The Governance of the camp and the SCV organization relies on an up-to-date constitution which is broad and resistant to changes whereas the Policy Manual (available on scv.org website under forms and documents) provides specific instruction and is more easily revised. At the camp level, EC meetings should be conducted monthly before each camp meeting. Officers should know their job responsibilities and be effective communicators (thru newsletters, internet and emails and phone). There should be continuous training of new leaders thru leadership workshops and using the scvli.org curriculum.
The Goals of the camp should provide a vision for where you want to be a year from now in terms of membership, finances, and education. Education should include outreach to local schools (including the JROTC Hunley awards) and the public at large. Outreach to the community can include service projects such as renovation and upkeep of Confederate cemeteries and monuments but may also include contemporary projects like Adopt-a-Highway and joining the Chamber of Commerce. These outreach efforts will help raise community awareness of the SCV.
The Goodwill of the camp is a result or closely related to the outreach efforts in regards to the community but goodwill may also be expressed within the SCV and friends of the SCV and within your own camp to fellow members. Each camp activity should pass a 3 question test - does it honor the memory of the Confederate soldier, does it allow us to tell his story and, does it contribute to fraternity. But, we must recognize that despite our best intentions to sincerely express our goodwill to the community, we will be criticized and persecuted by some elements.
Which leads to the Guts of the camp and our membership. Our ancestors showed guts to leave their families and charge the enemy. We must follow the Charge.
The fifth G of a successful camp is Growth which Kelly addressed in his prior presentation on recruitment and retention. Field Representative JM provided his spirited high-energy inspirational ideas and instruction on Camp Growth, Stability and Member Retention. J had addressed a Dragoons camp meeting and he presented many of the same points but he emphasized that it is imperative to provide a good program with good speakers for each camp meeting and to invite people and bring them with you to camp meetings and functions. Every officer should take the names of a half dozen members or past members and call them prior to each meeting to extend special invitations. The Google shared drive will provide a resource for additional good programs and presenters. Every month there should be a focus on camp goals, camaraderie and the program and the membership should be informed of the upcoming camp meeting and the featured speaker with an interesting biography of the guest speaker. Potential camp meetings and events might include a Ladies Night with a program geared more toward the interests of our significant others, a "Find Your Confederate Ancestor Fair" for recruiting and copies of the Confederate Veteran magazine should be provided to visitors at recruiting booths and tables at gun shows and cityfests. J again had some great quotables including, "The War was between the Americans and the thieving lying Yankees. The Constitution was penned by Southerners and contains unchangeable truths. We are members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, an Historical Honor Society." Good stuff and more great ideas.
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Lt.Commander Kelly Barrow Addresses the SCV National Leadership Conference |
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