Guest blog by Nicole Clapp, 2018-2019 American Legion Auxiliary national vice president
The 2019-2020 National Chairmen’s Meeting is an annual leadership training that invests the time to teach new as well as seasoned American Legion Auxiliary national chairmen appointees how to effectively develop and execute the ALA programs they have been tasked to manage for the next administrative year.
The meeting, held at ALA National Headquarters in Indianapolis, kicked off with an exciting outing to attend The American Legion’s 82nd Annual National Oratorical Contest finals, witnessing firsthand why we dedicate our time and talents for the benefit of future leaders of our great nation.
As national vice president, I stressed the importance of this training in capturing the attention of our current and potential members through storytelling. Each one of us has our own ALA story to tell.
The focus of our National Chairmen’s Meeting was to prepare the national chairmen appointees to receive training on how to cultivate and lead committee personnel, update the annual supplement to the action plan, and to understand the importance of reporting to successfully communicate our message through various modes of social media.
The national chairmen appointees spent one-on-one time with National Headquarters program coordinators and staff members, becoming acclimated to the daily processes of managing their committees and programs, while contributing to the financial needs of budget preparation for the 2019-2020 ALA administrative year.
The new national chairmen appointees also benefited from a half-day training on how to transition their focus solely from department responsibilities to balancing the needs of the national organization they have been entrusted to maintain.
"These ALA members have the unique responsibility of assisting our general membership in appreciating our heritage, and assessing the current state of our committees and programs, while envisioning what the next century entails for our veterans, military, and their families during our centennial year of celebration."
The key takeaway for these individuals now is to prepare their committees to embrace the American Legion Auxiliary with a 2020 vision for success.
In the spirit of Service, Not Self, the mission of the American Legion Auxiliary is to support The American Legion and to honor the sacrifice of those who serve by enhancing the lives of our veterans, military, and their families, both at home and abroad. For God and Country, we advocate for veterans, educate our citizens, mentor youth, and promote patriotism, good citizenship, peace and security.
