It's All About a Bear Named Bishop and the WASP!

Bishop the Bear was created to honor and celebrate the WASP of WWII and to captivate kids' imaginations, encouraging them to soar!

As many of you know, I've been sharing the WASP WWII history for almost 20 years, through songs, videos, an afghan, trading cards, interactive displays, kiosks, the first WASP app, an illustrated WASP history book, and interactive web pages.   Anything outside the box that will captivate, engage and educate kids is what excites and propels me.  

Enter Bishop, my next ‘big idea’ to challenge young kids to follow their dreams, work hard, persist, and keep on learning.    Through Bishop, we can reach the next generation--raising awareness and sharing the inspirational WASP history in a completely new way. 

You don’t have to be a WASP to Fly HIGH in what you do.  HOW do you do it?  Will YOU SHARE what you’ve learned so that a child can be inspired to do something they might never have done? 

My prayer is that Bishop will show us all how exciting and fulfilling it is to dream big and someday, FLY—in whatever we choose to do!     Join us!  Change the future by honoring the past and share your own inspiration, honor, courage, and love.

I'd like to invite you to read all about it on our new KICKSTARTER page.

HERE IS THE LINK! Then, please, join us, and let me know what you think!

God bless you all!

Nancy Parrish

#mustardseedfaith #wasp-wwii

S.614 CONGRESSIONAL GOLD -- WASP WWII UPDATE

Tomorrow morning, April 28, Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida will be introducing HR 2014--the HOUSE version of the bill to award the WASP the Congressional Gold Medal. This incredible lady, along with another incredible lady (Democratic co-sponsor), Rep. Susan Davis of California, and their staffs have been working at full speed -- and there are now 174 co-sponsors--well over half the necessary number. Unfortunately, her speech will be short. She has been given 1 minute. ONE MINUTE! That's not even a second for every co-sponsor! However, if anybody can do it, SHE CAN!

You are invited to TUNE IN 10am eastern time--C-SPAN (HOUSE CHANNEL). Otherwise, I will post video tomorrow.

And now a special message to the friends, fans and families of the WASP.

There are still 13 Senators and 116 Representatives to go.

You would think getting this bill passed would be easy. I did. You would think honoring the most incredible women pilots in history would be easy? I did. You think this is EASY? If it were easy, then everyone would be doing it and everyone would have a gold medal.

OK, so it is not easy. That's why YOU MUST CONTINUE TO HELP!!!

We could sit on our hands, and perhaps the right thing would be done and this bill would get passed. BUT WHEN? How many more WASP would be gone or unable to travel by then?

TIME IS CRITICAL. WE MUST DO THIS NOW FOR OUR MOMS, OUR FRIENDS, OUR HEROES.

It has not been easy. What began as a simple idea has turned into armies of people riding off in all directions--but, here's the thing--in every direction, there is potential for victory! So, we send letters, email, call, fax, twitter and just plain flap our wings!

I would encourage you to refuse to be overwhelmed. Don't be put off by all the choices there are. JUST PICK ONE AND START TODAY....START NOW:)

Call - every Senator has a direct line. Ask to talk to them, but if not, share these things with the person who answered...they are trained to write it down:
1. support Bill S-614.....Congressional Gold Medal to honor the WASP
2. who are the WASP? the first women in history to fly America's military aircraft! American Pioneers. Women. History. and their records were sealed before the end of WWII...and, because of that, they were LEFT OUT of the history books. It is time to correct that. After 60 years of America not knowing...it's time.
3. why the timing is so important? they are all in their 80's and 90's, and, although still spry and spunky, we don't want to loose a single WASP before this could happen in Washington for them. WASP are not asking....we are asking. They have never asked for recognition.
4. Sign on and CO-SPONSOR Senate Bill s-614. Please make this happen honor these pioneering heros who were left out of the history books. I think Senator _____would agree. He/She understands the value of honoring our own ....understands American pride and inspiration that we all received from our heros.

Email - from "SOAP BOX ALERT" --which gives you a one click way to send emails. OR, every Senator and Representative has an email form on their website......write the same short, compelling letter...cut and paste it in each box...push send! That's it.

Twitter. I know -- this is stretch for most of us. However there are 15 Senators who are not signed on--who all have twitter accounts. I KNOW that the Senators are not standing there watching new tweets pop up on their phone. They have someone, staff or intern, watching their incoming messages and writing them down. But, here's the thing-----how old do you think that staff person watching those twitters is? And how compelling do you think it might be for them to receive a pop up tweet about lady pilots from WWII. Sure beats most of what they have popping up on their phones--about the budget and torture and on and on. We are helping the WASP pioneer a whole new way of communication!

Since going online with twitter, I've learned all about tweats and retweats. IN fact, I've now been retweted by the Smithsonian (apx. 5,000 followers) and Starbucks (157,000 followers) to name 2. My original message was retweated or 'forwarded' to over 160,000 in one click. Trust me when I tell you -- THAT is very, very cool. The message about the WASP is reaching around the world!

So, there may be no real 'easy button,' and there may be no way to just click once and turn the bill into law, but, here's the thing, one click actually can make a difference! One person can make a difference. Yes, indeed. Whether you make one phone call or spend the day emailing everyone in the Senate, YOU ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE!

Thanks for listening--and thanks for your part--whatever that may be! We must get this done. We will get this done.....it is the right thing to do right now.

Charge ahead....be a champion for a WASP today!

God bless you all,
nancy parrish

ps All the history and information you need....if you don't have time to look:

S.614 Central | WASP FACTS | QUOTES

WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH SURPRISE

DEAR WASP AND FRIENDS,

I just received this information and wanted to share it with all of you. YES, this is a little good news that involves the WASP and your inspirational history!

Posted below are 2 photos that were taken yesterday, March 3, at the WOMEN'S MEMORIAL, where our "Fly Girls" exhibit is on display.

First Lady, Michelle Obama, spent the third day of March visiting the Women's Memorial at the gates of Arlington National Cemetery--paying tribute to the brave women

who have given so much to our country. Her presence at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial turned the spotlight on bright, which WIMSA deserves-with a little spilling over onto the Fly Girls of WWII Exhibit. Traveling with the First Lady: General Ann Dunwoody, VICE ADMIRAL Vivien Crea, Congresswomen Mary Fallin, Laura Richardson and Jan Schakowski.

In this first photo, Mrs. Obama is reading the "ABOVE & BEYOND" tribute to the 38 WASP and trainees who gave their lives flying for their country.

In this last photo, General Vaught is making a point, I'm sure. In the background, the AT-6 and the WASP Film Strip.

We do hope the First Lady returns with her daughters (as she mentioned in her speech). What a picture THAT would be. However, in the meantime, I AM ABSOLUTELY SURE SHE NOW KNOWS WHO THE WASP ARE--
THANK YOU to the First Lady for caring.

to read more about it: ABC NEWS Story
to hear the speech: C-SPAN

God bless you all--and HAPPY WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH!

STAY TUNED FOR MORE GOOD NEWS!