A publication of Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc. ®
An organization chartered by the U.S. Congress
April 2001/May 2001
Membership Matters
Go To www.vva.org
By Allen Green, Director of Membership
One of the most common questions I receive is for help in obtaining materials to distribute and to promote VVA to potential members. Often, the best source of material and the most easily obtained is the information on the VVA website (www.vva.org). If you have not surfed the VVA website recently, it may pleasantly surprise you.
Chapters can download VVA and AVVA membership forms, chapter and state election reports, address change forms, and other membership-related material. For those chapters and state councils that set up information booths, the "Find Your Local Chapter" page www.vva.org/map/map.html lists VVA chapters and state councils. You can copy the page for your area as a quick reference to prospective members. There’s also a sign-up form for potential members to receive applications.
Another important tool to generate interest in VVA is the set of self-help guides on Agent Orange, PTSD, and VA Claims and Appeals www.vva.org/benefits/vvaguide.htm. Since these are common, high-interest items for all Vietnam veterans and family members, we recommend that you have copies ready to distribute. They make excellent and informative take-home items, while insuring that a potential member sees VVA’s quality work and reputation for assisting veterans.
For planned events, VVA National is ready to provide brochures, posters, temporary member cards, and yellow VVA bags. These complement the materials on the VVA website. Chapter membership chairs can easily gather the materials they need to support large and small gatherings of veterans.
We have now completed our first year using the new VVA ACCESS database. I’m glad to report that with this new capability, we closed out the year and compiled annual membership statistics well ahead of schedule. Priscilla Wiley, Jennifer Oliver, and Ernestine Horton (Team Membership) did heroic work completing the batches, sending out rosters, and processing cards. Give them a pat on the back for a job well done; they are the reason behind the success. Please relay your thanks when you see or talk to them over the next few months.
March 1, 2001, began our second year of using the anniversary date to determine membership expiration. Member names will begin to drop off the roster after each month. We’ve already received phone calls and e-mails asking, "Why did a member’s name disappear from the listing?" Normally, the answer is that the membership expired at the end of the previous month. We recommend that every chapter take a close look at rosters and immediately contact those folks whose memberships are due to expire. VVA National supports this effort with quarterly renewal mailout reminders.
VVA National has mailed to each chapter and state council our 2001 Convention delegate count. Let me know if you did not receive the memo or if you have any questions.
Here are the final member numbers for VVA and AVVA (as of February 28, 2001):
VVA MEMBERSHIPIndividual Members 28,886
Life Members 12,558
Life Member Time Payments 1,011
Incarcerated Veterans 2,192
AVVA MEMBERSHIP
Associates 5,441
Associate Life Supporters 904
Associate Life Supporters Time Payments 97
Incarcerated Associate Veterans 379
Other 167
Other Life Supporters 14
Other Life Supporter Time Payments 1
AVVA TOTALS 7,003
VVA Membership Ranking by State
(As of February 28, 2001)
State VVA Members
1. New York 4,380
29. Arkansas 464
2. Michigan 3,477
30. Vermont 447
3. California 2,601
31. Iowa 437
4. Pennsylvania 2,568
32. Puerto Rico 367
Tie Ohio 2,568
33. South Carolina 361
6. Maryland 2,511
34. Nevada 338
7. New Jersey 2,467
35. Colorado 308
8. Wisconsin 1,802
36. Kansas 247
9. Florida 1,797
37. Montana 238
10. Texas 1,586
38. Nebraska 235
11. Virginia 1,344
39. North Dakota 234
12. Massachusetts 1,253
40. Rhode Island 221
13. Illinois 1,232
41. New Mexico 213
14. Louisiana 880
42. Maine 208
15. Minnesota 852
43. Delaware 186
16. Alabama 801
44. New Hampshire 152
17. Washington 749
45. Hawaii 76
18. Missouri 731
46. Guam 68
19. Tennessee 730
47. Mississippi 65
20. Oregon 723
48. South Dakota 61
21. Oklahoma 694
49. Wyoming 51
22. Indiana 681
50. Utah 36
23. West Virginia 630
51. Idaho 30
24. Connecticut 521
tie Overseas/Foreign 29
25. Georgia 516
53. Washington, DC 26
26. North Carolina 497
54. Virgin Islands 25
27. Arizona 483
55. Alaska 24
28. Kentucky 465
56. Canada 10
1. California 1,298
29. Nevada 47
2. Maryland 563
30. Georgia 46
3. Michigan 440
31. Arkansas 45
4. New York 437
32. Montana 42
5. Ohio 405
33. South Carolina 34
6. New Jersey 363
34. Connecticut 33
7. Pennsylvania 350
35. Colorado 29
8. Wisconsin 325
36. Kansas 28
9. Florida 308
37. New Mexico 25
10. Virginia 291
38. Nebraska 22
11. Illinois 244
39. Rhode Island 19
12. Texas 228
Tie Puerto Rico 19
13. Louisiana 141
41. North Dakota 18
14. West Virginia 98
42. Maine 17
Tie Alabama 98
43. New Hampshire 14
16. Indiana 96
44. Guam 12
17. Massachusetts 93
45. Washington, DC 7
18. Kentucky 87
Tie Delaware 7
19. Missouri 86
47. Hawaii 6
20. Iowa 85
48. Overseas/Foreign 5
21. Oregon 78
49. Mississippi 3
22. Vermont 75
50. Wyoming 2
23. Washington 74
Tie Idaho 2
24. Tennessee 72
52. South Dakota 1
25. North Carolina 68
Tie Alaska 1
26. Minnesota 56
Tie Canada 1
27. Arizona 52
55. Utah 0
28. Oklahoma 48
Tie Virgin Islands 0
E-mail us at TheVeteran@vva.org