This year’s National theme “Banding Together for our Veterans”, and the Department of Mississippi’s theme, “Soaring Above and Beyond for Veterans” is the lifeblood of the Hospital Program. The volunteer efforts of our members and working together will make a huge difference in the lives of our hospitalized veterans.
HONORS ESCORT
The Honors Escort Program is an opportunity to honor each veteran in a respectful and open manner and provides an opportunity for a veteran’s family and friends, other veterans, and medical facility staff to participate in a display of high regard and reverence for the individual at the time of death.
We had an auxiliary participate in this very solemn service. Members of the hospital, other veterans, and onlookers paid their respect to a deceased veteran.
CELEBRATING NON-TRADITIONAL HOLIDAYS As we continue through the months, our National Hospital Ambassador would still like for all volunteers to think outside the box in organizing “fun” for our veterans. Our veterans love celebrating traditional holidays, but so do all the organizations who support our veterans. Maybe they would also enjoy celebrating some non-traditional holidays. Some of these November holidays are:
Plan an event that is different and usual! I am sure there are many ways to celebrate these and other different holidays for our veterans.
Nov. 1 – National scented candle Day
Nov. 4 – National Candy Day
Nov. 6 – Daylight Saving Day
Nov. 8 – Election Day
Nov. 10- National Vanilla Cupcake Day
These holidays are an excellent chance to show your veterans something different to celebrate. Make sure you take care of their caretakers also.
TRADITIONAL HOLIDAYS
Keep in mind the “TRADITIONAL” holidays are coming up! Thanksgiving and Christmas are near. The veterans look for the extra attention they receive during these months. Try to be with them more than usual.
I have received many reports and pictures from the activities for our veterans! Keep doing all the wonderful things you have been doing!
Have a Happy Thanksgiving and share it with the hospitalized veterans!
November is one of our busier months in support of OUR Veterans and their families.
It is Military Family Appreciation Month. It is important to remember the spouses and children left behind by our deployed troops. Things that can be done for them is to adopt a family for the holidays, offer to run errands or offer to watch the children to give the parent a break.
It is also National Caregivers Month. Please remember these selfless souls. They are giving so much of themselves to take care of a Veteran, a spouse or children. Take them a meal, offer to give them a much needed break by sitting in for them or sending them to do something fun for themselves.
Veterans Day is only about a week away. Has your Post or Auxiliary planned an event, a banquet or will be involved in a parade to honor Veterans? Let me know and please share pics.
Thanksgiving will be here before we know it. Remember your Veterans and families that may be alone. It’s nice to take a meal or groceries to them but wouldn’t it be even more wonderful to invite them to share a meal with your family.
Thank you for all you do for our Veterans, service members and their families.
“Banding Together for Our Veterans”
I am always available for questions or to help with your reports.
WOW! What a hot summer! I love the fall with the cooler weather and hopefully colder weather behind it. But I also love the Thanksgiving season which I celebrate all year round thanks to the dedication of the men and women that have selfishly given their time for the preservation of freedom for all of us back here at home.
FREEDOM and what that really means to us. What a great thing to instill in our youth! The love of freedom and we have that opportunity to do it each and every day and some of you are. Have any of you thought of going to the schools or ‘youth’ gatherings and talked of some of the reasons we have Thanksgiving and continue to have this wonderful holiday (and all holidays)? What wonderful things we can ‘pass on’ to our children. As everyone knows, kids of all ages watch everything we do and want to be just like Mom and Dad.
We have several programs that help to strengthen the love of country, freedom and the liberties we enjoy every day. Patriotism through programs such as ‘Illustrating America Art Contest’, ‘3 Dimensional Patriotic Art Contest’, and ‘Get excited about the Red, White and Blue’ or just a few. Several of you have asked about the Department coloring contest and we have brought it back this year. If your president didn’t get the pictures at Council, contact me and I will get them to you.
Are you helping your post promote the Voice of Democracy and Patriot’s Pen programs for our youth? Children in the ‘home school’ program are also eligible for all the above programs. If anyone needs help with anything, call me or check on our the web site for more information on any program the VFW or Auxiliary sponsor.
Please remember to fill out report forms on the web or send hard copies, anyway you want I’ll take them.
Thank you for the time you spend on this program and have a safe and healthy Thanksgiving and remember the veterans deployed this and every holiday season.
Disaster comes in all shapes and forms. In the south we think of hurricanes, floods, tornados, and fires. It happens suddenly and cause much suffering or loss to many people. Actually, a disaster is any even defined by the need for external assistance.
The Department of Mississippi VFW Auxiliary has a Disaster Fund which is used to offset some of the losses sustained by our auxiliary members due to one of these occurrences.
You only have three ((3) months after a disaster to submit an application with supporting documentations (pictures, newspaper clippings, police or fire reports, etc.) to the Disaster Chairman. Only one application each per event please. You must be living in the residence at the time of the disaster. We need donations to continue this fund. Due to all the disasters that we have had, donations will offset the depletion of funds. So, we are asking that any auxiliary that can give a little extra this year please do so.
Please send all donations to our Department Treasurer: Benita Lyman
Awards: Citation to each Auxiliary contributing to the Disaster Fund by 5/31/2024.
For example, and individual can cook for and feed several Homeless Veterans and people in the community and that’s honorable but if you partner with and established soup kitchen it can mean feedings hundreds per day and that is making a difference on a much larger scale.
Auxiliaries are responsible for so many good deeds that help our communities. Collectively, all our projects need to be counted to effectively show the importance of the local VFW and VFW Auxiliary to the community.
Thanks for all you do. Don’t hesitate to contact me
Ladies and gentlemen….how time has flown! September is gone and holidays are around the corner. And speaking of holidays, has your auxiliary reported the Easter events during the month of April. As most of you know,
I have spoken to or left word with all the Presidents of each auxiliary regarding name and contact information for the Youth Committee chairman.
I have been surprised at all the various work you have done in and around your community for our veterans with and without the youth. I’m so glad I contacted each one of you. They were enlightening conversations. As most of you knew our reporting year ended on March 31 so I was jogging your minds about activities that may have been forgotten ie. Easter egg hunts, after school parties, pool parties, Vacation Bible school, Scouts activities, reading at the Library, Boys and Girls Club functions etc. etc.. AND don’t forget the pictures some of you have promised to bring. Some of you have already been on the ‘web’ to file your reports, thank you.
If you do activities that aren’t mentioned on my form I will gladly take those
also. Everything that is done can’t be mentioned on such short paper.
Working with the young people can be so rewarding and refreshing to our spirits. Does anyone need tips for ‘working with the youth’? There is a list of them on the web and I’ll bring some with me at our next Council of Administration in October.
Fellow brothers and sisters, the Youth of today are our LEADERS of tomorrow and we have the opportunity to shape that future for the good of our country. We set examples for the young and they watch us all the time.
If you have some free time, consider ‘adopting’ a school, classroom, youth club or group and get that ‘feel great’ feeling. You will not regret it.
Remember, report, report, and report. Thank you for all you do.
As Legislative chairman I would like each Auxiliary member to be aware that this program is to help improve the lives of our Veterans, Service Members, and their families. Your efforts along with that of the VFW members can influence lawmakers. Make sure you continue to contact your legislators. Get out and talk with your congressmen, make phone calls, and send letters. Encourage your members to get out and vote. Assist your Veterans with transportation to the polls to vote, also those elderly in need of rides.
Be sure to check the VFW website or MALTA under resources for current Priority Goals.
1) Budget
2) Health Care
3) Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs
4) Education, Employment and Transition Assistance
5) Military Quality of Life
6) National Security, Foreign Affairs and POW/MIA
Please continue to use Resources available to you in MALTA
Department of MS Membership Flyer for October 2023
Michelle Brinson
Hello everyone. Looking forward to seeing everyone at our upcoming School of Instruction (SOI)/Council of Administration (COA) in Gulfport on October 20 through 22, 2023. Let’s look at what Membership means. Membership is the lifeblood of our organization, and I can think of no better way of honoring our veterans than belonging to an organization with the main purpose of taking care of and assisting our veterans and their families. Without members, we would not have the voice that we have and would not be able to accomplish the great things that we do in support of our veterans and their families. Think about it; without new and existing members, we will become just a memory. Who then will take care of our veterans?
Last year, our Department did such an amazing job, and I am so very proud of our TEAM. As a result of all of your hard work, our Department received a check for $300.00 from National for being 100% Plus in Total Paid Membership as of June 30, 2023, and a check for $200.00 from National for achieving the Outstanding Performance Award for Division 2 at the National Convention. In addition, 27 auxiliaries received $25.00 from National for being 100% Plus in Total Paid Membership as of June 30, 2023. These awards would have never happened without all of your hard work, and I am confident that you will do an amazing job again this year. In fact, I want to say congratulations to Auxiliary 12121 for being the first auxiliary to achieve 100% in Current Total Membership and Paid Total Membership; to Auxiliary 10567 for being the second auxiliary to achieve 100% Plus in Current Total Membership and Paid Total Membership; and to Auxiliary 12124 for being the third Auxiliary to achieve 100% Plus in Current Total Membership and Paid Total Membership already this year.
As of June 30, 2023, our “paid total” membership (including our 105 deceased members who had paid before passing away) was 2,991 members or 100.57% compared to 2,974 members the previous year! Our “current total” membership (excluding our 105 deceased members) was 2,886 (for a net loss of 88 members) or 97.04%. Because of all of your hard work in recruiting, we brought in a total of 146 new members. We also had 43 annual members convert to a life member. However, we had 127 annual members who did not renew their dues and/or convert to a life member. The question is why are we losing so many who do not choose to renew their dues and what can we do to change our retention percentages and keep members active and involved. With that in mind, now is the time to please be sure to contact those continuous annual members who have not yet renewed their dues. Currently, we have 593 annual members who have not renewed their dues or converted to a life member. Remember, you can generate dues reminder notices in MALTA to mail to your annual members and/or you can reach out to them by phone, letter, text, message, email, or face-to-face. Please encourage their participation and let them know how important they are to your auxiliary, our organization, and to all veterans and their families. Encourage them to renew or convert to a life member as soon as possible but no later than November 11, 2023, in honor of their veteran(s).
This year, we need to retain 778 continuous annual members (annual members who renew or convert to a life member) compared to 840 continuous annual members last year. As of September 26, 2023, we have had 165 annual members renew their dues, and 19 annual members convert to a life member. Also, we have had 26 new annual members and 8 new life members join our organization; however, we have sadly already lost 1
annual member and 29 life members who have passed away. As of September 26, 2023,
our “current total” membership (excluding our 30 deceased members) was 2,298 or 79.63% and our “paid total” membership was 2,328 or 80.67%.
This year, we will be incorporating movies into our Membership Program, and we want to make it fun for all. So, Lights, Camera, Action:
Invite & Recruit
Recruiting up-and-coming stars is a cornerstone of your Auxiliary’s mission. Be sure to keep scouting for that talent in your new recruits to help keep your organization alive and active. As members/talent scouts, it’s up to you to chat up a storm about our organization and show your enthusiasm about who we are, what we do, and why we do it. Also, be sure to invite more members to be talent scouts and then ask our seasoned members/actors to help guide, encourage, and motivate our newbies and get them involved. Our seasoned members have a wealth of knowledge and experience and can offer sound advice and, in turn, our newbies can show our seasoned members how to use new technology to enhance and expand our organization.
Always be sure to carry at least a couple of applications with you and a Fact Sheet or two about our organization. Think about asking your potential members to come to an event and help in some capacity and, most importantly, put on your happy face and SMILE for the camera! See how easy it is to get people involved and connected?
Include Everyone
Now it’s time to get all cast and crew members involved in your Auxiliary. No matter how small or how large the jobs are in your Auxiliary, there is always something for everyone to do. Please don’t become a clique and make someone feel as if they aren’t needed because that’s a great way to lose a member quickly! Remember, we were all newbies once upon a time and learned as time went by from seasoned members who took the time to help and encourage us. New members need to feel welcomed and valued and need encouragement to help them stay positive.
Follow Up
Before every movie progresses, Lights, Camera, Action!, you need to have a read through with the cast and crew. This is when you need to follow up with these new members. It’s when you need to call them about the upcoming meeting or event. Do they need a ride? Could you meet them before the meeting or event? It would also be a great time to explain the Rituals and Bylaws so they don’t feel left out and in the dark. Sit with them at their first meeting and make them feel welcomed! Always make potential members aware of the importance of the goals of our organization.
Encourage Participation
Everyone is important to making a great award-winning movie. The same holds true for your Auxiliary. From the key grip to the cameraman to the director, it’s up to each and every one of us to encourage ideas from all members. Remember, all ideas are important and maybe with some slight modification, they can work in your Auxiliary. Don’t shoot down an idea because it has been tried before. Give it a shot and try it with a different approach; it could turn into a star-worthy project. Everyone has different strengths and skills. Find out who excels in certain skills and encourage them in that area. Always be positive and appreciate all that members do. A simple thank you goes a long way, and it helps reinforce that ALL members are important to the Auxiliary.
Utilize Resources
There are a ton of membership resources available for everyone to use. Check out Member
Resources in MALTA. Just log in to MALTA and click on Member Resources and then Membership. Everything you need is there for the picking. • VFW Auxiliary Applications; • VFW Auxiliary Brochure Order Form; • New Member Engagement Guide; • New Member Orientation Checklist; • New Member Packet; • Retention Tools; etc.
Our Directors (Conference Coaches) were chosen by National for their knowledge of the Membership Program, their strong leadership traits, and their great imagination. They pay attention to details as you can see with their taste in movies. They work well with others and are striving to help their Conference earn the coveted “Golden MALTA.” It is the dream of every Director to have their Membership story win the prestigious award for Best Picture of the 2023- 2024 Program Year. Let’s all “Band Together” to help make this happen for our Southern States Conference Coach/Director, Evan Smiley. How can we make this happen?
● Invest
By investing in the future of your Auxiliary, you can grow into a successful franchise. With Lights, Camera, Action!, not only are we having fun, but we’re also Banding Together for Our Veterans. Remember, the VFW Auxiliary started with a small group of women who wanted to serve veterans; it has grown exponentially and now includes both males and females as members. There is only one way to add members: ask someone to join and, once they join, ask them to participate.
● Ask Someone to Join
There are numerous places and times to ask someone if they want to join the VFW Auxiliary. Your approach will look different depending on who your audience is. In all cases, the potential member should have some knowledge of what the VFW Auxiliary is and what we do before they ever receive an application. Some important tools are:
• Fact Sheet, available for free from National Headquarters; • Business card with contact information (Order yours from the VFW Store, vfwstore.org.); • MALTA Member Resources.
● Follow Up
Most likely, the first time you talk to someone new about the organization, that person may not be ready to commit. It’s important to ask for their contact information and then follow up within a week.
● Ask Them to Participate
The key to keeping members is getting them involved. Call or email a new member within a week with the next meeting date and time or the next possible event or project. Offer to pick them up, or invite them to get coffee before or after a meeting. Put a team of members in charge of contacting new members or members who haven’t been to a meeting recently. The team should be friendly and knowledgeable about the Auxiliary.
● Ways to Encourage Participation
• Monthly sign-up sheet for regular events.
• Emails and phone calls for special events.
• Public recognition of current volunteers. (Consider posters at your VFW Post Home, if permitted, that spotlight member involvement.)
• Be specific about what they will be doing, including the time commitment.
• Find out how that person best communicates, whether by phone, email, Facebook, or texting.
• Have another member stay with them for the entire length of the activity or event.
• If they say “no” to the first invitation, be sure to ask again!
• Plan family-friendly events! Members with children in the home want opportunities to do things with their family.
● Have a Plan
Every Department and Auxiliary should have a Membership Plan. This plan should
include: • Contacting current members; • Outreach to former members; • Recruiting events for new members; • Picking a mentor for a new member; • Before a membership year begins, set your calendar for these events.
• Make it as easy as possible for members to renew their dues. They can renew online in MALTA!
• Plan at least four recruiting events in your community each year.
Membership Program Awards
● Awards for Members:
1. Lights, Camera, Action! pin to each VFW and VFW Auxiliary member who recruits five (5) new members to the VFW Auxiliary from July 1, 2023, through May 31, 2024. The Department Treasurer must enter membership in MALTA with credit given to the recruiter by June 10, 2024. Lights, Camera, Action! pin will be mailed directly to the member from National Headquarters.
2. National Membership Achievement Award to each VFW and VFW Auxiliary member who recruits 20 new members to the VFW Auxiliary from July 1, 2023, through May 31, 2024. The Department Treasurer must enter membership in MALTA with credit given to the recruiter by June 10, 2024. NMA Award to be presented at the 2024 National Convention in Louisville, Kentucky. If a member is not in attendance, the award will be mailed directly to the member from National Headquarters after the National Convention.
3. Lights, Camera, Action! VFW Auxiliary Recruiter Drawing. Each VFW Auxiliary National Membership Achievement Award recipient will be entered into a drawing to receive a $500 Visa Gift Card (VFW Recruiters are not eligible). Recruiter Award Forms are no longer needed for VFW Auxiliary members. Reports are compiled by VFW Auxiliary National Headquarters from information entered in MALTA. VFW members who recruit new VFW Auxiliary members will need to fill out the required VFW members-only form that is available on MALTA Member Resources. Completed form must be received at VFW Auxiliary National Headquarters and Department Treasurer must enter membership in MALTA by June 10, 2024.
● Awards for Auxiliaries:
1. $25 to each Auxiliary that reaches 98% Plus in Paid Total Membership by March 31, 2024*.
2. $25 to each Auxiliary that reaches 100% Plus in Paid Total Membership by June 30, 2024*.
3. Lights, Camera, Action! VFW Auxiliary Drawing. Each VFW Auxiliary that reaches 101% Plus in Paid Total Membership by June 30, 2024* will be entered into a one time drawing to receive $500.
● Awards for Department Chairmen:
1. $25 VFW Store gift certificate to one Department Membership Chairman in each of the 10 Program Divisions for the most outstanding training and promotion of the Membership Program.
2. Outstanding Performance Award to one Department Membership Chairman in each of the 10 Program Divisions based on criteria listed on Page 5 and for the promotion of the Program Goals listed at the top of Page 42. Winners will be announced and awards presented at the 2024 National Convention in Louisville, Kentucky.
● Awards for Departments:
1. Bronze Department Award #1: $200 to each Department that reaches 95% Plus in Paid Total Membership or 2,742 total members (including deaths) by November 30, 2023*.
How can we achieve this goal? We need 414 annual members to renew their dues
or convert to a life member out of the 593 annual members who have not yet renewed and/or we need to gain new annual or life members. Can we do it? I believe we can. So, the challenge has been issued. Let’s see what we can do to reach this goal by November 11, 2023. What a gift that would be on Veterans Day to honor your veteran(s) with your membership.
2. Silver Department Award #2: $250 to each Department that reaches 98% Plus in Paid Total Membership or 2,829 total members (including deaths) by March 31, 2024*.
3. Gold Department Award #3: $300 to each Department that reaches 100% Plus in Paid Total Membership or 2,886 total members (including deaths) by June 30, 2024*.
4. Platinum Department Award #4: $400 to each Department that reaches 101% Plus in Paid Total Membership or 2,915 total members (including deaths) by June 30, 2024*. Departments that receive the Platinum Department Award #4 for $400 will still receive the Gold Department Award #3 for $300 for a combined total of $700.
● Conference vs. Conference:
1. $50 to each Department within the Conference with the highest total percentage by January 31, 2024*.
2. $50 to each Department within the Conference with the highest total percentage by June 30, 2024*
*Based on the June 30, 2023, year-end membership numbers.
Report Your Membership Activities Monthly. Please remember to complete the monthly reporting form on line at http://www.vfwauxms.org/report-forms/ or by completing the attached form and sending it to me via regular mail at Michele Brinson, 140 Oak Ridge Lakes Drive, Coldwater, MS 38618 or by email at no later than the 5th day of each month if possible. If you have problems completing the reporting form online or sending it via regular mail or email, you may call me or text me with your information at 901-734-8160.
Let’s continue to honor our Veterans, our Service men and women, their families, our communities, and our organization by keeping our membership current, being involved/active, and asking others to join. Remember, our membership and service matter because alone we can do so little but, by “Banding Together,” we can do so much.
August sure has been a busy month for all of you. I know you are sending meals and providing transportation to different places and just calling to check on our veterans and their family members. There have been events going on such as suicide prevention walks to promote suicide awareness and to remember our 22+ veterans that we lose on a daily basis. There was also a veterans giveaway of clothing and other items this month. I love seeing all this activity in your communities and I know that there are more events planned in the coming months. Keep up the great work.
Remember to also continue to promote the National Veterans Service (NVS), Military Assistance (MAPS) , Unmet Needs and “Sports Clips Help a Hero Scholarship”. The Unmet Needs under the Veterans and Military Support (VMS) has had a change. The new grant amount has changed from $1500.00 to $2500.00 but veterans are no longer eligible. These grants are only for active duty members whose hardship is a result of current deployment, military pay error or military related injuries while on active duty. Please make note of this change.
Continue to utilize the awesome Veterans & Family Support materials/resources available on the National website, malta.vfwauxiliary.org.
I have been doing training on this program at district school of instructions. If your district is having one, please let me know. I would be happy to come and share information. I hope to see everyone at our upcoming School of Instruction/Council of Administration meeting October 20-22, 2023 in Gulfport.
May we always stand united, in front of, beside and in back of all OUR veterans, to support them.
“Banding Together for Our Veterans”
I am always available for questions or to help with your reports.
