The Three I’s of Membership: Invite, Include, Invest

The Three I’s of Membership: Invite, Include, Invest

You joined under the eligibility of the family member who served in a branch of the Armed Forces.  Your membership celebrates the honor of your family’s veteran as well as all veterans. They fought for what we have, and we must preserve it and their memory, too.

• Invite NEW members
• Include the continuous members
• Invest in your Auxiliary

During this trying time, we need to connect with our members by phone, text, letters and email. Create an email address list so the Auxiliary President or Secretary can send information out in real time. Newsletters – whether joint with the Post or on your own – are an easy way to keep all of your members up to date with events, functions and important dates. Social distancing will not last forever and it’s important to keep the lines of communication open to your members so they become active – again!

Rejoins: Ask your Auxiliary Treasurer to share the list of names of members who have not paid their dues in 2018, 2019 or 2020 so you can contact them and rejoin those members into your Auxiliary.

• Contact them and tell them they are missed at your Auxiliary meetings, fundraisers, VFW dinners, or at Bingo.
• Explain how the Auxiliary could use an extra pair of hands to plan an event, make packages for the troops, or to make tray favors to veterans in the hospital or nursing home.
• Remind them they should continue to honor the veteran that they were eligible to join under.
• Realize that some may have financial problems – your Auxiliary can pay their dues out of your Relief Fund.
  • If you do, send them their dues card with a note of thanks for being a member.
• You can also offer to pick them up for the next Auxiliary meeting.

Invite: Discuss possible late spring/summer/fall dates with your Auxiliary and VFW to set up a recruiting booth outside of Walmart, Sam’s Club, Walgreens, CVS, Target, local grocery store, church function, etc. (please get prior permission from the store to set up a booth outside their store). Here are some membership booth tips to recruit (invite) new members. These tips can be used by nearly any VFW Auxiliary, regardless of its size or location.

• Contact the manager of a shopping mall, trade show, state or county fair, or any place there is a large public gathering. Ask permission (or pay) for space to set up a membership booth. Serve refreshments (if possible) at the booths.
• Give advance news releases to your local newspaper and radio stations regarding your membership booth.
• Place recruiting posters and signs in store windows, post signs at the entrance to your city and along major thoroughfares or any place the public will notice them.
• Obtain an adequate supply membership applications and informational material from VFW Auxiliary National Headquarters or contact the Department for assistance. VFW Auxiliary Brochure Order Form can be found on the national Auxiliary website: vfwauxiliary.org/resources.
• Wear the official blouse/shirt or a patriotic shirt; decorate your booth in red, white and blue
• Have information on the other Programs to give a well-rounded idea what we do.
• Talk about the benefits of joining the VFW Auxiliary or the VFW.
• Try to get a name and phone number before the prospective member leaves so you can follow up with them.
• Be friendly and wear a SMILE when talking to prospective members.

Include: Our continuous members are the grassroots of our organization and once we invite and rejoin more members we’ll become a stronger, more active Auxiliary.

• Connect with members. Let them know what’s going on and that they are still a part of the greatest volunteer organization to champion veteran causes.
• Incorporate activities in your Auxiliary meeting such as making packages to send to the troops, sewing or crocheting lap robes for vets in the VA hospital, collecting school supplies for youth or food for homeless veterans.
• Become social media savvy. Join Facebook, start an Auxiliary Facebook page and use it as a tool to communicate with both members and non-members; let the community know of upcoming events, dinners, fundraisers, etc.

Invest: With 105 years’ worth of history, tradition, Brother/Sisterhood we need to maintain “VFW Auxiliary Strong” to continue the work for our veterans and their families.

• Promote Life Membership; it’s an investment for a lifetime.
• Continue the organization’s traditions.
• Work with your VFW Post on joint Programs; remember they are your partner.
• A strong VFW & Auxiliary develops a strong and lasting relationship with its local community

Membership is 24/7! The VFW Auxiliary Membership Program year is July 1 to June 30, and that means we still have work to finish before we reach our goal of 100% PLUS.

It takes TEAMWORK on all levels!

Being a master of one or a jack-of-all-trades in today’s world does not bring about success if you are unable to work as part of a team. The importance of teamwork cannot be stressed enough!

Leadership, communication and creativity are shared traits of teamwork. The collaboration of these traits can help grow your Auxiliary. The ideas and talents shared in a planning meeting for an upcoming Membership recruitment or event will lend to its ultimate success.

Motivates unity

• Promotes friendship and loyalty
• Work harder, cooperate and supportive of one another
• Allows initiative and innovation
• Provides great learning opportunities
• Positive outcomes

“None of us is as smart as all of us.” – Ken Blanchard

 

Go TEAM!