Chief of Staff/Extension: Tips for a Healthy Auxiliary

Chief of Staff/Extension:  Tips for a Healthy Auxiliary

The 2016-2017 Goals are:

• Establishing new Auxiliaries
• Maintaining current Auxiliaries
• Mentoring

We look forward to organizing new Auxiliaries this year, and I encourage all VFW Auxiliary members to carry the handy business sized card explaining “Starting a New Auxiliary” and “5 Essentials of an Auxiliary” on the back of the card. These are great handouts when you are recruiting members into our organization. Remember to carry membership applications with you at all times. We come into contact with prospective members every day, so we need to be prepared to invite them to join the VFW Auxiliary.

How can we start new Auxiliaries?

• Review the steps to create an Auxiliary on the Chief of Staff/Extension page of the website.  
• Bachelor VFW Posts can be contacted by letter explaining the process and asking them to consider having an Auxiliary.
• There is a great PowerPoint presentation on the resources page of the VFW Auxiliary website that could be used at a VFW Post meeting for their members to see how an Auxiliary could assist them with their events and participation in our shared programs.
  • For example, an Auxiliary can support the Post by
    • Visiting schools to explain scholarship opportunities,
    • Visiting VA hospitals and other medical facilities,
    • Helping with “Buddy”® Poppy drives,
    • And more!

while assisting veterans and their families, and establishing greater family appeal to the VFW Post home.

Maintaining our current Auxiliaries is very important. Many were established years ago and have stood the test of time and are still doing great work for our veterans, VFW Posts, Districts and Departments. The leadership they have maintained over these many years is testament to their commitment to our ideals.

The VFW Auxiliary National Organization created the Healthy Auxiliary Toolkit to help Auxiliaries stay active and relevant. A brief explanation of the tools will help your VFW Auxiliary take a good look at your health, identify problems and help correct any issues allowing the Auxiliary to work on matters that affect our veterans and their families. All tools in the toolkit are available on the Resources page of the VFW Auxiliary website.

The toolkit includes:

• RU Healthy Checklist
• Member Questionnaire
• Good Job Award
• Healthy Communication Phone/Text Tree
• Auxiliary Meeting Clinic/Checklist
• Sample Meeting Agenda
• Healthy Auxiliary Certificate
• VFW Auxiliary Meeting Challenges & Solutions

Mentoring
“Mentoring at VFW Auxiliary: Relationship Building for the Future” is a guide to help establish a mentoring program or prepare an Auxiliary member to be the “mentor” of your Auxiliary.

Let’s make this the year we rejuvenate and energize our members as we strive to promote “Unwavering Support for Uncommon Heroes®.”

Remember:
Be positive. Be kind. Be informed. Be enthused. Be available. Communicate.
How we treat people ultimately tells all about us – ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING.