Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 19:09:27 -0700
From: Larry Smith <ldsmith@pacbell.net>
To: wpp-net@west-point.org
Subject: wpp-net: Fund Drive 14 - We're Getting Close

From Mary Kay Salomone, Plebe-net Co-moderator

In 1996, when my son entered West Point, WP-ORG was in its infancy nad Plebe-net and Parent-Forum were non-existent. As a new parent, with loads of questions and concerns, our only source of information was from other cadet parents. Sort of "the blind leading the blind". We all knew a little, but we never knew the "official" word except when we heard from our cadet. Since the cadets didn't have phones in their rooms or cell phones, the calls only came once a week, on the weekends. You see, to make a phone call, my plebe who lived on the sixth floor had to go to the basement and stand at parade rest in a line in front of one of the two phone booths. If an upperclassman was having a serious conversation with a young lady, that wait could be as long as 45 minutes and NO plebe could afford that much time to wait for a phone, so we would only hear from our cadet on the weekends when he could find other phones to use that weren't in the barracks.

Fast forward to today. Our parents have dedication WP-ORG moderators, mentors, and advisors that man our lists almost 24 hours a day. With moderators on both coasts and different time zones, there is usually someone ALWAYS on the lists ready to try and help answer your question, your concerns, and sometimes just to reassure you. All the moderators probably answer more questions offline than we do online.

New friendships are one of the added bonuses and also the reacquainting of old friends. The Army is a family. You hear this over and over on these lists. It is so true, and like a family it keeps changing but, once a member - always a member. A perfect example of this happened just a few weeks ago. I put a post on plebe-net and mentioned that my son had been promoted to Captain that day. I was trying to explain to the plebe parents that their cadet's experience will fly by and that they need to enjoy every minute of it because in a blink of the eye their sons and daughters will be promoted to Captain as well. Shortly after my post, a plebe parent in Spain wrote: "Once upon a time, when I was student teaching, there was a very bright boy named Stephen Salomone in my supervising teacher's class. He was tall and slim, brown hair and fair skin. Could it be your Stephen, Mary Kay? Did he have Shirley Marshall as a teacher at Duncan Elementary, Fort Hood? I am now in my 15th year of teaching. Working the math backwards, if it is the same Stephen, he would have graduated from high school class of 1996, West Point Class of 2000, three years as an officer would make the timing right for promotion to Captain. Hmmm.....coincidence?"

Small world, yes, and to think our families reconnected because of plebe-net. Our sons both chose to attend West Point, albeit nine years apart, but we are both part of this West Point family, brought together by WP-ORG.

WP-ORG has allowed me to make so many new friends over the years. I have friends all over the world, I know their names, I know so much about them, but we have never met in person. We have shared this West Point journey together, we have laughed together, we have worried together, and we have cried tears of joy and pride when we have talked about our cadets and now, our young grads. WE continue to make new friends as each new class begins their journey. My life is enriched with each new friend I have made on WP-ORG and for that I am truly grateful. Do we need WP-ORG to make the journey with our cadet through their four years at West Point? Of course not, but it sure is a whole lot more enjoyable when you are making it with your friends who are walking it with you.

Our family grows each day and to sustain our family's needs, we have to fund our expenses. My donation every six months is my way of thanking WP-ORG for introducing me to new members of the Army family, to reacquainting me with friends I have lost contact with and for allowing me to continue to journey with our newest members of this great family, our plebe families. If these lists have been of help in your journey, please consider making a small donation. Most of us cann't afford a large donation, but if each of our families would send what they would spend on "lunch with a friend", we would be over our goal in just a day. Two extra value meals, that's ten dollars. Have plebe-net and parent-forum been worth that to you?

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To make your tax deductible donation to WP-ORG, please use your credit card at our secure website:

<https://www-secure.west-point.org/donate>

For those who prefer to donate via check, please make your check payable to "WP-ORG" and mail it to:

WP-ORG
P.O. Box 595
Floyd, VA 24091-0595

Please be sure to indicate your affiliation (Parent) and the year of your son/daughter's graduation on your check.

As always, we thank you for your support.

Mary Kay

(wpp-net) Posted By: SMITH Larry Dennis 1962 23969 K1 <ldsmith@pacbell.net>
_____________________________________________________________________
As of 10 PM EDT, 22 Oct 2003, a total of $81,279.54 for 82.6% of our goal has been donated from 1624 members. Thanks to the 50 members who contributed today. We are also grateful for the sponsorship of the AAFMAA whose home page may be seen at: http://www.aafmaa.com/home.asp
________________________________________________________________
The donation report may be seen at:
https://www-secure.west-point.org/donate/report

Donations may be made by clicking on:

https://www-secure.west-point.org/donate

Or you may donate by check made payable to WP-ORG and sent to:
WP-ORG
PO Box 595
Floyd, VA 24091-0595