Chief of Staff/Extension: The "Ask" in Mentoring

Barbara Melnick
2015-2016 National Chief of Staff/Extension

The holidays are fast approaching and with the hustle and bustle comes time for reflection. It’s a great time to think about what your Auxiliary has done to increase membership and to include more members in Auxiliary activities while looking ahead to the coming year.

There is an “ask” we make when we ask members to join the Auxiliary. There is also an “ask” we make when we ask members to participate in Auxiliary activities. Each member has their own skills and interests. Have you asked what they are interested in? What they are good at? Some members enjoy visiting hospitals or nursing homes, others enjoy planning dinners and events, and others like working with youth. Have you asked a member to help if they haven’t volunteered recently? Have you called members that don’t regularly attend meetings to make sure they know of upcoming events and volunteer opportunities? The “ask” is a part of mentoring and an important way to help members stay engaged and passionate about their membership in the VFW Auxiliary.

Speaking of engagement, there has been quite a bit of Post/Auxiliary consolidations. This is good! We do not want to lose members and by consolidating, members bring their skills and interests to a new-to-them Auxiliary and hopefully, contribute to the overall health of the Auxiliary.

How do you know if your Auxiliary is healthy? There is an array of tools available to you that can help with member engagement and the overall health of your Auxiliary:

• RU Healthy Auxiliary Checklist – with the 5 Essentials of an Auxiliary
• Auxiliaries need at least 10 business meetings per year
• Dues should be paid on at least 10 members on or before February 1 of the current year.
• Quarterly audits by Trustees must be submitted
• Officers elected, installed and reported to National Headquarters no later than June 30.
• Office of President and Treasurer MUST be bonded by August 31.
• Healthy Auxiliary Member Questionnaire
• Auxiliary Meeting Clinic
• Healthy Communication Phone/Text Tree
• Good Job Certificate
• VFW Auxiliary Mentoring Guide

All of the items listed above are available on the National Organization's website under "Programs," "Chief of Staff/Extension."

Think about all your Auxiliary has done for veterans and their families this year. As the holidays near, it’s important that we remember ALL our veterans, active-duty military and their families – Now and Forever!