The Voice of Branch 96
FALL/2009
Welcome from the President
It doesn’t seem very long ago that I was sitting here trying to compose some thoughts to pass on to everyone just after Branch elections. Time has a way of moving quickly when you are busy!
Since our last edition of “The Voice”, we have held elections for the Ladies Auxiliary as well as the Diamond Jubilee Club.
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome and congratulate Kathy Lewis on her successful bid for President of the Ladies Auxiliary. I am sure that Kathy will continue to support the Branch as have her predecessors. At their July executive meeting, the ladies voted to give a large financial donation to the branch to assist us through a rather financially lackluster summer. Thank you very much ladies, your help is very much appreciated.
On May 21st, elections were held for the Diamond Jubilee Club with Bob Booth being elected chairperson, Micheline Keary 1st Vice, Janet Gilroy 2nd Vice and Sue Murray 3rd Vice. Unfortunately, at the Diamond Jubilee executive meeting July 10th, both Bob and Sue unexpectedly resigned their positions. This meant that Micheline was immediately moved to the position of Chairperson with Janet Gilroy moving to the position of 1st Vice. Obviously, we now have some holes to fill on the Diamond Jubilee executive committee! The Diamond Jubilee is a wonderful organization within our branch, but it is very difficult to expect only two senior executive members and a few other executive officers to provide the same level of services and entertainment that we have become accustomed to from a full slate. I am, therefore taking this opportunity to ask the members of the Diamond Jubilee to consider coming forward to sit on the executive committee, at least for the balance of this term.
As most of you are aware, Branch 96 had the opportunity to host the District Convention from April 17th to the 19th. What you might not know is that the convention was a great success in every way including revenue and organization. Special thanks go out to all of the volunteers who did everything from sitting at registration tables to cooking breakfast and providing transportation. The organizing committee headed by Comrades Ralph McMullen and Don Corneil need to be congratulated on a job well done.
The middle of April saw us, once again hosting our “Legion Idol” contest. As in the past, it was a huge success, and at this time, plans are being formulated for the third annual “Legion Idol”. The only down side to this year’s Legion Idol was the sudden illness through stroke of our Legion-famous M.C., Dan McQueen. Fortunately, our 1st Vice President, Don Bain was able to complete the M.C. duties. We all wish Dan a complete and speedy recovery, and note that at press time he has been doing very well, and is now out of hospital.
Throughout the summer we have held many activities including Canada Day and a special event for the August Civic holiday. Please keep current through the Branch notice boards or through the What’s On! for other exciting events. Some of the upcoming events that come to mind are Legion Week (September 20th to 26th), the dedication of the upper lounge to Lt. Col. Thain MacDowell VC, DSO (November 5th , highlights below) and our Remembrance Day Dinner (November 6th).
Before I close off my submission to the Voice, I must try to thank all of the volunteers that have come forward every Wednesday morning since May to assist in the outside maintenance of our Branch. Unfortunately, I cannot name you individually because I would surely omit someone. You all know who you are, and you have done an absolutely outstanding job. Grandpa Jack and his crew have completed refurbishing our patio tables, which with the gardening work of another crew of volunteer ladies, has made our patio a very nice place to be. Please use it often and support the Friday BBQ’s in that space that will continue now until the end of Legion Week.
Throughout this submission I have made many references to our volunteers. I don’t have words enough to thank them, for they are the main element that can make the difference between success and failure. If you feel that you have the time, and would like to join our corps of volunteers, we will always welcome you. Don’t forget to plan ahead for your participation in the Poppy Campaign, again highlighted below in this newsletter.
Until next time, keep well.
Ray Gilroy C.D.
President, Branch 96
BRIEF FROM FIRST VICE
As the summer winds down I hope everyone has noticed the improvements to the Branch, both inside and out. Thank you to all of the volunteers who have helped make our home more presentable and functional. Once we are not cutting grass we will have another short list of chores to be done by the Wednesday morning team!
I welcome our newest Bar Steward, Cindy Vankoughnett.
I am working at the longer term sustainment of our major systems – getting prices for a new furnace, air conditioner units for upstairs and down, some siding to reduce maintenance costs and a new roof. These projects are estimated at about $196,000, and we will be preparing a Trillium grant application to cover these investments in our future.
Don Bain
1st Vice President
NOTES FROM THE THIRD VICE
As I write this, summer has finally arrived and none too soon. A new fall season of activities will be starting soon. Our Legion can only be as good as all of its members make it. So I encourage everyone to check out the activities at Branch 96 and get involved!
We have a new Decorating Committee this year headed by Janet Gilroy. New ideas for decorating our halls for events such as Halloween and Christmas are welcome. Talk to Janet and consider helping.
Our Youth Education program is also getting started. All local schools will be visited at the start of September with the material for the Remembrance poster, poem and essay contest. Last year we had one entry in the Junior Poster contest go all the way to the Dominion (national) level where she won second prize. Prizes for this contest come from the Poppy Fund. It is part of the education we provide to our current generation of students about the reason “We Remember”.
We would like to invite some of the students to visit our Branch again this year to see our memorabilia and try their hands at darts. If you are interested in helping with this please speak to me so that we could identify a suitable date. Holding events such as these and bringing students and their families to events such as award ceremonies helps to make people in our community aware of the Legion and its purposes. Let us make these visitors welcome.
Looking forward, the fall season is shaping up to be a very good one. Together we can make it happen.
Lillian McNamee
3rd Vice President
AUDITORIUM COMMITTEE
An Auditorium Committee was formed in 2008 under Keith Whiteland to develop a plan to dedicate the Auditorium after a local serviceman. After the Committee’s first meetings and decisions in 2008, which included selecting Lieutenant-Colonel Thain Wendell MacDowell VC, DSO, our only regional Victoria Cross winner as the personage, the Chair was turned over to Vince Kennedy, and a Funding Agreement with Canada Remembers was submitted just before Christmas 2008. Unfortunately, the Partnership Support Funding (under what it also terms as the Community Engagement Program) does not fund any capital costs, and the application was withdrawn. A Committee meeting was then convened to consider options. At that meeting it was decided to proceed with a “modest” option – fundraising by the Branch and approaching Canada Remembers for the funding for the actual dedication event, and this has been supported by the Executive.
The general concept is to optimize the focus that Remembrance Week brings to the Legion, and to use the first suitable day in Remembrance Week (Thursday 5th) to hold a dedication effort at the Branch. This will involve Brockville Collegiate Institute from where Thain McDowell graduated and the Brockville Rifles (in which he was first commissioned), as well as the surviving relatives in the area. Scheduled for the noon hour and well publicized, working Brockvillians may also have a chance to get to the Branch for the Dedication Service.
An application to Canada Remembers was submitted 12 July under a cover letter from the President. It takes up to three months to process (mid-October). There is no guarantee that the request for just over $3000 will be approved in whole or in part, but the Branch is committed to the Dedication nonetheless. If grant money is not available, the Dedication will need to be adjusted accordingly so as to cost the Branch, in net sum, nothing. The following comprises the elements of this modest approach at this time:
a. Creation of a bronze plaque, with a dedication text,
b. Creation of a framed pair of pictures with a set of reproduction miniature medals of Thain’s
c. New welcome sign in the interior of the Auditorium,
d. Housekeeping repairs to Auditorium as possible, and
e. An event to unveil these elements and dedicate the Auditorium.
The Auditorium Committee (Vince Kennedy, Keith Whiteland, Don Bain, Peter McNamee) have gotten the agreement of staff at BCI and Brockville Rifles, as well as their involvement – both are enthusiastically on board in principle. The Pipe Band is booked for the Dedication. The MacDowell family are enthusiastic and briefed.
The Branch plan is to deliver the Dedication at no direct cost to the Branch except for the $500 for painting and minor repairs in the maintenance budget for the Branch. Getting the work done in the Auditorium is now being planned, and we will be calling for a team to help with that. Already we have an Interior Decorator, a Head Seamstress and the agreement-in-principle for the LA to assist. The Committee has started fundraising through raffles and will do so until November. You will see pictures and other items up for draw, raffle and auction – please buy a ticket(s) if you would like a chance to win. The plan will also be briefed at the next General Meeting.
Vince Kennedy
Chair, Auditorium Committee
LADIES AUXILIARY
The Ladies Auxiliary can be defined as a group of volunteer Ladies with big hearts. The newly elected committee for 2009-2011 is President Kathy Lewis, 1st Vice Joreen Jackson, 2nd Vice Barb Humphrey, 3rd Vice Shirley Buote, Secretary/Treasurer Laura Blair, Sergeant-at-Arms Lillian McNamee, Sports Officer MaryAnn Greenwood, and Executive Members Bea Todd, Micheline Keary, Janet Lake, Linda McInnis and Pat McLachlan. Barbara Lake is our Immediate Past President.
The LA has had a quiet summer, but are now getting bookings for Christmas Parties and the 2010 weddings of the year. All to be held in the Auditorium of course, and we will help in getting it ready to be dedicated! However, many of the Ladies have been volunteering in the patio makeover, and planning the start up of the fall sports schedules – watch the monthly What’s On! for details starting in September. During the summer we did agree to donate $7500 to the Branch on behalf of the Ladies to help with cash flow.
In September the LA will also join the Branch Executive for one of the two annual joint executive meetings to ensure harmony of purpose within the Branch. We will also be preparing for our annual bake sale as part of Legion Week on 25th September – so get out and buy up those goodies. As well, organizing work has already started for the LA Christmas Bazaar for 15th November – Christmas shopping in one stop!
The LA has a membership meeting on 22 September, and if you might be interested in becoming an Auxiliary member, see Kathy Lewis or pick up a membership form at the Branch Office.
We look forward to another busy and prosperous Fall.
Laura Blair
LA Secretary/Treasurer
DIAMOND JUBILEE
Greetings from the Diamond Jubilee executive!
Due to the resignations of our elected Chairperson (Bob Booth) and our 3rd vice(Sue Murray) I, as elected 1st Vice, have taken over the position of Chairperson. We are now in desperate need of members stepping forward to help us fill the vacant positions in your Executive Committee. We hope we will at least have four persons that will help us out, at least until the end of this term. If you are willing please see me or call me at 613-345-6316 or e-mail me at micheline@ripnet.com.
Our July picnic went very well and I believe everyone who attended had a good time. Thank you to all those who contributed to making it a success.
Our September meeting will be a regular general meeting – that is, Thursday September 17th at 12:00 noon. If you have signed up to bring food, please don’t forget, we will have a bunch of hungry DJ’ers there!
For our meeting in October we have invited Cornwall to be our guests. That will be a potluck. Look forward to seeing everyone there.
Micheline Keary
Chairperson, Diamond Jubilee Club
LEGION WEEK 2009
| Day/Date | Activity | Timings |
| SUNDAY20th SEP | Breakfast in the Auditorium | 8:30 to 11:00 am. Adults $6. Children under 12 – $3. Under 4 – free. |
| Meet and Greet in the Auditorium | 12 noon onwards | |
| Opening Ceremony – Cairn | 2 pm. Pipe Band assists | |
| Karaoke Krazy and the Legion Idols | 3 -7 pm | |
| MONDAY21st SEP | Bridge by the DJMen’s Senior DartsTable Shuffleboard | 1 pm. All Lower Lounge |
| TUESDAY22nd SEP | Cribbage by the DJDartsLA General Meeting | 1 pm Lower Lounge7 pm Lower Lounge7:30 pm Auditorium |
| WEDNESDAY23rd SEP | Line DancingFloor Shuffleboard by the DJMixed Dart League | 10-11 am Lower Lounge1pm Auditorium7 pm Lower Lounge |
| THURSDAY24th SEP | Euchre by the DJLA Darts | 1 pm Lower Lounge7 pm Lower Lounge |
| FRIDAY25th SEP | LA Bake SaleBranch BBQ – BBQ PricesDarts by the DJ
Cold Plate Dinner Lauren Hall Dance |
10 am Lower Lounge12 – 1 pm New Patio1 pm Lower Lounge
4 pm – Lower Lounge 4 – 8 pm Lower Lounge |
| SATURDAY26th SEP | Old Sweats ParadeCorned Beef Dinner $6Legion Week Jam with Al Spas | 2 pm – Lower Lounge, Old uniforms4 – 5 pm Lower Lounge1 – 9 pm, Lower Lounge , with breaks for parade and dinner, and health breaks |
Jim Sheflin
Chair, Legion Week Committee
POPPY CAMPAIGN 2009
It is time again to get ready for the 2009 Poppy Campaign! We will be active this year from Friday 30th October until 11 November – eleven days of distribution.
The Poppy Campaign is the year’s biggest fundraising drive and our most public undertaking. It deserves your help, as the Poppy Fund is the principle charitable fund for the whole Legion – all quarter of a million of us across Canada, and specifically for our Branch. Its monies, held in trust, are used directly by the Service Officers and the Trust Funds to help veterans and their families. This last year this included sizeable donations to things like Meals on wheels and the Fisher House in Germany, where our seriously wounded Canadians are treated.
The sign-up sheets are ready and will be placed outside the Poppy Office from 18th September and through Legion Week for Members and ‘Friends of the Legion’ to sign up for two hour shifts at the following locations:
- Zellers
- 1000 Island Mall
- Sears
- Canadian Tire
- Home Depot
- Real Canadian Superstore
- Wal-Mart
Please take the time to consider even a single commitment of two hours for this great cause. Once you have signed up, the duty is pretty simple – you show up at your time, take over the table and watch over the donations/poppy material at the table. You do not have to be in uniform nor do you need to be a sales person. A smile works wonders and the people of Brockville are generous souls! So please, remember that we all said at Initiation that we would help with the Poppy Campaign – here is our chance!
I would like to thank the “Friends of the Legion” who worked within the 2008 Campaign. These people are not members of the Legion, but offer their services to help us out during the Campaign.
For all the members of the Branch and the LA who helped with the previous campaigns – I will have a campaign plan summary out into mail boxes and on the bulletin boards in the next while, and I hope that you will be able to help again this year. There will be a meeting for all involved before we get too far along as well, but a date has yet to be fixed – although I have tentatively selected Thursday 14 October. For anyone else who may want to help look after some of the jobs – please let me know and I will slot you into a space and let you know of the confirmed meeting time and date!
Vince Kennedy
Poppy Chairman
ENTERTAINMENT
There is a heck of a lot of activity going on this fall – what with all of the Legion Week stuff noted above (including Lauren Hall, Krazy Karaoke and the return of our Jam!), then Remembrance Week with its Dedication and the Veterans’ Dinner/Awards Night, and Remembrance Day itself.
In between though, we have committed to having Thanksgiving Dinner on Saturday 10thth October, so keep it open unless you have some family place to go and eat – Comrade Cook Paul Herder will be back with the full Turkey Dinner. Also on 30 October, a Friday night, we will be having the Ghoul Fright Night of the Year, Halloween Dance, probably 8 to midnight. There should be Witches’ Brew on tap and prizes for the scariest costumes and the most frightening dancing!!!
Jean vanDusen
Entertainment Chair
LA SPORTS
Hi Ladies and Welcome back to a new year of fun and comradeship. Hope everyone had a good, fun & safe summer. Thank you to all that came out to our Summer Fun Night and to those that donated their winnings back to the Ladies Sports Fund. Our new schedule of events has already started with Zone Cribbage being held in Lynhurst with no one going on to District, but we had a great turnout and had a lot of fun.
Our LA Sports Meeting will be held on Thursday, Sept. 10th in the lower lounge to set up our teams for this year. Meeting will start at 7:00 pm sharp! If you cannot be there please let me know if you want your name put it to play on a team this year or if you can spare.
Zone Singles & Doubles Darts are on Sept 12th here in Brockville with registration at 8am and play starts at 9 am. I will need to know who is staying for supper. Zone Cribbage will be held here in Brockville on Oct 3rd with registration at 12 noon and play starts at 1 pm. I need all the teams registered by the middle of Sept please. If your team is not in, I will be sending in the registration anyway (I have to be on time). I also need to know if you are staying for supper.
Zone Darts will be held in Gananoque on Nov 14th, with registration at 11am and play starts at 12 noon. I need to know who is playing and if you are staying for supper by the middle of Oct.
We will be holding our first Open Three Person Mixed Dart Tournament on Oct 4th in the Lower Lounge. Registration at 11am and start play at noon – $10 per person and door prizes and canteen.
Look for a Grab Your Partner Cribbage Tournament coming in late fall.
Thank you all for the chance again this year to be your Sports Officer and looking forward to another fun year.
Mary Ann Greenwood
LA Sports Officer
MEMBERSHIP MATTERS
Hope everyone had a good summer.
Once again, we are running an Early Bird Campaign this fall. The campaign will run from September 1, 2009 and will end on November 30, 2009. At the General Meeting on December 15, 2009, we will draw a name from the Early Bird list and select a winner. The winner will have their dues paid by the branch for the year 2011.
The membership dues for 2010 have not increased. The 2010 membership cards have arrived and will be ready and at the bar by the end of August. As always, you may prepay membership dues for up to five years if you wish. By doing this, you can avoid any increases for the prepaid years.
There are a number of members who have not paid their 2009 dues. To quote from the good book “A member who has not paid dues by January 31st is not in good standing and cannot participate in branch activities.” It is not too late to pay your dues for 2009. Please check your last membership card or receipt and make sure you have done so. At this point in time we have 670 members paid for 2009. If you know someone who would like to join the Legion, pick up an application form, help him/her to fill it out, and bring it in. I will look after the rest.
I am still attempting to get e-mail addresses from our members. If you are on the internet, and do not mind sharing this information with us, please jot down your e-mail address along with your name and give it to Carol or Joanne in the office. You can also e-mail me at grabarel@sympatico.ca.
Again this year we are planning to present the 2009 service pins to those members who have achieved at least 40 years of continuous service. This will be done at our annual Remembrance Dinner, which will be held on Friday, November 6, 2009. I will be contacting the members who are qualified to receive these service pins.
We are still having a problem with member addresses. If you move, please remember to change your address at the branch. This way you will continue to receive any mailings from the Branch or Dominion Command such as your Legion Magazine.
Barry Elliott
Second Vice President
And Membership Chairman
Membership Statistics
|
Year |
Number Paid Members |
Number Non-Paid |
|
2007
|
728 (December) |
54 |
|
2008
|
696 (Nov) |
64 |
|
2009 |
607 (July) |
About 90 |
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS
It is my clear conviction that the Colour Party is a very valuable component of Branch 96 Legion. It provides the Branch with a highly visible unit that increases the awareness of the Branch by taking part in events like the Lyn Anniversary and the Spencerville Celtic Festival, Good Will Days and by doing Legion Tributes.
As everyone would be aware there is a need for volunteers for the Colour Party. However, there is often a great reluctance to step into the breach and to say “I will!”. I assure you that being in the Colour Party does not mean you are back in the army, or will not enjoy the experience. It is fun, and I am a gentle soul. Do not let age prevent you from joining either. Moses was 80 years old when he returned to Egypt to have his people freed!
We have been, and will continue to do the Legion Tributes for those who have passed until we are down to the last person who can carry a flag! These tributes are greatly appreciated by the families of the deceased, I have been told repeatedly. And there will be more parades, and the inevitable social events that go along with these – including the day, 5th November, when we dedicate our Auditorium to Lt-Col Thain MacDowell, VC, DSO. How many of us Legionnaires know he is buried right here in Brockville at Oakland Cemetery?
Peter McNamee
Sergeant-at-Arms
COMMUNICATIONS STATUS
The Voice continues as the Branch newsletter. The objective of the Voice is to inform members of important events and happenings in the Branch and community. Its publication schedule will be three times annually: Summer/Fall (by August); then Holidays (about end- November); then Spring/Summer (about end-April). The Editor will, together with the Membership Chair, deliver the Voice the most economical way possible – the Newsletter will be posted to the Newsletters pages of the Branch website and once there, all members with an e-mail address will receiving an e-mail that will notify them that the Newsletter has been posted. The edition that goes on the website is richer and larger than the mailed out version, because we can add colour pictures and can have an unlimited amount of text! The mail out newsletter is restricted to 4 pages, double sided, so as to keep the costs within bounds.
The Branch has maintained its website www.rclbrockville.wordpress.com that can be connected to directly (and you should save that site as a Favourite on your computer) or off the national legion site (where it is listed under related sites, Ontario Command). The Branch website offers information on the branch and its events, on Auditorium rental, membership and news. It changes constantly, so visit often.
The monthly What’s On! handout will continue to be published so that members can be informed of all activities in the Branch. Due date for any entries in the What’s On! is the Monday of the last full week of the month preceding the month of publication.
Harley, our Communications Mascot, reminds that all event and sports organizers should ensure that their events are properly displayed on the monthly planning boards in the Legion office. If these are not, it will be nigh on impossible for the What’s On! Editor or the Secretary to get it right in the publications.
Any comments on these items can be sent to wenwayken@cogeco.ca, or drop a note in the Voice box at the Branch.
Vince Kennedy, Editor
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Branch General Meeting 7:00 pm – 3rd Tuesday of each month, September to June |
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Ladies Auxiliary General Meeting 4th Tuesday of each month |
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Diamond Jubilee General Meeting 3rd Thursday of each month |
WHAT WENT ON WHEN?
(a Selection of Interesting Items from Meetings Around the Branch since the last Voice)
| MEETING | OUTLINE OF ITEM | REMARKS |
| General Meeting19 May |
|
|
| Executive Meeting 9 June | New Executive’s first meeting. | Welcome the new posse! |
| General Meeting 16 June |
b. Green Mountain Hobos was a virtual sell-out, and great entertainment. |
a. Jim Sheflin’s team almost always leaves their budget untouched!b. Thanks to the organizing crew of Bain/Anderson and many others. |
| Executive Meeting2 July | Every Wednesday declared as the Branch Clean-up Day. Volunteers gather at 0830 hrs. | Great initiative – and this has worked very well.Thank you all the helpers! |
| Executive Meeting 6 August |
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b. Thank you Ladies Auxiliary! This kept the cash flow sound.! |
E-MAILS STILL NEEDED
E-mail the Secretary at rclbranch96@bellnet.ca, noting your name (and any other member at that e-mail address) OR to the Membership Chair at grabarel@sympatico.ca OR
Phone the e-mail address to the Secretary at 613-345-0473.
We (the Public Affairs Officer – Julia, and Internal Comms – Vince) will soon be reminding all members on e-mail of important upcoming events!
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IMPORTANT: IF YOU HAVE A FEW HOURS A MONTH TO CONTRIBUTE, AND CAN MARCH A FEW HUNDRED YARDS, CONSIDER JOINING THE BRANCH COLOUR PARTY. CARRYING A COLOUR PUTS PRIDE IN ALL WHO DO IT, AND GIVES A VISUAL BLESSING TO ALL WHO SEE IT. CONTACT THE SERGEANT-AT-ARMS, PETER MCNAMEE AT 613-345-5936 |
LAST POST – PASSAGES
Since April, 2009
And in your life let my remembrance linger
As something not to trouble and disturb it
But to complete it, adding life to life.
Longfellow, The Golden Legend
Robert Burns
Fred Hellyer
Charles Leclair
Claire Marjerrison
Dave McInroy
Patrick Moore
Wendell Stanley
We Will Remember Them