There was a comment posted with regards to virtual posts... i thought that was a great point to discuss here so here are my two cents...
Virtual Post vs. Virtual Community
I recently became aware of many legionnaires, posts, districts, and departments wanting to test out the idea of a “virtual post”. Florida has actually put together one of these and you can visit one of them at http://post401.ning.com/
You can also visit the following virtual posts hosted on ning.com:
Colorado Department virtual community: http://colegion.ning.com/
DC Post 1 http://americanlegionpost1.ning.com/
And http://americanlegionpost133.ning.com/
There are a few things to remember when you are planning and executing a virtual post:
- It is not a virtual post alone. If you strictly focus your effort on reaching members online it will be difficult. If you combine your virtual tools with a visible community presence, your virtual post will be successful with a reinforced purpose from the grassroots activities your post carry… this is why we are encouraging these different virtual posts to carry visible initiatives to enhance their virtual outreach… DC post 1 has done poker games, bike rides, golf outings… this combined with their various user groups on ning, myspace, facebook, has help their membership to increase.
- Use your virtual post as a way to communicate and lead your members. This is a place where you can update your event calendars, let people know of post involvements in the community, solicit feedbacks, and drive discussions for your post… if your post lack a post home, you can also use the virtual tools to host meetings, contact your members etc…
- Be sure to keep your virtual post site updated frequently… if you post some information and leave it behind, no one will want to be part of it… here is a real life criticism for DC post 1: First impressions now that I’ve transferred in.
“24 hours later no welcome message, not even an automated welcome.
Looks like it was born September 2007 and died November 2007.
Last post in the forums was Nov 2007.
Last meeting was posted as being Dec 6th 2007. And I don’t have a clue how or where the meetings are held.
Post’s MySpace page was last logged into in May.
Total membership appears to be 23.
It’s almost like it doesn’t enjoy much support and is intentionally hidden as it has no mention on National website and isn’t even listed in the post directory. I’m waiting for responses to my e-mails and to see if I actually get a new membership card…stay tuned” --internet user
o From this you can see that even if you have a virtual post, communication is very important to get new members excited about your post…
to conclude, i recommend that you build a virtual post as a tool to help your actual post succeed... you have to build it with some tangable real life purpose.. Department of Colorado built their virtual post to anticipate the new GI Bill intatives and is attempting to combine virtual interactiosn with student veterans outreach.. that is only one of the many great ways to build and sustain a virtual presence for The American Legion
Monday, November 24, 2008
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Do not post messages/items that are unlawful, harassing, defamatory, or abusive.
Do not post Hate Speech, defines as "any comments intended to degrade, intimidate, or incite violence or prejudicial action against a person or group of people based on their race, gender, age, ethnicity, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, language ability, moral or political views, socioeconomic class, occupation or appearance.
"No spamming or flooding. Don't repost the same message/items or very similar messages/items, more than once. Relevance. Interesting posts that are off the current topic are acceptable. When that happens, we'll try to start another thread, and move the comments over. However, banal or repetitive off-topic posts lower the value of the conversation for everyone and may be removed.
No impersonating. Impersonating someone is not acceptable (however, impersonation of comical intent will be tolerated with reserved right to censor and/or reject base on our interpretations).
Links. Do not post stupid random links.
Copyright and the law. You own the copyright in your postings, but you also agree to grant to The American Legion a perpetual, royalty-free, non-exclusive, sublicenseable right and license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, perform, play, and exercise all copyright and publicity rights with respect to any such work worldwide and/or to incorporate it in other works in any media now known or later developed for the full term of any rights that may exist in such content. In other words, if you post a good comment, we may use it in our publications. If you do not wish to grant such rights, do not post to this site. You may not violate, plagiarize, or infringe on the rights of third parties including copyright, trademark, trade secret, privacy, personal, publicity, or proprietary rights. Phew.
Standing Orders:
Constitutions and By-laws. The American Legion is a resolution based grassroots organization. As such, The American Legion National Commander is the only spokesperson of the organization. Although personal comments and voices of dissent are welcome, any posted messages/items, implicitly or explicitly denoting representation of the whole organization not adhering to the resolutions passed by the National Executive Committee will be removed without notification.
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