OCW helps out New Mexico veterans

The American Legion Department of New Mexico, along with American Legion Riders and National Headquarters staff, distributed $30,000 worth of gifts to the Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center and an Albuquerque homeless shelter on Dec. 7.

The gifts to the VA hospital included an underwater treadmill cycle, aquatic therapy equipment, several TVs, video gaming consoles and several backpacks of hygiene and toiletries. Donations to the Henderson House included clothes, toys and other items for homeless female veterans and their children that receive care from the Murphy VA Medical Center.

In other news:

Riders meeting: The National American Legion Riders Advisory Committee will meet Feb. 6-7, 2014, to consider and render recommendations regarding Rider-related resolutions brought before the Internal Affairs Commission. At issue is the question of formal department charter documents and charter membership rolls for Riders programs.

Membership and DMS Program: The 2014 traditional membership goal is 2,001,806. Membership as of the Dec. 4 membership report is 1,517,840, which is 75.8 percent of the 2014 membership goal.

DMS Program 2014: The 2014 membership year began on July 1. Additional mailings for the DMS program were recently completed. On Oct. 21 and 28, over 400,000 pieces were mailed to under-represented groups. On Nov. 4, approximately 1.8 million pieces of traditional DMS packages were mailed to prospective members and expired members. Responses to these mailings are being received at this time.

DMS Acquires: 21,457 prospects, 43,441 expires 43,441, 64,898 total

2014 Goal – 101,500 (63.9 percent of goal)

Online Renewal Activity: 2014 Membership Year On-Line Renewals (since July 1): 156,589