Re: Royal Canadian Legion - Topics & Posted Articles

by Kingway Wed 29 Mar 2023, 4:37 pm

Sault Ste. Marie Royal Canadian Legion branches out into affordable housing for veterans

'It's definitely a project of the heart,' says branch vice-president

CBC News · Posted: Mar 29, 2023

Royal Canadian Legion - Topics & Posted Articles - Page 23 Branch-25-sault-ste-marie

CBC News

by **Joker** Sat 01 Apr 2023, 9:03 am

Barrie's Royal Canadian Legion gears up for Spring Convention, looks to attract new members

Molly Frommer
CTVNews.ca Barrie Video Journalist

Published March 31, 2023

CTV News Barrie

by **Luxray** Thu 20 Jul 2023, 3:18 pm

The Royal Canadian Legion Partners with the Juno Beach Centre to Honour Modern Veterans

Faces of Canada Today explores the resilience, transformation, and diversity of the country our Veterans helped build

July 20, 2023

OTTAWA, July 20, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Juno Beach Centre (JBC), Canada’s Second World War museum and memorial in Normandy, France and The Royal Canadian Legion are proud to announce a new partnership supporting the renewal of Faces of Canada Today. The JBC recently announced this major renewal and renovation of the permanent exhibition space in time for the 80th anniversary of D-Day in June 2024.

One section of the exhibition will focus on the culture of remembrance and the history of the poppy symbol in Canada from the First World War to the present day. The Legion’s poppy design is an integral part of our remembrance culture in Canada. It is therefore central to the design of this exhibition – visitors who enter the space will be drawn to a large poppy installation made up of smaller floating poppies. Below this poppy, visitors will be invited to dedicate a virtual poppy to someone who fell in the service of Canada.

The Royal Canadian Legion has approved this use of the poppy trademark and has contributed $100,000 to the exhibition renewal project.

“Promoting Remembrance and thanking our Veterans is at the very heart of what we do,” says Bruce Julian, Dominion President of The Royal Canadian Legion. “We were pleased to hear of the changes coming to this important experiential exhibit, including the focus on diversity, and we are proud to play a supportive role in its rejuvenation.”

“The Royal Canadian Legion has been an important partner for the Juno Beach Centre since its inception,” says Alexander Fitzgerald-Black, Executive Director of the Juno Beach Centre Association. “We are thrilled that The Royal Canadian Legion supports Faces of Canada Today, a ringing endorsement for a project aimed at making our commemorative site more welcoming to modern Veterans.”

Since the JBC opened to the public in 2003, Faces of Canada Today has showcased Canada’s evolution after the war, and has helped visitors understand how over 1 million Veterans (in our country of 11 million in 1945) helped build Canada. However, the contents of the exhibition were created in the late 1990s and are now outdated and missing many significant events in Canadian history over the past 20 years.

The renewed exhibition will demonstrate that the service of modern Veterans – those thousands of Canadians who have worn the uniform since 1945 – continues to inform Canadian identity. Whether during the Cold War, through the United Nations and NATO missions, or during the war in Afghanistan, Canadians have continued to serve.

In addition, the exhibition will better present the whole of modern Canada, including the roles of Indigenous peoples and the post-war waves of diverse immigrants. It will also cover how our nation grew out of the values Second World War Veterans brought when they returned to build a better, more welcoming, and peaceful Canada during the post-war decades.

The renewed Faces of Canada Today exhibition will be completed in early 2024. A grand opening will be held around the 80th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy. Details to follow.

“When you take a look at bridging the gap between those that served before us and those that serve now, we’re in a different time in history. What we are asked to do is different. But the core Canadian values are still there, you help others; you do your best to make places better. That’s the obligation we have.” - Major Christopher Carriere, CD, Medical Officer, 28 Field Ambulance, served in several peacekeeping missions and deployments including Cyprus, Bosnia, Kuwait.

ABOUT THE JUNO BEACH CENTRE

The Juno Beach Centre was established in 2003 as a permanent memorial to all Canadians who were part of the Allied victory in the Second World War, and to preserve this legacy for future generations through education. The Centre in Normandy, France, pays homage to the nearly 45,000 Canadians who died during the War, including 5,500 during the Battle of Normandy and 381 on D-Day. Twenty years and more than 1.3 million visitors later, the Centre has been designated a site of national historic significance to Canada. It is owned and operated by the Juno Beach Centre Association, a registered charitable organization based in Burlington, ON, Canada. To learn more, please visit www.junobeach.org.

ABOUT THE ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION

Founded in 1925, the Legion is Canada’s largest Veteran support and community service organization. We are a non-profit organization with a national reach and 1,350 branches across Canada, the U.S. and Europe. With 250,000 members, many of whom volunteer an extraordinary amount of time, our strength is in our numbers. To learn more, please visit www.legion.ca.

GLOBE NEWSWIRE

by Enforcer Thu 27 Jul 2023, 11:39 am

Branch 25 Legion construction continues in the Sault

Mike McDonald . Published July 26, 2023

Construction of the new Royal Canadian Legion Branch 25 in Sault Ste. Marie could be finished earlier than expected.

Members of the branch executive received an update this week on the project, which will not only house the branch, but will also provide affordable housing for local veterans and Legion members.

"It could be as soon as December," said newly appointed Branch 25 president Pierre Breckenridge.

"The actual contract is for completion by June 2024, but we believe it will be much sooner."

The streetscape along Great Northern Road is looking different as construction moves along at an accelerated pace on the nine-storey, 107-unit complex.

Branch 25 Legion is being temporarily housed at the Marconi Cultural Event Centre during construction.

"We're quite pleased with our temporary location here at the Marconi," said Breckenridge.

"They've treated us very well."

CTV News

by Geoman Mon 25 Sep 2023, 5:01 pm

Nearly $35K defrauded from Toronto-area Royal Canadian Legion by former branch president, treasurer: police

Phil Tsekouras . Published Sept. 25, 2023

Royal Canadian Legion - Topics & Posted Articles - Page 23 Legions-1-5029010-1695665156592

CTV News Toronto

by Dalton Wed 18 Oct 2023, 6:54 am

Paying a visit to the Legion's Poppy Store

The poppy is the symbol we wear to honour veterans, but the Royal Canadian Legion has all kinds of Remembrance Day paraphernalia.

Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023

CTV News Video Clip

by **Vmaxocalz** Fri 20 Oct 2023, 4:55 pm

Vandalism plagues Fredericton Legion, N.B., town

Laura Brown . Published Oct. 20, 2023

Royal Canadian Legion - Topics & Posted Articles - Page 23 Vandals-1-6610527-1697830151064

CTV News Atlantic

by Scout Mon 30 Oct 2023, 8:35 am

Cape Breton legion in danger of closing as membership declines

Kyle Moore . Published Oct. 29, 2023

CTV News Atlantic

by Kingway Sun 05 Nov 2023, 4:39 pm

Some legions struggling to pay the bills as membership declines

Annie Bergeron-Oliver . Published Nov. 5, 2023

For generations, the legion has been a community gathering spot for veterans and their families, but some legion branches now say declining membership and mounting bills are creating mounting stress.

Ottawa's Centretown Legion, known as Montgomery Branch 351, offers its members a range of services from Euchre tournaments to tax clinics, and education on fraud and identity theft. But a broken elevator and an estimated $100,000 repair bill mean some of its most loyal members can no longer enter the mulit-storey facility.

The branch's president, Dennis Sirman, says many of the branch's members are veterans in their 80s and 90s.

Sirman says the branch has basically emptied its savings to pay for the repairs, but it is still short. That's why a crowdfunding campaign has been launched.

Without a functioning elevator, many private groups that bring in revenue are hesitant to book space. The branch says it can cover its bills and still has around 300 members, but that there is stress every month when the bills are due.

"We had some momentum going and were actually several months in the black and then the elevator failed," he said.

The Montgomery branch is not alone in its financial stress or in its efforts to reach further into the community to help raise money.

Branch 5 Legion, in Donkin, N.S., has served veterans since 1927 but its building is aging and maintenance costs are getting harder to cover with declining membership.

“The veterans fought for us. We should keep this legion going because they fought for us, so we could be here and safe,” said Tanya Clements, the second vice president for Branch 5 Legion.

Last year, a local radio station in Edmonton raised enough money through three meat draws to help Edmonton's Kingsway Legion, Branch 175, get back into the black. But facing utility bills of roughly $16,000 a month, the branch's president says pressure is mounting again.

"We have a problem and that's going to become our next big bugbear, making sure that we have sufficient funds to pay those big bills," said the branch's president, Robert (Mac) Torrie. "It's very stressful. It keeps the manager asking where are we going to find the money."

Torrie says the branch is trying to get creative in coming up with new fundraising and revenue streams. But membership and the pool of volunteers, he says, are not going in the right direction.

"We have a lot of card carrying members and if it wasn't for associate and affiliate members a lot of legions would be closed", he said. “Unfortunately we just don’t have the veterans ... those born in the 90s and on, they just don't seem to be interested in joining the legion. They saw that as their grandfather's drinking place, or grandmother's."

Each legion branch is independently operated from the Royal Canadian Legion and run mainly by dedicated volunteers.

"The legion's main purpose is to keep remembrance going and to assist any veteran in time of need, either financially or morally," said Torrie, whose legion branch does have some paid employees.

The Royal Canadian Legion says that while individual branches may face hardship due to rising operational costs and changing community demographics, a spokesperson says the legion as a whole has actually seen a five per cent growth in membership year-over-year over the past two years.

"The legion is seeing membership growth at every provincial command across the country," said Nujma Bond, communications manager for the Royal Canadian Legion. "Branches are run primarily by volunteers and can face localized challenges, but their unique situations do not translate into a current problem across the country."

Over the past 12 months, the Royal Canadian Legion says only four of its more than 1,350 branches have closed and some, including one at UBC, have opened.

Sirman's old Ottawa legion branch closed in June 2020 and he hopes branches remain a community staple for decades to come. The family that is created at a legion, he says, needs to be preserved and cherished.

"Every time you lose a legion, you lose that centre point, or community point," he said. "It's frustrating because sometimes you throw your hands up in disgust and say, ‘What can I do?’ Then you have a successful karaoke night or a celebration of life for a long-time member and it restores the energy that you have to keep moving forward."

With files from CTV News Atlantic's Kyle Moore

CTV National News

by **Zoneforce** Tue 07 Nov 2023, 4:55 pm

Status of Canadian legions examined as November 11 nears

Paul Hollingsworth . Published Nov. 7, 2023

Royal Canadian Legion - Topics & Posted Articles - Page 23 Legion-1-6634723-1699385956121

CTV News Atlantic

by Wolverine Wed 08 Nov 2023, 11:59 am

Royal Canadian Legion opens temporary command office after fire

Michael Franklin . Published Nov. 8, 2023

After a fire heavily damaged its regular building, the Royal Canadian Legion says it has set up a temporary space to support its work in Calgary.

The organization will be working out of an office in a parking lot on 15 Street N.W., with the city temporarily dedicating street parking for veterans.

On Oct. 20, a fire in a treed area near the Royal Canadian Legion's Alberta-N.W.T. office spread to the roof and attic of the building.

Crews put out the fire, but not before significant damage was caused.

Since then, staff have been working remotely to prepare for Remembrance Day.

No one was hurt in the fire and there are no details on a cause.

CTV News Calgary

by Whiskey Fri 10 Nov 2023, 5:22 pm

Consider volunteering at Royal Canadian legions, pleads Korean War veteran

Nov 10, 2023

Leslie White of Grand Falls-Windsor served in the Canadian Navy during the Korean War. Upon returning to Newfoundland in 1954, he joined the local chapter of the Royal Canadian Legion. But recruitment is a challenge today, says White, who wants people to know the legion is an organization that helps veterans and widows — and the community as a whole.

CBC News Video Clip

by Spartan Thu 14 Dec 2023, 4:46 pm

Read how the Legion helped a Veteran access benefits through Veterans Affairs Canada

Dec 14, 2023

News archive

by **Colter** Wed 21 Feb 2024, 4:48 pm

'Symbol of Charleswood': Winnipeg legion raising funds to conserve iconic Second World War tank

Katherine Dow . Published Feb. 21, 2024

CTV News

by Rocko Thu 22 Feb 2024, 5:21 pm

Royal Canadian Legion branch to be sold after being infiltrated by bikers

Second time Woodbridge branch in the hot seat in 5 months

Michael Smee · CBC News · Posted: Feb 22, 2024

Royal Canadian Legion - Topics & Posted Articles - Page 23 Legion-headline

CBC News

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