Leona McDermott
2016-2017 National Membership & Leadership Ambassador
As of February 28, 2017, our membership stands at 99.41% and for the eighth consecutive month we are running ahead of last year’s membership numbers. We have thirteen (13) Departments who reached 100% plus on or before February 15th and were awarded $100 at the National Mid-Year Conference for the Be My Valentine Membership Incentive. Congratulations to the following Departments:
- Alaska
- Delaware
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Indiana
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Missouri
- New Jersey
- New York
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Vermont
If you were at Mid-Year, you heard my challenge for us to be 100% plus on or before March 17, 2017. This goal is totally within our reach! We still have four months of our Membership year left and the really great part is that every single Department is capable of attaining 100% plus in Membership. We have twenty (20) Departments who are 95% or above and fifteen (15) between 90% and 95%. What an amazing achievement!
The goal of our Membership program is to grow the organization and in order to do that we must not only recruit new members but retain the members we have. This is what I am asking you to focus on now. We have more than 33,000 Annual Members who have not yet paid their 2017 dues. We must not let those members slip out the back door. I am asking every Auxiliary to make personal contact with each of your unpaid members to ensure we do not lose these members. Ask yourself why these members have not paid their dues:
- Have they been ill?
- Are they having financial difficulties?
- Have you made them feel welcome at your meetings?
- Are you mentoring the new members by stopping during your meetings to explain what you are doing and why?
A member who does not pay their 2017 dues by June 30th will cease to be a continuous member. That means that they need to rejoin the organization and they lose their continuous status; more importantly should they be diagnosed with cancer, they would need to wait an entire year before being eligible for a cancer grant.
The more members we have, the more we can do for America’s veterans and their families. So please – stay focused with your eye on the prize; stay motivated and together we can and will realize our goal one member at a time!
