So, my question to everyone is, why do people only celebrate this day once a year?
I feel the Departments and Units of the Military Order of the Purple Heart Auxiliary do celebrate this day all throughout the year. Your devotion to Veterans shows through the acts of service that each one of you do. I see the spirit of volunteerism and charity that you provide to every Veteran. The love, devotion, affection and sacrifice that each Department and Unit do to help others in their local community are ways that you make any day feel like Valentine’s Day.
This is the bond between all Auxiliary members that connects each other and strengthens each other. Plus, it gives our Veterans the appreciation and gratitude for all they have sacrificed for us.
Thank you for all you have done and will do for our Veterans.
This month our Monthly Zoom meeting, Christine Day will be the main speaker, please plan on attending on February 19, 2026.
Fran
Fran.MOPHA@Gmail.com
| | MESSAGES FROM OUR AUXILIARY LEADERSHIP | | |
National Jr. Vice
Linda Bellis
Love is in the air for this month. On Thursday, February 12, I was invited to the Minneapolis VA Hospital for the National Salute to Veterans Patients event. I was joined by Diane and Wally Lind. Wallly is Department of MN and Unit 268 Sr. Vice. Diane is Department of MN and Unit 268 secretary. We started the program with a moment of silence for Alex Pretti, the nurse who was killed by ICE, who worked in this building. Then we went to the different wards to hand out hats and valentine cards. The patients were happy to get cards made by school children, other groups and donated cards. One man had a case full of harmonicas and played us a tune.
On January 16, I had the day off from work. I had made arrangements to deliver items to the veterans. It was a very beautiful day. Sun was out, not a cloud in the sky. The wind was VERY BRISK. Did I say VERY BRISK!!!! It was -44 BELOW ZERO. I bribed my husband Dave who is the National Inspector to come with and unload a full car of 11 boxes of new donated clothes from Storm Creek Thank you for helping keep the car warn while I got carts for unloading. At the Minneapolis VA Hospital we dropped off warm clothes for men and women. Then drove downtown Minneapolis to the VA Homeless Center. A lot of warm clothes for them. We also received their needs list. The Dept. of MN will help with that. Unit 268 are the ones who have contact with Storm Creek for the new clothes. As to date they have donated over $73,000.00 to our veterans.
Yes, February is the month of love. However we need to love and help our veterans every month. Remember to go to the FAT BOYS site and order products for your grilling and smoking needs. Dave grilled last night. It was 43 out and the steaks tasted great.
The Ways-n-Means are working on some great ideas for the convention. We also want everyone to bring nice jewelry for the table to bid on. It seems that the really nice items bring in great dividends. So start looking in your boxes for items that you no longer wear anymore. The Regional officers are busy working on fun events for the National Convention. This is going to be a fun time. I'm so proud of these ladies for their ideas.
The By-Laws committee is hard at work on getting the bylaws easier to understand. We are also working to stream lining some areas.
Have a great month and thank you for all that you do!
Linda "Bellis"
LindaB.MOPHA@gmail.com
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National Secretary
Judy Fiddler
Happy February Everyone:
I hope you are surviving the winter being warm and cozy.
There have been an abundance of internet scams going on and as always…no National Officer will ask you to send money or gift cards to them. With your mouse, scroll over the name on the email to verify the sender’s email address. If they ask you if you have time to respond…DON’T. They will continue to send you messages.
A most recent scam is redirecting recipients to a very legitimate-looking website where unsuspecting individuals (our Veterans) could enter sensitive and personal information. Please do not click on the link….IT IS A SCAM. Although the VA does send text messages to Veterans for appointment reminders, benefit updates and resource information…the VA will NEVER request sensitive personal or financial information via text, nor demand any type of payment. Spread the word of this scam. If you or your spouse receives a suspicious text or email…1. DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK. 2. BLOCK, delete and report the message.
Reporting resources (available 24/7):
VHA-related scams: (866) 842-4357
VA Benefits (VBA) scams: (833) 388-7233
Non-VA scams: Federal Trade Commission (877) 382-4357 or online at reportfraud.ftc.gov
By now, your Unit or Department should have received your rebate. If not, please contact the National Treasurer or National President for help.
Please consider taking an office…either at the Unit, Department or National level.
You have support everywhere.
Here’s to an early Spring…
Yours in Patriotism
Judy
mophauxsec@gmail.com
330-880-3364
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National Membership Officer
Cheryl Perez, PNP
Welcome new members!
Bailey Paugh - NE 632
Trisha Barney - TX DML
Cheryl
Members.MOPHA@gmail.com
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National VAVS Officer
National Sgt at Arms
National Americanism Officer
Linda Varejcka
For grant information, please contact me for an application. My help is ALWAYS available!
HOV and Grant requests received: Unit #375 (clothing for CRRC) - Unit 632 (Need for Female Veterans) - Unit 164 (Kings Veteran's Home) - Dept of WI (Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Ctr.)
President's Day (celebrated on the 3rd Monday of February). Primarily celebrating President George Washington's Birthday. President Washington is partially know for being the Founding Father, let the Continental Army to victory in the American Revolutionary War, presided at the Constitutional Convention and served as the first U.S. president. But the (') provides us to remember all the U.S. presidents. Some states also celebrated Lincoln's birthday on February 12 so it combined the two February birthdays into one (President's Day). Lincoln is known for leading the nation through the American Civil War, preserving the Union, abolished slavery, bolstered the federal government, and modernized the U.S. economy. But as part of our contribution to our 250th Birthday let us each research and learn new things or refresh the things that we have learned about our U.S. President's.
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We will continue to do the "Hidden Object" in the General Orders. In reference to Valentines Day, the hidden image will be hearts.
Just remember to let me know that you have found it and where you found it. Drawing will be at the end of the Thursday night Zoom meeting.
Please continue to read the General Orders and hunt.
Share the information with other members. Use the information you read to include in letters/emails to members. Get some great ideas for your units and departments. Let's keep everyone informed. A lot of time and information goes into these General Orders and it is for ALL our members. If this organization is going to continue it is up to all of us, doing our part. Enjoy and have Fun.
"I look like the hearts as shown here, so FIND ME!"
Linda
JfVarejcka@Windstream.net
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Prayers Requests:
Requesting to continue in prayer: those grieving, the homebound/hospitalized/sick and shut-in; the survivors of all incidents of terrorism, violence, devastating environmental and societal effects, and other changes.
Please remember to include our Nation, the United States of America government, religious and political leaders as well as other worldly affairs and changes negatively affecting lives; support for our military, protectors (police, firemen, etc.),volunteers, front line workers, caregivers; medical and educational professionals, field workers in other services giving a helping hand for people (missionaries); the unhomed, needy and hungry; those who are lonely, disenfranchised, demoralized or incarcerated; those unspoken requests with many other needs including concerns for health, family, healing, finances other matters; those prayers known and unknown to only God.
Please keep the Dept of Mississippi's Chaplain and Queen City President, Joyce Campbell, in your prayers. Her husband, Alexander “Steve” Campbell passed away.
To send a card of condolence, Joyce can be reached at:
Joyce Campbell
P. O. Box 8047
Laurel, MS 39441
| MONTH Birthdays: Happy, Happy Birthday to all of our August Birthday Celebrants! May the good Lord keep on blessing you with many more birthdays to come with abundant favor and the desire of your heart. Share your birthday or anniversary date so we can join in your celebration. | | |
National Region 5 President
Doris Williams
After last week's discussion about Gold Star Families and Purple Heart recipients, I decided to write this article.
Gold Star Families
What is a Gold Star Family?
A Gold Star Family is defined as the immediate family of a U.S. military service member who has died in the line of duty. This designation honors the sacrifice made by these families, which can include parents, siblings, and children of the fallen service member. The term originated from the practice of replacing a blue star on a service flag with a gold star to signify the loss of a loved one in military service.
Not all of these brave service members have received a Purple Heart, only those who were wounded or killed in action.
Even though all do not receive a purple heart, their families have sacrificed just like our Purple Heart patriots and families so we, at Chapter 1876/Unit 1876 always include Gold Star families in our activities.
I encourage all to include them in any function you may have. We consider them a part of our family, and they appreciate it very much because we let them know “They are not forgotten”.
Doris
Region5MOPHAUX@gmail.com
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Many of you have had George Washington Birthday, Valentines Day, and other functions over the last few weeks.
For social media postings, send to Barbara at webmaster.MOPHA@Gmail.com. PLEASE PUT SOCIAL MEDIA in the subject line.
The next Zoom meeting will take place on Thursday, March 19, 2026. Send articles, photos, or news to Barbara, our webmaster at webmaster.MOPHA@Gmail.com
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