13 March 2010

My Fellow Membership TEAM Members:

The Nationale renewal notices were mailed out to all unpaid members on 1 March 2010 and Voiture Nationale is getting responses. Some is helpful information such as deceased Voyageurs, and change of addresses. However, some information they are receiving is disturbing. There have been some Voyageurs that have sent in their renewal notices stating that they had already paid there dues to their Locales. I don’t mean that they paid and the renewal crossed in the mail either. Let me give you one example: A Voyageur sent in a Nationale renewal notice with a note saying that he had paid his Locale his dues in November 2009, his check was not cashed until January 2010, and he received his card in January 2010. But Voiture Nationale does not show this Voyageur as paid, so that means that his Locale Correspondant cashed his check, sent him his 2010 card and is STILL sitting on his dues and has not reported him as paid to Voiture Nationale. This is unacceptable and you and I both know that, but we also are aware that this is probably not an isolated example. This is wrong in two ways, one it keeps this membership TEAM from knowing where we stand and achieving our goals on time, and secondly it is an injustice to the Voyageur that has paid in a timely manner to report them to Voiture National at a later date. I ask each of you to address this now with your Locale and Grand Correspondants and let’s try to stop this tradition of “sand bagging.” Because damn it, this serves no good purpose for anyone or any reason.

I am not going to get into membership numbers because you get those from me weekly, but we need to address renewals. We are doing a good job in recruiting this year, but our Achilles Heel is in retention. Renewals are going to make or break our 2010 membership year. I can relate to you that V-333, Grand du Missouri is already a 116.88% in total membership, which is a great job, but what they are most proud of is that they have achieved 100% in renewals. Chef de Chemin de Fer Brady’s theme this year is “Just Ask” and that applies to renewals as well as recruiting. We can continue the good job in recruiting that we are doing and still fall short of our goals if we fail in retention. One thing that I have said in the past, and I believe is worth repeating is what Chef de Chemin de Fer Passe Bob Kaseman has often said, “You are not making any progress if you bring in one member through the front door and then lose another out the back door.” Please emphasize the need to get the renewals collected and sent in to Voiture Nationale ASAP in your upcoming correspondence with your Regions. This is a crucial area right now.

I want each of you to look at the 11 March 2010 membership report. In the 11 Grand Voitures that have achieved 100% or better thus far, there are 6 with 105% or better and this year is just past the halfway mark. If these Grands can accomplish this, then why can’t every Grand do so? I have heard that Big Grands have to get more members to increase their percentages chatter before and I don’t believe that should make a difference. The bigger the Grand, the more members you have as recruiters. For example, a Grand with 5000 members has 5000 recruiters, and a small Grand with 50 members have 50 recruiters, so if every member were to ask just ONE person to join, and they were only successful in recruiting 1 out of 10 they asked….Guess what, the percentages would be the same. Now we have 33,714 members in La Societe. Do you believe that each of them could look in the mirror and honestly say that they had asked at least one person to join the 40 &8? If they had and 1 out of 10 joined, we would have 3,370 new members. How many Voyageurs in your own Locale have asked just 1 person to join? I have heard the excuse of “I have asked everyone to join already.” Well you and I both know that’s BS, because there are over 22 million eligible veterans in this country, and you can do the math on what 1 out of 10 would mean there. As the Big Chef says “Just Ask.” Even the Bible says “Ask and thou shall receive.”

I am asking each of you to re-enforce these points of renewals and recruiting in your correspondence with your Regions louder and more often. We are entering “Crunch Time” in our membership year, and the hard work becomes even harder if we are to reach our goals to strengthen “The Honor Society of American Veterans.” The count down starts NOW for the 100% goal by 15 April and ultimately 110% by the 31 July years end. This TEAM can do it, I sincerely believe that. Let’s prove that this is the Best Damn TEAM in La Societe, and when we get to Promenade Nationale in September, it will be “Laissez le bon temps rouler”….Let the good times roll.

Yours in Service
Mike Wood
Directeur. 2010 “Uncle Sam” Membership TEAM
SAM = Sponser Another Member

WW II VETERANS TO BE HONORED THIS SUMMER IN EUROPE Small villages and large cities in Europe are busy planning festivities for this summer, as the 65th anniversary of Victory in Europe will be celebrated. On May 8th a hugh celebration will take place in Reims, France where the Peace Treaty was signed in General Eisenhower's headquarters 65 years ago. Any visiting WW II veterans will be transported in horse-drawn carriages through the hugh parade route and then be honored with a wonderful reception at City Hall. On June 6th the usual D-Day services will be held at the American cemetery on Omaha Beach honoring our veterans. Dr. and Mrs Brooks Ranny of Yankton, SD will again be taking groups over, which visitis Paris, the Beaches of Normandy, Reims, General Patton's grave, the Battle of the Bulge area, Germany with the Remagen Bridge and a Rhine River cruise, the Dachau Memorial Camp and Hitler's Eagles Nest. If you wish to travel with the Ranneys, please give them a call at: (605) 665-3596 for a colorful brochure.

If you haven't signed up for Tony's email Newsletter you are missing out. As Tony's webmaster and L'Editeur of his newsletter I run a tight ship. Viewership continues to grow. Here is the result of a little audit I did this morning. The first issue was sent out on 1 Oct 2009. Total viewership (Oct - Feb) 6338 Average viewership per month - 1,268 The 1st issue of March is "On Track" to have the largest viewership so far. Non-subscribers to "Keeping on Track with Tony" are missing important information. None of Tony's newsletter articles are posted to this web site. Won't you subscribe and keep up with the latest information from the Public Relations Directeurship? It is eazy, just use the box below P.S. We will not flood your mailbox with email. We produce the newsletter once a week. Subscribe to "Keeping on Track with Tony" Enter your name and email address below: Name: Email: Subscribe Unsubscribe

ATTITUDE - KNOWLEDGE -ACTION

Let's roll up our sleeves and get down to business. There are people to meet and fun to be had.

Let's prove to your prospect list that you have something to say about the 40 & 8..

Yes, building a voiture is difficult, but it does not have to be as hard as some of you are currently making it.

Yes, you can be successful in recruiting.

Yes. People believe what they read more (and faster) than they believe what people tell them. Write articles for your local paper.>/p>

Yes, You can write about the 40 & 8 programs.

Yes, I am willing to help you,

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Voyagers,
I have learned from our Sous Chef de Chemin de Fer Pat Beamer's brother that he is in the hospital with pneumonia. Please send a card if you can, MD is small but we can have a big impact with a small wish for a speedy recovery.

He would appreciate cards.

Baptist Medical Center Nassau Pat Beamer Rm 2102
1250 South 18th Street
Fernandina Beach, Florida 32034

or home (Probably best address)

Sous Chef Pat Beamer
2894 Forest Ridge Drive
Fernandina Beach, Florida 32034

February 2010 Posts Have Been Archived

2010 Public Relations Archives January 2010 February 2010

2009 Public Relations Archives December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 Beth Spiegel Researches Merci Boxcars Was Thomas Jefferson a Prophet?

2008 Public Relations Archives CRSC Quailified?? by Dick Schreck A Monthy Message From Tony Celebrating America's Freedoms Chicago Thanksgiving Parade w/TG Wreaths Decorate Veterans’ Graves Nationwide The Bugler of Voiture 333..by TG December is a good month..by TG You can't do Everything..by TG ...On Nation Under God... Scientists studying dioxin exposure in humans A Soldiers Holiday Season VA Expands Protections Diamond Rio Concert Ted Turner Interview On 60 Mins A Veterans Day Message From Tony G English, Our Official Language Ohio Student Collects Autographs Tony Gallagher's Wagon Trip USMC General Barrow Passes Operation Wounded Warrior VA To Deploy Mobile Counseling Centers Hand Salute, Part Two Blunt, SD Tops In Nation Happy Fall from Uncle Vic Honor Flight Becomes A Reality New Purple Heart Eligibility Criteria John Ryan Writes Again Big Blue of the Grand du Missouri What Is A Military Wife National Prayer Day 40 and 8 honors Griffin’s legacy Bill Davis, sous Directeur Public Relations Veteran Hospital On Overload Comments From Uncle Vic Benny G. Seals, Sous Dir (Area IV) Writes.. John Ryan Writes.. The American Creed LTC Mark Murphy Writes... VA Press Release Concerning ALS Congress Approves "Hand Salute" Bill Open Letter To Congress..by Col Harry Riley