The Niceville, Fla., American Legion Auxiliary and American Legion were struggling to attract new members. This problem was especially vexing considering their proximity to one of the largest military bases in the world.
 
“We’re on a busy highway,” said Deborah Miniaci, president and membership chair of Niceville’s ALA Unit 221. “We’ve been there since 1946, and we have Eglin Air Force Base here. But I have people who have told me they’ve driven by the post for 30 years and had no idea what we were.”
 
The Legion Family in Niceville decided that the very circumstance that made this lack of awareness and interest especially frustrating also presented a golden opportunity. Thanks to the community’s proximity to the Air Force base, military veterans and their families were everywhere. 
 
They just needed to reach them.
 
The American Legion Family decided that meant visiting places where those with ties to the military are likely to be. Additionally, the groups have hosted two activities that have helped them generate interest and membership — between September 2024 and February 2025, ALA Unit 221’s membership increased by 54.

Burger nights
To attract people to burger nights and get the community talking about the Legion Family, the Auxiliary created cards that members of the Legion and ALA hand out to veterans when they see them in stores. These cards are good for a burger and fries or onion rings at the post. ALA members prepare sides for the meals, help in the kitchen, and take orders during the events.
 
Burger nights offer the local Legion Family the opportunity to let those in attendance know about the work the groups do in the community to support veterans and their loved ones. They also discuss membership eligibility requirements — and have applications ready for those who want to join.

Membership days
The American Legion hosts open houses, which it calls membership days. Once a month, the ALA is the featured group at these activities, and its members typically have a theme for their events. For example, Christmas in July offered donated baked goods for sale. A holiday membership event featured Christmas dinner, with wrapped gifts as door prizes.
 
At each open house, members of the Legion Family greet guests and answer questions about the organizations. Miniaci said one or two people generally become new members of the featured group at each of the events.
 
Miniaci attributes the success of these activities to the collaborative spirit behind them and to the commitment to getting — and keeping — people’s interest when they attend. 
 
“We get people to realize that we take care of our veterans and the community,” she said. 
 
 

5 key points for planning membership events
Interested in hosting events to attract new members to your ALA unit? Deborah Miniaci, president of Auxiliary Unit 221 in Niceville, Fla., has these suggestions:
 
1. Open your doors. Host some activities that nonmembers can attend.
2. Build relationships. Staff events with members who engage with visitors.
3. Publicize on social media. Complement in-person work with an online presence.
4. Make changes as needed. Stay open to making tweaks to improve processes.
5. Treat newcomers with respect. Make new members feel welcome and accepted.