Dozens of New Members to Join Post 43 In Large Induction Ceremony March 16
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. - In another historic moment for Post 43, up to 75 new members will be inducted into the American Legion during a special meeting in the post auditorium Thursday, March 16 at 7 p.m. Afterwards, there will be a cocktail mixer held in the Art Deco Bar to welcome our new comrades and celebrate Post 43.
A new member induction ceremony in the post auditorium in the 1940s.
The biggest such ceremony in recent memory in the storied post theater, the large number of new applicants recently received required the meeting to be held upstairs in the auditorium. “It's been decades since the auditorium was used for a member induction ceremony, making this a really special moment in the post’s history," said 1st Vice Cmdr. Fernando Rivero, Post 43's membership chair.
Hitting a milestone of 800 members last month, the post is nearing the goal of 1,000 members by the 2019 centennial, set three years ago by the Executive Committee.
“This influx in membership applications really speaks to the quality of current members who are bringing in vets they know, the new post website, which allows prospective members to join right online, and a surge in district revitalization transfers,” said Michael Hjelmstad, Post 43 2nd Vice Cmdr. and the 24th District's 1st Vice. Recently, with the assistance of department and national Legion membership staff, 19 Legion members-at-large transferred directly to Post 43.
Hollywood is one of the few posts in the American Legion that is growing its membership in the face of declining rolls nationwide. Even so, membership growth remains a challenge as we face attrition from members who do not renew their membership or pass on to "Post Everlasting."
Please plan on joining us March 16th. The post is hoping to get a good showing of current Legion Family members to share in this momentous occasion. “We want to get as many members to come out and share in this moment and welcome those coming into the post,” Hjelmstad said.
Special thanks goes to our adjutant, Karl Risinger, and office assistant, Jerry Mullins for their hard work in processing the large influx of applications.