District 22 reaching out to younger veterans as part of Buddy Check and to boost membership.
While the Department of California’s District 22 has been one of the department’s most successful in terms of membership, there’s still room to grow.
“We’re still only penetrating about 7 percent of the total veteran population,” said District Commander Chris Yates.
That’s why the upcoming National Week of Calling and the Buddy Checks promoted by National Commander Brett Reistad are so important.
District 22 is using a three-tiered plan to address membership issues. In December, volunteers mailed letters to members of the administrative holding post and other lapsed members.
But, Yates noted, former members who have been away from The American Legion for a few years “need a physical visit, they need a phone call, if they’re going to come back at all.”
Yates said District 22 is working on a plan for the first weekend of April that will combine standard revitalization efforts with attempts to reach out to younger veterans who haven’t considered Legion membership.
“What we’re learning when we talk to (younger veterans), they respect The American Legion, if they know about it. But then when they start to get indoctrinated into The American Legion, one of the overwhelming deals is they don’t want to meet for the sake of meeting,” Yates said.
He said it’s important to see what interests those younger veterans have.
“The successful (posts) ask them when they come in, what’s your interest? If it’s education, do you want to be involved in Oratorical (Contest)?” Yates said. “Why are they joining a nonprofit? Why not put them on a committee in line with their interest?”
Reistad has called for a Buddy Check during a National Week of Calling around the Legion’s 100th birthday, March 11-16, as a way to reach out to members and former members who may need help. A toolkit including sample scripts is available at www.legion.org/membership/buddycheck.
- Membership