January 05, 2018

Continue hosting Legion Family dinners

By Denise H. Rohan, National Commander
Dispatch
Continue hosting Legion Family dinners
Continue hosting Legion Family dinners

Legion Family dinners can still be held in conjunction with special events.

For nearly 100 years, The American Legion has served veterans, their families, communities, states and the nation. And last year I called on the Legion Family nationwide to serve up the biggest and best Veterans Day dinner in history by inviting the whole community to join them at the dinner table. 

Although we have entered a new year, Legion Family dinners can still be held in conjunction with special events. These events include the Legion’s upcoming birthday (March 15), your post’s birthday, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas and more. Healthy families enjoy dinner at the same table together, and we consider the entire community to be members of the American Legion Family.

A Legion Family Dinner Kit is available to help posts, squadrons and units with promotion efforts. Download the kit at  www.legion.org/nalpa/resources.

Resources in the kit include:

  • A suggested timeline for planning the event, tips on getting local sponsors involved, and a set of message points that can be presented, and localized, at the dinner or to the press.
  • Sample letters of invitation to local groups to attend and participate in the dinner, a press release, a sample media advisory, a downloadable flyer with fields for posts to provide local information, social media posts and a radio PSA. 

Remember to use the hashtag #LegionFamilyDinner when promoting your event. I always want to see The American Legion trending on social media.

The Legion Family dinners are a great opportunity to tell the story of your post namesake in advance of our centennial. Let’s make sure the whole community can understand who we are, what we do and our vision for the future. 

The dinners can also serve as a way to promote the benefits of membership and participation in the American Legion Family.

Because we are about Family First!  

 

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