George Tadlock Unit 472

George Tadlock (formerly East Palo Alto) Unit #472 begins as an idea of the Girls State Counseling Staff of 2005. Many of these women are former Girls State Citizens and act as counselors for the program. They find the work accomplished by the American Legion Auxiliary to be compelling, especially this particular program of citizenship training on the processes of city and state government.

They want to do more for the program and for the ALA by supporting an alumnae association, seeking funding, and having input into the groundwork necessary to provide the annual Girls State to approximately 540 young women from California high schools. As members of the ALA, they know they can accomplish these goals and participate in all the programs of this organization they respect.

During the 2005 California Girls State session held in Southern California several counselors discussed their interest in belonging to the American Legion Auxiliary so they would be able to more fully support the GS program. They brainstormed the idea of having a Unit which would allow members from various communities throughout the United States. This concept was supported by the handful of counselors who were also ALA members.

During the summer months, Past Department President Linda Workman approaches George Tadlock (formerly East Palo Alto) Post #472, District 26, about sponsoring the new e-unit. She carefully explains the concept and successfully receives the Post's support. On August 15, 2005, Commander Carlo Flores assists by forwarding a letter to the ALA Department Headquarters requesting the necessary paperwork to begin the charter process.

On Tuesday, November 15, 2005, Kerry Finley, a long-time counselor and former Girls State Citizen, emails to about 140 women who have an interest in the American Legion Auxiliary. She announces the history-making formation of a new American Legion Auxiliary Unit which will operate electronically. This e-unit will have the required nine meetings each year, but will do so by teleconferencing, e-mail, and fax. It plans to meet twice each year in a physical location :: once, in April for elections of officers and delegates and again, during the Girls State Session for installation. The volunteer work the members do in their own communities, and especially in East Palo Alto, will benefit the ALA programs.

During the final weeks of November, President Kerry works closely with Past Department President Linda Workman and Past Department Secretary/Treasurer Lou Thompson. They establish the means by which potential members are able to obtain the application and transferring members, the Member Data Form. To conform with the electronic concept, both forms and all instructions are published to the new Web site. As a major component of the new Unit's communications, the site includes pages for all officers and chairmen, programs, business, links to other vital sites such as the National and Department Headquarters, and membership.

The new concept is shared with friends and family members. Within two weeks, the Unit has more than the minimum number of ten new members and the charter application work starts.

The first ballot process of the Unit begins on Monday, December 5, 2005. Published to the Web site is a balloting page which includes the ballot measure title and link to the document, a description about how the process will occur and the ballot, a Submit form. Acting President Kerry emails to all the members on record informing them of the issue on the floor. They are sent to the balloting page on the Web site. This first vote is to accept the Temporary Bylaws of the newly forming Unit. The final result of this first ballot is approval with 13 of 13 Senior members voting.

The Acting President appoints as Acting Secretary/Treasurer, Sherry Schneider. She also begins appointing members to the various program chairmanships while continuing to accept charter membership which remains open through Thursday, December 15, 2005.

On December 19, 2005, Past Department President Linda Workman hand carries the New Charter Packet to the Department Headquarters in San Francisco. She works closely with the Department Secretary/Treasurer to prepare the packet for presentation to National Headquarters. The charter application, membership materials, and required Department forms are carefully inspected, making sure that all information is included.

The next day using the established URL (Uniform Resource Locator) at http://alaunit472.org the Unit members begin to share this new concept with others in the American Legion Auxiliary.

Critical to the success of the Unit is the Web site. It will provide the venue by which the members will get information. A member who has good computer skills and experience using the Internet and e-mail is the best person to establish the site.

It is not necessary to have a special Web design program. AT&T Yahoo Small Business provides every tool you'll need to create, personalize and publish the new site.

Yahoo Group Forum

Start a Yahoo Group

How to Create a Poll (PDF)

The members need to be able to communicate with one another. The Yahoo Group Forum offers several solutions to accomplishing some of the Unit business.

Yahoo Messenger

Tips for Using Yahoo Messenger
(PDF)


Unit 472 currently using 10.x version

Yahoo! Messenger is an all-in-one communication tool, and anyone, anywhere in the world, with a computer and Internet connection can use it.

All Unit meetings are conducted using Yahoo Messenger. There are other programs available for conducting a conference. Search for Web Conferencing, Windows Live Messenger, etc.

Meetings

Guidelines for
e-Meetings
(PDF)

The first general meeting of the Unit presents many challenges — How will all members have access to the agenda? How will they be able to participate in discussion? What if there is a motion from a member? How will the Unit President insure that the standard order of business will be maintained? How do the chairmen and officers make reports?

The time-frame for the first meeting must be long enough for all members (even those in Australia, Alaska, and New York) to be able to participate. At first a 24-hour period, between 12 noon (PT) on Thursday, February 2, 2006 to 12 noon the following day, is determined as the best way to allow access by all members to the meeting and discussion. A plan for the possibility of motions being made includes extending the meeting time by a 24-hour period to allow for building an online ballot, discussion, and voting.

After trying the 24-hour approach, the Unit members voted to conduct meetings to begin at a certain hour on a certain day each month. It was agreed that the meetings would run no more than two hours unless a vote of those in attendance to extend the time was approved.

The entire meeting is published to the Web site prior to the opening. See the Meetings page for an example.

Executive Board meetings are held as called for. They are conducted in the same way as a regular meeting with the exception that only one or two agenda items are allowed. All members are invited to attend and all have voice. It is only the Executive Committee which may vote.

The officers and chairmen provide reports/bulletins for each meeting. They send the documents to the president and webmaster the weekend prior to the meeting. The webmaster publishes the reports to the Meetings page. Between meetings, officers and chairmen communicate with the membership via Yahoo Groups.

The week before a meeting, reminders are sent to members using various methods including email and e-cards.

Officers and chairmen bring information about programs and activities to each meeting. The members are encouraged to participate in any and all the suggested ways to get the ALA work accomplished.

A member in Southern California works for the Girls State program by being the chairman and soliciting several sponsorships so that the e-unit is able to send nine delegates. Another member is the San Diego area actively participates in Veterans Day parades, VA hospitals and Poppy Days. A member in the Sierras publishes the newsletter, is Americanism and Public Relations chairman and acts as the unit chaplain. A member in Colorado is the executive committee woman and also works as the Chief Counselor at the Department Girls State Sessions. A member living near the East Palo Alto Post, chairs Education and manages a book drive for local libraries. Members take on the requests of the program chairmen by giving coffee gift cards to military personnel on Make a Difference Day, purchasing bracelets to support CMN, crocheting lap robes for California VA Hospitals, buying a cup of hot chocolate for homeless people who can't get into shelters during the winter months.

These examples are few compared to what the e-unit members accomplish during an ALA year. This e-unit proves that it's possible to get the work done and win awards at the District, Department, Division, and National levels.

If you are interested in starting an e-unit and would like to have more support, please feel free to contact this unit's webmaster.

You are strongly encouraged to look through this site of more than 100 pages and several hundred links. While doing so, take notes about what you like and don't like. Jot down questions.