Message From The Chairman
Hello A-PLUS Members and Friends!
As we start the process of winding down this calendar year, we have much to be thankful for. We can all be thankful for God allowing us to celebrate 37 years of dedicated service to our members and affiliates.
Much appreciation to each Region for the outstanding growth throughout the year and particularly during the ½ price membership drive. We nearly topped the 1000-member mark!
We now must turn the page and look forward to starting the process over again – the process of RECRUITING, RETAINING AND RECLAIMING! We are now at the point of collecting memberships for 2025. In that are two reminders that I would like to offer: 1- please complete your application and pay now for your 2025 membership and 2- please complete your application and pay now for your 2025 membership. You have now heard that twice. The sooner you take care of your yearly fiduciary responsibility, the quicker we can concentrate on reaching out to that next future member or reclaiming that member from yesteryear.
A-PLUS, is it still effective today? Absolutely! There will always be the opportunity to help prepare those individuals for the next position. I thank my A-PLUS family for the moral support as I go through my current reduction-in-force with the postal service. The prayers, the thoughtful words of encouragement- those are the things that pushed me through the process. Because of A-PLUS, I walked into the process more prepared than ever.
In conclusion, let’s look forward to a bright 2025, as we see the USPS change, we too need to change. Expect to see A-PLUS take on new ventures, so we can better assist YOU! While I remain in office I’ll continue to use the below words as my mantra. Be blessed!
A– Aim high, set the goals for your level and work hard to achieve those goals. Successful chapters will create successful regions. Successful regions will create a successful national brand.
P– Plan for membership. New members, as mentioned above equals sustainability. The previous Chairperson, our now National President Debra Clayton stated this plan in her last address to the body: RECRUITING, RETAINING AND RECLAIMING! Be loud and proud as you speak of A-PLUS and what it can do for others.
L– Learn as you serve. Learn more of the A-PLUS history, learn more about the people you serve with. God has gifted us all to serve. Do not sit idle and let someone else do the work that you have a true passion for.
U– Use available resources. There is a plethora of knowledge available in this tight-knit A-PLUS community. We can learn from those gone on to glory. We can learn from our current living founders. We have members with zero to 40 years of A-PLUS history within them, and members from coast to coast, utilize these resources and experiences.
S– Stay the course. As an individual we may not always agree with every decision, but I ask that you think of the organization as a whole. We may get tired and weary but think of the bricks we are adding to the A-PLUS legacy.
A-PLUS LOVE,
Alan C. Lewis
A-PLUS Chairman of the Board