Historian Duties • Media Relations

The member responsible for Historian & Media Relations duties is a

memory keeper and collector of the five Ws: the who-what-where-when- why of your Auxiliary. These individuals compile and chronicle memories and events in written and digital formats, including photographs, memorabilia, print news, audio and/or video clips and social media posts.

The Historian & Media Relations member captures the narrative of the Program Year. At the Auxiliary, District and Department levels, these members are the members

who get the word out about the Auxiliary to our communities. They inform the public about our

valuable National Programs.

Auxiliary and District Historian & Media Relations:

This member keeps a written report of the history of their Auxiliary or

District and submits this to their respective President at the end of the

year. Supplemental material can include photographs and newspaper

clippings that document special Auxiliary events.

Who should you contact about Auxiliary news?

Learn the names of reporters who cover stories most similar to yours and

tailor your own list of media contacts. Send information directly to these

contacts rather than the editor, news staff who specialize in relevant areas,

like society and calendar page editors, are more likely to be receptive to

including auxiliary events. Feel free to send a reporter a personal email and

be sure to include your contact information.

Photography Tips:

Photos should be clear and sharp, at least 1 MB (megabyte) in size and taken with attention to detail. Avoid the following photo faux paus:

• Closed eyes

• Mouths open or full of food

• Distracting objects in the frame or awkward placement of people or things (e.g., trees popping out of someone's head, bunny ears, etc.)

• Offensive language on articles of clothing

For the media relations piece of this role, a great place to start is MALTA Member Resources.

 The VFW Auxiliary Publicity Guide includes lots of valuable information and ideas to promote your Auxiliary.

 The VFW Auxiliary Elevator Speech/What We Do summarizes who we are, what we do and how we describe ourselves as an organization to the media.

 Website and social media information - There are a lot of resources here, everything from the basics to setting up a Facebook page for your Auxiliary.