Starting a New Branch

In undertaking to organize a branch, your first step would likely be to make contact with whatever members there are in your area to invite them to meet each other. The names of members and lapsed members are available from national office. The first meeting might be a discussion or feature a speaker. Try to find a local angle. The over-riding objective is to work toward a founding members meeting which would adopt a constitution, and elect an official board of directors, and finally seek recognition as a bona fide branch from the national board.

Typically a branch has four officers - President, Vice-President, Treasurer, and Secretary, who are encouraged to act as chairs of the following committees: Membership, Education, Publicity, and Political Action.

A good way to expand the branch is to have regular educational meetings to which the public is invited. This outline of a typical meeting might help your organizational efforts.