September Article: Committees, Final Standdown Report

Greetings, Fellow Legionnaires! I’ll start with a little business & then some info. First,the Final Report for Veterans Stand Down: 1) Financial: $1000 donated by the Post, 2) Clothing: 102 boxes & five 30 gallon bags, 3) Participation: We blew the doors off this year! 20 people showed up to support the event (the most of any post) & we gave 207 Community Service hours for Veterans Stand Down this year! Thanks to all the support to help turn this around! Way to go Post 434! Next, membership is coming in strong. As I write, we’re over 700. Since renewals have picked up, we’ll be able to focus on bringing in new members. Don’t forget to carry an application with you for that friend who would like to join. OK. As you can see by the Commander’s article, this is kicking off to be a busy Legion year. Let me share some points about the committees being established. Many are no more than what already takes place at the post. A few are tapping in to new areas. In the Post Officer’s Guide, these 10 basic areas of focus are set: Americanism, Children & Youth, Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation, National Security, Membership & Post Activities, Public Relations, Legislative, Finance, Economic, & House Committees. Within each are Sub-Committee or additional actions that support these 10 areas. Throughout this year, the goal is to re-establish these areas. Doing so will help reinforce the fundamental principles of the American Legion, navigate with a clearer vision, develop & strengthen our efforts in these areas over time, & allow the post to tap into resources already available to “help our community.” Also, this provides a more focused roadmap for community service. How many of us have interests, talents, or desires to help, but just don’t want to be put into a situation where they are asked to take on something huge with no solid expectations, guidelines, or support system. Well, that’s one of the ways these committees help & let us get max benefit without having to re-create the wheel. Take Vets Stand Down, for instance. It’s part of the homeless efforts of the “Economic” Committee. There’s a good example of how much fun a group of people can have while still focused on helping others. And many want to come back next year! It took a committee of key players to make it happen. Many Post Officers will reintroduce each of us to these areas & probably solicit your help. The more help, the less strain on individuals & more fun while getting things done! I’m committed to The more help, the less strain on individuals & more fun while getting things done! I’m committed to help make this a reality because it is the right thing to do! Thanks, in advance for your support as well! Cheers! See you at the Post!