Starting a department press association

I’m currently president of the Minnesota American Legion Press Association and department historian.

My interest in NALPA and public relations started when I became involved with both the district and department’s public relations committees. I asked why the Department of Minnesota didn’t have a press association and was told it was tried once but that it didn’t work out. After further discussion, I was told that if I wanted to get a department press association started that I needed to do the legwork to get it going.

Initial steps were to gain support and network, and then consult with mentors. Once the foundation was established, we had a Minnesota American Legion Press Association meeting to elect officers and to adopt NALPA’s Constitution and Bylaws. We are continuing to promote The American Legion Family on social media, as well as communicate information out to the districts and posts.

We are still fairly new, but as we continue to develop the association, obtain more members and gain publicity, the better I believe it will become.

I am focusing on painting the picture that The American Legion Family is a dynamic, vibrant veterans service organization that you will want to join. I’m achieving this by demonstrating actions from the historians perspective, to utilizing public relations to show the work that we do for veterans, national security, Americanism and children and youth.