Let’s talk Social Media.  I know this may be long, but it is informative, so please take the time to read..
I’m often asked, how did you, with less than a few months in the VFW, take a declining VFW post from 50 members to 124 members in 3 years?  First, I didn’t do it by myself, it started with two of us.  Yes, just two, but it must start somewhere, and we were motivated.  
Three short months after joining the VFW, the outgoing Commander thought I would make a great replacement for him because he was still active and PCSing.  I was lucky and just before I joined, another member joined and was elected to be the new Quartermaster.  I owe much of my success to my friend, my brother, Adam St. Pierre (your current State Buddy Poppy Chair).
Along with many other shortfalls, Adam and I realized that to reach more Veterans, we needed to establish a Facebook Page for our VFW Post.  Keep in mind, this was before VFW Facebook pages/groups were prevalent.  So, with the help of my wife and daughters, I created a VFW Facebook page for non-profit organizations for our VFW Post.  Once created, I added my QM, Adam, as an administrator.
From there, we decided that we would do Facebook Posts for anything the Post was doing no matter how minute or trivial.  If I wasn’t posting, Adam was.  We started sharing other things that were going on in the community from other Facebook pages and in turn, those other local companies started sharing things that we were doing.
Wouldn’t you know it, things really started to take off from there.  Why?  It’s actually easier than you think.  The Social Media connection.  With Social Media, you are able to reach people that you didn’t even know were out there and listening.
Is that the only reason for my VFW Post’s success, well no; but was it a major contributing factor that opened a lot of doors? ABSOLUTELY!
Look at the current All-American list that I just posted on Facebook recently.  Search those posts in Google and every one of them, the first Google link is their Facebook.  Go to their Facebook and take a gander and see the constant flow of information they are posting.  Most of them are daily, 2-3 times a week or at the most weekly.
Knowledge is the key to success, ask any successful company or organization.  But, like I used to tell the Soldiers I was mentoring, "Knowledge is only as good as it’s dissemination.” If I keep it to myself, that knowledge that I gained is wasted.  Social Media gives us that opportunity to share that knowledge to people we don’t know and don’t even have contact with in any other forum.
So, the key to a successful Social Media platform is Share Often, Share Facts, Share Experiences, Share Events and never assume what you want to share is already known, because that one person you may reach, may be the next Post Commander to take your VFW Post to the next level.

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DEPARTMENT FOOD PANTRY

 The Department hosts the Mid-Mo Military Family Pantry at our Department Headquarters, 3401 Knipp Drive, Jefferson City, MO.  The Pantry is open on Thursdays from 4:00 to 6:00 pm.  However, if a veteran or his family is in immediate need, they can call the Department office at 573-636-8761 for assistance.  We will do accept cold food donations.