Post 18, Springfield, Vt.: Post 18 had been inactive for 16 years, but in September, a team of department personnel that included Department Commander Royal Scheeley, Senior Vice Commander Edward Brown, Legion College graduate and county commander Robert Cassidy, Past Department Commander Dick Farmer, and National staff conducted revitalization activities. These included recruiting new post members, electing post officers, and conducting a social and orientation meeting. A list of prospective members was developed using an expired and active headquarters members roster, with additional referrals provided by the new members. A local cable-TV community access station assisted in revitalization efforts by airing a special segment about American Legion-sponsored programs, services and activities. The TV spot also included the date, time and place for Post 18's first social and orientation meeting. The effort resulted in 12 new members and eight headquarters post transfers. The post is now conducting scheduled meetings in Springfield's community center, under Farmer's leadership.

Post 20, Brunswick, Maine: Post 20 has no post home and hadn't had a meeting for 18 months. So when Department Senior Vice Commander Daniel Ayotte, experienced membership volunteer Bob Morrill and National staff began conducting revitalization activities, they recruited new members by going door to door and establishing contact with all expired members, including headquarters post members. Referrals from newly signed members were used to develop a prospect list for recruiting additional members. After a solid membership recruiting drive, a post social and orientation meeting was conducted for all interested post members and their families. During the meeting, new members received information about various post officer responsibilities, as well as information on American Legion programs, services and activities. The effort resulted in the post getting eight new members, seven transfers and 11 renewals.

Post 196, Myrtle Beach, S.C.: The efforts of the Department of South Carolina and national staff members proved to be a great success in the creation of a new American Legion post in Myrtle Beach. Myrtle Beach, with a population of over 30,000 veterans, previously had no American Legion post within a 40-mile stretch of the beach line. Prior to arriving, national staff mailed out more than 2,000 letters to delinquent and headquarters post members who reside within the five ZIP codes of Myrtle Beach. The membership effort also received publicity in the community newspaper. The Myrtle Beach Chapter of the Disabled American Veterans donated their building for Post 196 to meet in; the building also served as the site for an open house/social, featuring two county service officers, on the second night. Two teams spent the days combing through the delinquent memberships. Despite adverse weather conditions, more than 250 attempts by phone or door-to-door canvassing were made. Most of the headquarters post members who were reached became charter members of the new post. A total of 27 members were signed up to Post 196; a majority of them were from the Vietnam War era or were younger veterans. Several of the new members have expressed an interest in filling officer roles and were provided guidance on available positions. In addition to national staff, Department of South Carolina Legionnaires took part in the effort, including Department Commander Bud Hennis, Department Second Vice Commander Mickey Taylor, and Legionnaires Perry McCory and Craig Wise.

Posts 564 and 278, Warren, Ohio: Both had been viable posts in what was once a community of 72,000. During the better part of the prosperous manufacturing years of the 1960s and 1970s and into the 1980s, the posts were active in providing services to veterans and their families and in sponsoring a Legion Baseball program. Warren's population declined, due to lack of employment opportunities. With an unemployment rate at 25 percent, it dwindled to less than 42,000. The memberships at Posts 564 and 278 had dropped along with it. Realizing that Warren had retained a good veteran population, the community was selected by the Legion county commander for both posts to receive assistance through a revitalization effort. A team of Legionnaires from neighboring posts in the area was headed by the county commander and assisted by two national-staff members. Post 564 was selected to be the startup post, with Post 278 to follow as the weeklong event unfolded. Revitalization activities commenced with a visit to City Hall, where an interview and meeting between the revitalization team and a veteran who served on the city council was conducted and covered by the local media. Press coverage by the local newspaper and TV station was very good and most helpful in getting out the message as to how both the community and its veterans would benefit from the revitalization efforts. The revitalization team worked from expired and active headquarters-post membership leads and through known-veteran referrals. Veterans were contacted and signed up for membership in the post of their choice. The revitalization process concluded with a social and orientation luncheon being held for new Post 564 members, prospective members and the post mentors. Post 278 increased its membership by 23, and Post 564 found a place to hold meetings and increased its membership by seven. With the renewed interest in both of these posts, they are expected to become viable service-oriented entities of the community of Warren.