The next National Regional Information Conference will be Feb. 7 in Atlanta. Spots still open.
Indianapolis was the third city to host The American Legion’s National Regional Information Conference on Jan. 31, where Legionnaires in attendance represented 21 departments and Sons of The American Legion attendees represented 23 detachments.
The daylong training provided an opportunity for Legionnaires and Sons members to receive information on the Legion’s mission, programs and operations, and to connect with other Legion Family members in attendance. Legionnaires attended training on the Legion’s suicide prevention mission Be the One, legal, how to run an effective post meeting, post operations and programs, and membership retention.
Robert Phillips, a member of Post 478 in Varna, Ill., came to the conference with his wife who attended the American Legion Auxiliary training to learn how to start a unit.
“We came here to get updated on Legion information, meet other people and get some basic points of contact,” said Phillips, a charter member of Post 478. “We felt it was very important for us to reach out to these national events and learn more about the brick and mortar of a post.”
Ken Boyd of American Legion Post 528 in Alto, Mich., brought his wife, two sons and daughter, all Legion Family members who attended the training for the Sons and Auxiliary. The training for him was “really good,” he said. “I’m not yet an officer at my post, but I’m learning so much on how to be an officer and an effective leader. The networking and learning the many different ways on how to communicate with your members has been helpful. Some people use WhatsApp, some people use Facebook, some use texting to communicate. You have to use them.”
Jeffry Boyd, son of Ken, attended Michigan Boys State last summer and attended the Sons training to get more involved. “We have a small post and we kind of wanted to come down here to learn more, specially my parents really wanted to come down here because they want to help lead our post,” said Jeffry, a Squadron 528 member. “I have a lot of notes from the conference so far. And I’m going to get more involved.”
The National Regional Information Conference is the first national Legion training and event that Bonnie Glaze, commander of American Legion Post 69 in Reading, Ohio, has attended. “I am very excited to be here. I wanted to learn more what the Legion does and what I can do to help be a better commander. At the post, we do a lot of the stuff I’ve learned but a few things we don’t. So it’s good to take back to the membership and our officers and let them know.”
The next National Regional Information Conference is Feb. 7 in Atlanta with spots still available for registration. Training has now been held in Denver, Boston and Indianapolis. More training dates and locations will be announced later this year.
- Dispatch