Unlike the more traditional Remembrance Day events, Legion Week provides a more personal touch and an opportunity for the community to thank and appreciate local veterans.
“Legion Week started with the Royal Canadian Legion back in 1979 and is mandated to occur on an annual basis during the third week of September,” explained Marilyn Emmerson, public relations representative at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 275 in Fergus.
The event promotes the Legion in a very positive light, she said.
“It is also an opportunity to thank the veterans – separate from Remembrance Day,” Emmerson noted. “On Remembrance Day, you don’t always get an opportunity to talk to the veterans the way that you want.”
She said Legion Week provides an opportunity “where maybe we can spoil them a little bit and give them the recognition they need, and should have.”
In Fergus this year, Legion Week started off with Monday euchre; Tuesday was cribbage night and Wednesday was a veterans’ appreciation night.
Emmerson noted Thursday’s appreciation luncheon “is a chance to thank them personally for what they have done.”
She added, “To us, they are our heroes and you can tell by their faces today, they are happy to be here.”
She noted some of the veterans made the trip from the nursing home to take part.
Saturday marked the Legion’s open house, which provided a chance for everyone in the community to come out and see the Legion and learn about the services it provides.
Emmerson said the event also serves as part of a membership drive for both the Legion auxiliary and general Legion membership.
It also marked the first time children would be at the event, as one way to encourage younger families to come out.
The Legion needs younger members, Emmerson said.
Though this is her first year in charge of Legion Week events, Emmerson said she has worked to find more ways to encourage people to come to the Legion.
She said she believed the high numbers at Thursday’s luncheon resulted from positive media coverage.
“We really want to thank the community, which does come out to support us this week,” she said.
One of the dozens of Legion members at the veterans luncheon was Fred H. Pegg.
He served in the Air Force for three years.
He said his tour of operations included 30 trips over Germany. “It was scary, but not that bad,” he said.
Pegg was 17 when he enlisted and took the gunnery course in Prince Edward Island. Of the 105 people in the course, he was the only graduate to get a commission.
He served as mid-upper gunner, graduated as a pilot officer and became a flying officer.
Pegg also spent a year in England after the war as part of the army of occupation as a foreign currency exchange officer.
“With planes flying back and forth to Europe, passengers would come to us to exchange that money,” he commented.
He said he had so many memories it was hard to summarize in a few sentences, but he was pleased to see events like Legion Week.
“It’s very good and nice,” Pegg said.
