Katy/West Houston Aggie Mom's Club
P.O. Box 501
Barker, TX 77413-0501

www.katywesthoustonaggiemoms.com

281-394-8108 (hotline)

October 2009 Newsletter

Howdy Aggie Moms!!

We had a SUPER turnout for the October General Meeting and our membership is growing fast! Directory Chairperson Cathy McMasters reports that 153 members will be included in our 2009-2010 Membership Directory which will be available for pick-up at the November General Meeting. Membership Chairperson Sylvia Rowehl reports that she is still receiving applications in the mail, but not to worry, those ladies may still pick-up a directory at the Meeting and their information will be included in our mid-year addendum. So, don’t delay if you know someone who has not yet returned their membership form with dues, encourage them to do it now! We have lots of new Aggie Moms as well as many moms renewing their memberships. We appreciate your interest in our club as we work together for the success of our students, to give information to the moms about Texas A&M University, and to share with everyone the great Aggie traditions and spirit.

At the October General Meeting we enjoyed hearing from the Director of the Student Counseling Center, Dr. Maggie Gartner who discussed the Big FIVE Student adjustments and how parents can help. Other topics included: Parental Missteps, FERPA Guidelines and “How is College Different from High School?” Dr. Gartner answered questions and then offered her email, mgartner@scs.tamu.edu, if anyone needed additional information. We played Aggie Mom Bingo where we searched for a mom we didn’t know who met the criteria for the squares on our Bingo cards. We also laughed at the “Aggie Two-Stepper” Camp skit. We could all relate to the hilarious conversations between Ginger Westbrook playing the “mom” and Karen Bell playing her “student” as Karen, and her groupies, danced between the hot spots in College Station. By the way, Camp is just around the corner: November 13-15 . I hope that you have signed up for a great experience that you should have at least once while you are an Aggie mom. Many moms go back year after year because it is so much fun! Also, as a special treat, both before and after the meeting, we shopped for harvest and holiday Aggie soft sculpture items and ornaments from Linda Drago at Quality Designs, Inc. Thanks to Linda for the donation she made to our club and for the Aggie ornament we gave to our speaker. Thanks also to all the moms who brought food to the meeting; we love our treats and the moms who make them!

This weekend, Friday and Saturday, October 30-31, is the Seasons of Aggieland (formerly Winter-in-Aggieland) in Rudder Tower, located just across the street from Kyle Field on the Texas A&M University campus. This is your chance to shop ‘til you drop for Aggie holiday and graduation gifts, hours: Friday, 10 AM-5 PM and Saturday, 10:30 AM-end of the 1 st quarter of the Iowa State football game. Be sure to stop and say “Howdy” to Mary Okruhlik, Amy Schreiber and Kathleen Wilburn. If you can spare an hour or two, please contact Mary Okruhlik at 832.274.4892 to volunteer at our Club’s booth. We have such a great time working together and we get to shop wit h our students! We will have an ornament exchange at our December General Meeting, so you might like to purchase a $5-$10 Aggie ornament while you are shopping. In January, we will also begin selling tickets to the annual President’s Raffle, benefiting our scholarship fund, so I would appreciate your purchasing an Aggie item to donate to one of the baskets. We appreciate your support!

The Fall Care Packages are SOLD OUT! Chairperson Tondi Branch has done a great job marketing these bags this fall and I know our students are anxiously awaiting their treats. Assembly will be December 7 with delivery scheduled for the 8 th. You may sign-up to help assemble or deliver.

Please pick up your Randall’s card and Kroger UPC letter so that you can register KWHAMC as your designated charitable donation. At Kroger’s, you must go to Customer Service and register each year, but at Randall’s you registration carries over each year. Every time you shop, you can raise money for our scholarship fund! It is so easy! Please also continue to bring your ink cartridges to the meetings. We recycle them at Office Max for printing credit.

If you want the most up-to-date information about our activities and meetings, please go to:

• Telephone Hotline 281-394-8108.Ann Coker will keep you informed day or night!
• Web Site www.katywesthoustonaggiemoms.com to see our activities, download forms, read the Minutes/Newsletters or to contact Officers/Committee people. Check out the updated calendar and committee chairperson page from Web Master Gail Wells.

We invite you to our November General Meeting on Thursday, November 5 at the Living Word Lutheran Church located at 3700 South Mason Road. New schedule: Social begins at 6:45 PM followed by the Meeting at 7 PM. Please welcome Katy HS Graduates Brent Broussard and Patrick Reeves, along with other members of Traditions Council, who will present a program on Bonfire-Past and Present . Please take a m oment to read the announcements below and feel free to contact me if you need additional information or if you have questions.

Y’all come!!!

 Aggie Mom love,

Kay Pontious

Katy/West Houston A&M University Mothers’ Club
President 2009-2010

Announcements from Texas A&M University/Federation of Aggie Mother’s Clubs

• Please check out the “Remember Bonfire” Project designed to remember those Aggies who lost their lives 10 years ago in the Bonfire collapse. This project involves selling “Remember” shirts and documenting remembrances. For additional information, http://rememberbonfire.org .
• The Continuing Student Scholar Application is now available for Fall 2010 and Spring 2011 semesters, apply online at http://scholarships.tamu.edu . Deadline: February 1, 2010
• The Association of Former Students invites you to join them on game days for food, football and fun! Beginning at least three hours prior to each home game, the newly enhanced Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center will feature a live feed from Kyle Field on the 49-panel Huddleston Video Wall, as well as reasonably priced food and beverages. Those looking to purchase tickets can stop by the APO Ticket Mart on game days. More information, www.aggienetwork.com .
• Interested in a lasting holiday or graduation gift for your Aggie or former student? Purchase a brick on the Path to Success at the entrance to the Koldus Student Services Building across from the MSC. Brick purchases support the Texas A&M Student Government Association endowment which helps to fund student organizations. A 4” X 8” brick (2 lines/15 characters per line) costs $150 and an 8” X 8” brick (4 lines/15 characters per line) costs $250. Orders received by October 30 will be installed before Christmas. For more information, http://bricks.tamu.edu or call Cameron Davis at (90 3) 452-2105.
• The Women Former Students’ Network (WFSN) mission is to enhance the excellence of Texas A&M University by increasing women’s involvement in the education, charitable, and cultural life of the institution. For more information about a mentoring program for current students, scholarships, the Women’s Legacy Award and membership, please go to www.aggiewomen.org.
• Beginning on January 1, 2010, incoming students who live on campus will be required to provide either evidence of vaccination against bacterial meningitis or a signed affidavit declining the vaccination prior to living on campus. Students will not receive a room assignment until one of these two documents is received by the Department of Residence Life. FYI, see http://reslife.tamu.edu/current/safety /notifications.asp or call 979.845.2261.