American Legion Baseball deadlines approaching

The deadline for departments to report the 2013 dates and location of their state tournament for senior American Legion Baseball teams is April 15.

To date, nearly half of the departments have submitted their report. Once compiled, the state tournament information will be posted on the ALB website and also provided to the regional tournament sites.

Additionally, the deadline for ordering the 2013 Rule Book is April 15.

In other news:

Temporary Financial Assistance: The American Legion’s Temporary Financial Assistance Program (TFA) continues to provide for the basic needs of minor children of eligible veterans through cash grants made possible by the generosity of Legionnaires and the Endowment Fund Corporation. As of April 2, TFA has assisted 285 children throughout the United States maintain shelter, utilities, food and clothing through nearly $141,794 in cash grants.

Operation Comfort Warriors: Last week Operation Comfort Warriors received five Heroes to Hometown assistance requests: two from Georgia, and one each from Arizona, Massachusetts and Virginia. All were forwarded to their respective departments for follow up. Volunteers from the Department of Kansas are working on a large-scale project at Fort Riley to develop an area in the WTB for basketball courts, horseshoe pits and other activities.

TALARC: Membership in The American Legion Amateur Radio Club surpassed 1,300 members as it continues to grow with applicants signing up on the web page daily.

Education: Assistant director Chuck Graybiel and representatives of the Americanism Commission’s National Committee on Education are exhibiting from April 12-15 at the annual conference of the National School Board Association in San Diego to share information about academic scholarships, youth programs, and flag education with school board members from across the nation.

Membership and DMS Program

The current 2013 traditional membership total is 1,881,976, which is 94.29 percent of the 2013 goal.

The 2013 membership year began on July 1. The fourth DMS mailing for the 2013 membership year was completed on Feb. 4. Approximately 1.6 million pieces were mailed at that time. Responses from that mailing are now being processed.

Based on the four DMS mailings this year, we have acquired through DMS: prospects 93,640, expires 76,097, total 169,737.

2013 Goal – 185,000 (91.8 percent of goal)

Current Renewal Rate for 2012 DMS Members – 48.03 percent (91,069 of 189,685 new 2012 members)

On-Line Renewal Activity

2013 Membership Year On-Line Renewals (since July 1) – 178,557

Sons of The American Legion: The Sons of The American Legion membership for 2013 currently stands at 306,892 members, or 86.8 percent, as of April 4. At present, the Sons are running 757 members ahead of this same date last year. The next SAL National Update Newsletter is scheduled to be printed and mailed in late April. The third and final SAL renewal postcard mailing for 2013 will be processed and mailed in April. The next membership target date is April 10, which will be the Sons’ 90 percent membership target goal.