Diane Pencak
2019-2020 National Membership Ambassador
Get your “ASK” in gear!
Who have YOU asked to join the VFW Auxiliary?
As we start the 2020 Membership year, let’s not put off what can be done today.
So many times, we wait until March or April to start pushing Membership – WRONG!
It starts NOW, and in April your membership will be 100% Plus!
That is why it is so important to “ASK” potential members to join our organization.
December 31 is right around the corner – start today!
Invite, Include and Invest in your Auxiliary’s membership. It will make your Auxiliary stronger and a great working partner with the VFW. Here are some ideas to help YOU plan to achieve your 100% Plus in Membership.
Starting new, INVITE prospective members to attend Auxiliary functions, let them get to know the other members, it’ll help break a “ice” to welcome these prospective members and make them already feel INCLUDED. By the invitation and inclusion, that’s your INVESTment in your Auxiliary.
Get your “ASK” in gear…“Are you eligible?” It’s that simple.
Here are some ideas for planning your Membership year!
- Ask someone (Invite)
- Bring a guest to meetings
- Advertise in newspapers & cable TV
- Have a booth at malls, fairs, festivals etc.
- Place pamphlets in doctors’ offices, hospitals, cafeterias, libraries, etc.
- Host an Open House
- Service projects that serve a need in the community
- Invite family members to join
- Send letters to people in the news with an invitation to visit the Auxiliary
- Print Auxiliary business cards with Auxiliary meeting location and time
- Hold wine and cheese receptions for prospective members
- Have a special guest day
- Make prospective members feel important (Include)
- Honor outstanding community members with awards
- Make some meetings social events
- Build an Auxiliary web site
- Use group email to promote your Auxiliary
- Lead by example – how many members have you recruited? (Invest)
- Have members give talks at other organizations
- Send newsletter to guests
- Bring your co-workers to an Auxiliary meeting
- Have new member kits
- Have incentives for recruitment
- Recognize new members in newsletters
- Pass out M & M candy to remind members that “Membership Matters” and that we need “More Members”
Adopt A Member!
Put a little sunshine in someone’s pocket by saying “thank you.”
There are several ways to thank and/or honor a member by paying their annual dues or gifting them a life membership.
Here are some ways you can remember a member(s):
- A major milestone of continuous years of membership (i.e. 10, 15, 20, 25 years, etc.).
- A birthday gift.
- Helping out with an expense while they continue their education.
- To say thank you.
- Consider purchasing a Life Membership from the Auxiliary as a token of appreciation.
- As a thank you for all a member has done for the Auxiliary.
- To honor their years with the organization.
- Financial difficulties or hardships
This act of kindness will give that member a special feeling of being appreciated, thought of … and look at the investment you are making in your Auxiliary.
Please review the full Membership 2020 program in the 2019-2020 National Program Book, “Serving Our Veterans with Aloha”! There are attainable awards for individual Auxiliary members, Auxiliaries and Departments.
Here is a reminder of a few important awards:
Auxiliary
50/50 Award $50 to each Auxiliary that reaches 95% by November 30, 2019, and $50 to each Auxiliary that reaches 100% Plus by January 31, 2020, based on the June 30, 2019, total membership numbers.
Department
- Department Award #1 for 95%+ membership by 11/30/19 = $500.
- Department Award #2 for 100% Plus membership by 1/31/20 = $500.
