NALPA NEWSLETTER
The official newsletter of the National American Legion Press Association Fall 2017 Issue
What’s Coming Halloween safety National headquarters produces a publication geared toward ensuring a safe Halloween. Check it out and promote it within your communities. Download the brochure at www.legion.org/ publications.
Veterans Day
2017-2018 National American Legion Press Association members are sworn in at The American Legion’s national convention in Reno, Nev.
READY, AIM, FIRE By Mark Sutton, NALPA president
N
ovember 2015 seems like forever ago when I sat in a conference room with National American Legion Press Association (NALPA) leadership and staff from The American Legion’s Media and Communications Division in Indianapolis to discuss the future of NALPA. We started the meeting with the thought that if we could not develop a plan or path then NALPA would cease to exist. The association was struggling with its identity, brand, image and purpose. I left National Headquarters that day ready for the challenge to make NALPA what it could be – the go-to association for public relation officers and communicators from every level of The American Legion that would provide the tools to train, inspire and grow the image of The American Legion. With support and resources from the Media and Communication Division, we changed the
NALPA newsletter’s look, feel, content and purpose of what it should convey to members. And we placed NALPA’s website under the Legion’s national one (www.legion.org/nalpa) for consistent branding. NALPA leadership, with the help of Media and Communication Division staff, took front and center stage at the Legion’s annual Washington Conference in 2016. The large NALPA banner and table display was in the path of everyone. We handed out postcards about the social media blast scheduled for that event. We promoted NALPA, we signed up new members, and NALPA was given the opportunity to speak in front of conference attendees to encourage the Legion Family to Tweet, Facebook and talk about the meetings they were about to have in Washington, D.C., using the hashtags presented. Under the leadership of immediate past NALPA President Dave Wallace and the steadfastness of Executive Director Patrick See Ready, Aim, Fire on Page 2
National Commander Denise H. Rohan is encouraging posts to join the nation’s largest Veterans Day dinner. Share how your post is celebrating by submitting a story on www.legion.org/ legiontown. And use hashtag #LegionFamilyDinner on social media.
Blood donor drive Thanksgiving kicks off the nationwide blood donor drive. Share how your post is participating on social media.
Christmas events Many posts host special holiday events in the season of giving. Share yours at www.legion.org/legiontown.
National Family Week National Headquarters has a brochure on ways Legion Family members can coordinate or get invovled with National Family Week (Nov. 19-25) activities. Download the brochure at www.legion. org/publications.