Post Participates in Mid-Winter Conference
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Eight members of Utica Post 229, along with several Auxiliary members, attended the New York Department’s Mid-Winter Conference held Jan. 22-24, 2010 at The Desmond in Albany. The Auxiliary portion of the conference took place at the Marriott. The conference offered an array of seminars and committee meetings. Among the topics covered were: membership recruiting, finance, Legion baseball, state convention, Legion Riders, bowling, rehabilitation, legislative matters, post historians, Americanism, junior shooting sports, law & order, protocol, internal affairs, homeland security, Boys State, compliance, Scouting, special projects, public relations, Legion press association. Alaska’s Jimmie Foster, leading candidate for national commander, flew in to make his face known to New York Legionnaires. He circulated at the conference, dropping in on a number of sessions to introduce himself and praise the work that Legionnaires are doing. It costs a lot of money for future national commanders to travel to every state and get to talk and listen to Legionnaires at all levels, Foster told the public relations session. He figures it’s costing him about “a quarter of a million dollars” – which is why candidates for national commander need a lot of fundraising support. “You guys do PR,” he told the session attendees. “PR is every day.” He noted that the product – membership in the American Legion – sells itself because veterans recognize the value of a 2.6 million-member veterans organization. “The problem is those going out the back door…We need to get those guys active in the Legion” so they won’t get bored and leave. He noted that going around the country, one problem he often sees is that “you can’t separate the post from the bar.” It’s bad PR for a post to have a bar as its primary image, he said. “Libation – that’s not the American Legion.” He encouraged posts to think in terms of the American Legion family, engaging an active Auxiliary and Sons of the American Legion. Foster also urged posts to “beat your drum” and “be proud of what you’re doing” as a way to foster a strong American Legion image.
His comments spurred some discussion in the PR session, with members of one post noting that it is a “dry post” and that they get revenues to pay expenses from rental income and other fundraisers. Other Legionnaires noted that without the bars, their posts would die. The consensus seemed to be that while a bar can be important to generating funds, it should not be what the post is all about. The PR session also zeroed in on the use of technology to foster better communication and build membership – especially taking advantage of websites and social networking on the internet. “Keeping abreast” and “thinking young” can make a difference, said session facilitator Joseph Mondello, PR co-chair for the NY Department. The Pentagon and the Armed Services are using such social networking sites as Facebook and Twitter, as well as maintaining active websites. So are leading companies and organizations across the country. It would behoove posts to find people to help them take advantage of the technological revolution, Mondello said. The choice of an Ecumenical Service or Catholic Mass capped Saturday afternoon’s activities, and that was followed by a band concert/reception and banquet.
Sunday morning featured a general session, wrapping up a number of items of business, along with a motivational talk by NY Department Membership Chair W. Michael Bowen and presentation of donations to New York Legionnaire Fang Wong’s campaign for national commander. Imagine what the Legion would be, Bowen said, “if every one of us just recruited one new member.” “It’s easy” to recruit, he said. “Just go up to someone and ask, ‘Are you a veteran? …How would you like to be a member of the largest wartime veterans organization?’ ” The New York American Legion Press Association (NYALPA) was the last group to meet Sunday morning, attracting Auxiliary members, Sons and Legionnaires interested in being Legion communicators. NYALPA fosters and gives recognition to quality news writing, publicity, newsletters and websites. NYALPA President Kevin Harrington, a SAL member from Castleton, chaired the meeting and introduced various officers who gave reports. One of the speakers was Legionnaire Michael Duggan, who is not only involved with the state association as treasurer, but also serves as executive director of the National American Legion Press Association. “We are the communicators,” Duggan told the group. “We have to get the word out.” With 2010 NYALPA membership at 158 individuals and 68 posts so far, Duggan noted, “we are the biggest press association in the country.” Post 229 members at the conference included: Commander Tony Palladino, James Haggerty, Paul Wojcik, Frank Cassella, David Wilson, Dave Manore, Leonard Lascala and Robert Stronach.
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