Joyce Bilyeu
2015-2016 National Membership Ambassador
Military Appreciation Membership Campaign
May is “Military Appreciation Month”
The Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary appreciates our military’s service and sacrifices through our strength.
Our organization is on the verge of changing the direction in which our membership has been headed for the past 23 years. We are asking you to join us in our campaign during the month of May. The goal of the VFW Auxiliary’s Military Appreciation Membership Campaign is to reach 100% in membership nationally by Memorial Day on Monday, May 30.
We have set this goal to be reached by Memorial Day in memory and honor of all those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we hold dear. We MUST keep our voices for veterans and the military strong in this important election year. The fallen, our military veterans and current active-duty service members did not quit on us when the going got tough and we must not quit on them.
Please join us in making our goal a reality by securing dues for one more new or rejoined member per Auxiliary. Help is needed from each Auxiliary in the country. We need less than 4,100 members to reach our goal. That equals approximately 80 new or rejoined members per Department or one (1) member per Auxiliary. No matter what your current membership standing, your efforts are needed right now for us to succeed. The following are specific actions you can take to help during this campaign:
- Ask Auxiliary Officers to generate a weekly “Unpaid Members Report” from the Reporting Center, and contact Annual Members who have yet to pay their 2016 membership dues.
- Ask Auxiliaries to e-mail their unpaid Annual Members a Dues Renewal Notice during the month, with clear instructions for how to pay their 2016 membership dues.
- Encourage Auxiliaries to organize volunteer phone-a-thons during the month in order to contact unpaid members and secure their 2016 membership dues.
- If unpaid members are not responding by e-mail or phone, ask Auxiliaries to consider organizing a two-member team to visit these members’ homes to collect their dues.
- Encourage Auxiliaries to use their Relief Fund for unpaid Annual Members who may be experiencing short-term financial hardships, but would like to remain VFW Auxiliary members.
Please note that this special membership campaign does not replace or change any current Membership Awards, including the Fourth Quarter Department Goal of achieving 100%+ by May 31, 2016 to receive $1,000.
There are currently more than 20,000 continuous members who have not paid their dues. On July 1, 2016 they will no longer be a member of the VFW Auxiliary. Every Department has these members. Our veterans need these members to be a voice for them. We have a moral obligation to connect with these members and inform them of their membership status and support them in becoming current.
Let’s work together as we honor current active-duty service members during Military Appreciation Month and remember the fallen on Memorial Day.