AMERICAN LEGION
Department of Utah
August 16, 2012
Subject: National and Department Target Dates
Reference: Membership August 12, 2012 Report
4) -Area Commanders; Please pass this big Thank you on to your Districts. ( 9) - District Commanders Please Pass this on to your Posts. (99) Post Commanders Please pass this on to our Members.
We are starting off great. However; This is where the rubber will hit the road. Our first indicator will be Aug 31 which will reflect September 12th Kickoff.
For The Good of the Legion: ...
Area Commanders Please work with your Districts and encourage them to meet the quota dates we have selected for Department. My feelings are that after Veteran's Day the momentum will drop. School activities, sports, Thanksgiving, weather and Christmas Holidays will deter Membership. We need to be using our available resources now and calling on the direct mailing service (DMS) lists. (NOW!!!) These are the easiest to transfer, enroll. recruit and encourage to join before they go to National or Departments rosters. These folks have paid their membership dues in the past and are looking for you to invite them to join your Posts and participate in your activities.
We have come so close It feels like the Olympics. In some posts the agony of defeat has hurt us all. As a Legion Family please ask for help. If you don't understand or know how to get those members off the DMS list it's okay to say I don't know how because I didn't for years either. I expected someone else (Our Adjutant because he had the list) to get them. I cannot tell you how wrong I was. As the Post Commander it was my responsibility and I just did not know... This is a team effort and there is always someone in the Department that we can call and ask them to help you make those calls for you. Please just ask.
I am sure, as in past, The National Commander will come to Utah. As your Membership Chairman I would love to report we made our Quota before December 31. Serving as a Post Commander I know your frustration I still haven't quit learning from my failure.
My Dad was a very successful Dealer for Shell Oil Company. He always told me that you don't have to work hard. Just do one small something everyday. As Post Commanders If its just one call a day that is 20-30 more calls than you have ever made in the past. If you make 10 calls I guarantee you will re-new 1 member. Failure is success. If they tell you no.....That's one more person you will know their status and you can move on to someone else. I am not successful myself but I haven't given up. the people that I asked 5-10-15 years ago are now saying yes because their life status has changed. Just as mine is and has.
Pep talk over....This is our vision for 2012-2013...for target quotas. Please send memberships in as soon as you get them. Please Please Please don't wait and hold them thinking you will do it tomorrow. Tomorrow never comes.because we will never see tomorrow.....
Again.... Thank you for all you do. Membership and the Auxiliary are our life blood. When you sign up a member ask the Spouse or Significant Other. Then ask for the Sons of the American Legion.
The Department Commander's words are "that Together as a Family we are one and unstop-able. There is nothing that we can not do together."
National Membership Target Dates are as Follow: Department Membership Targets
must be reported early to reflect
on National records:
Early Bird / NEF Kickoff: September 12,3012 50% 75%
Fall Meetings October 17, 2012 55% 80%
Veteran's Day November 15, 2012 65% 90%
Pearl Harbor Day December 12, 2012 75% December 31,2012 95%
Mid Winter January 16, 2013 80% 2nd try 95%
President's Day February13. 2013 85% 100%
Legion Birthday March 13, 2013 90% 2nd try 100%
Experience has proven if we do not have our numbers by December we won't reach our 100% goal. If by chance we do make our numbers by March's Legion Birthday we will exceed 100%. Again THANK YOU
For God and Country
Randy D. Edwards
Department
Vice-Commander / Membership Chairman
