Membership: Begin with the End in Mind

Begin with the End in Mind

Here we are, already one month into the VFW Auxiliary Program Year. Have you sent out your first set of dues notices? Has your Auxiliary President appointed a Membership committee? Have you set a goal for yourself, your Auxiliary or your Department? Have you invited someone new to join your Auxiliary?

Dues Notices
Auxiliary Presidents, Secretaries and Treasurers have the ability to log into MALTA and print dues notices. If you haven’t tried it yet, it is really quite easy.

• Log in and click on Duties
• Then click on Reports
• Then click on Dues Renewal Letter

Once there, click on Print Dues Renewal Letter which will download a PDF file with letters for all your unpaid annual members. As an added bonus you can also print address labels to match the letters. Under Duties, click on Address Labels, select Unpaid/Lapsed Members and click on Print Address Labels. Print and mail – it’s really that easy!

Membership Committee
According to the Bylaws and Ritual 2020 the Auxiliary President “shall appoint a committee of not less than five (5) members, including the Treasurer, to contact all members during the year for payment of dues.” It is also recommended that they also contact those who have not paid dues for the last couple of years. If you haven’t already done this then now is the time to act! Give your Treasurer some assistance in contacting people to pay their dues.

Begin with the End in Mind
According to Stephen Covey’s book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, “Begin with the End in Mind” means to begin each day, task or project with a clear vision of your desired direction and destination, and then continue by being proactive to achieve your goal. The ultimate goal in Membership this year is to be over 101%, not including Deaths. Keep that in mind as you work the Membership Program.

This year’s Membership Program has many goals that you may set for yourself, your VFW Auxiliary, your Department and your Conference. Let’s begin by setting some goals for yourself today. There are four (4) member awards you can earn this year. All awards are for recruiting from July 1, 2020 through May 31, 2021 and require an official form to be filled out which is due to National Headquarters by June 10, 2021. Forms are available at www.vfwauxiliary.org/resources.

1. Five Member Pin to each VFW and VFW Auxiliary member who recruits five (5) new and/or rejoined members to the VFW Auxiliary.
2. National President’s Coin to each VFW and VFW Auxiliary member who recruits ten (10) new and/or rejoined members to the VFW Auxiliary.
3. National Membership Achievement Award to each VFW or VFW Auxiliary member who recruits twenty (20) new and/or rejoined members to the VFW Auxiliary.
4. Special VFW Auxiliary Member Drawing for each VFW Auxiliary member who recruits five (5) new and/or rejoined members to the VFW Auxiliary. For every five (5) new and/or rejoined members recruited, your name will be entered in a drawing for one of three $100 VFW Store gift certificates.

Invite New Members
In order to “Begin with the End in Mind” and have your Auxiliary membership be over 101%, you will need to invite new members. Start early and keep working to get new members throughout the year and you will succeed!

Thank you for all you are doing to invite, include and invest in our VFW Auxiliary by working the Membership Program. Our new members will assist us in “Honoring our Mission to Serve Veterans.”