WELLINGTON COUNTY – Legions support veterans, their families and the wider community.
“The Legion originally formed out of the Great War Association, to assist wounded, sick and homeless veterans and their return to civilian life,” Erin Legion service officer and historian Doug Kirkwood told the Advertiser.
“The Legion itself was formed by veterans so I believe the biggest mandate is that we must always remember our veterans,” Fergus Legion past president Brian Bielby added. “That, fundamentally, is the reason for the Legion.”
“We support, first and foremost, veterans and their families,” Elora Legion president Don Cubbage agreed.
The Elora Legion received its charter in 1932 and has about 350 current members; the Fergus Legion received its in 1935, and has almost 500 current members; and the Erin Legion received its in 1947 and has almost 300 current members.
Cubbage said he initially became a member 20 years ago because both of his grandfathers served in the Second World War, and he volunteers at the Legion in their memory.
Veteran support, remembrance
Legions support veterans and their families through poppy campaigns, and national initiatives for veterans with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
And for veteran remembrance, Legions organize Remembrance Day events and poppy campaigns, recognize anniversaries of significant historical events, honour veterans during opening and closing ceremonies at meetings, and put up public banners.
Kirkwood said the Erin Legion has worked with the Last Post Fund to recognize veterans buried in unmarked graves and have military stones placed, and features veterans in military service recognition books.
Community support
But Legions have expanded to go beyond veteran support – the clubs support a range of community organizations, causes and initiatives.
Legions also provide financial support to community organizations and teams, including hockey, lacrosse, baseball, broomball, Guides, Cadets, and Scouts.
And there’s a Canadian Legion track and field championship that Cubbage said “a number of Canadian Olympic athletes were graduates from.”
Groves Memorial Community Hospital, the Palmerston and District Hospital, Wellington Terrace, Hospice Wellington, Bethel Hospice, East Wellington Community Services, the Palmerston Public Pool, Centre Wellington Fire Rescue, and Erin Fire Fighters Equipment Fund have also received support from local Legions.
“The poppy campaign helps improve life for people in our community by purchasing medical equipment and appliances for community health facilities and by providing support services to senior citizens,” states the Palmerston Legion on its website.
In 2023, the Erin Legion donated more than $70,000 to community and veteran organizations including the Erin Lions Club, the Erin Optimist Club, Youth Unlimited, Erin Agricultural Society, and the Erin Union Cemetery.
According to the Elora Legion website, it has donated more than $750,000 to-date to seniors groups, minor sports, the local hospital, Cadets, Scouting groups, etc.
Tabs for Wheelchairs
“We are also big supporters of the Tabs for Wheelchairs initiative,” Cubbage added.
“We collect tabs – people donate the tabs off the top of a beverage can, and we will recycle them.”
The money the Legions receive for the tabs is used to buy wheelchairs and other assistive devices, which are then loaned, out, free of charge, to people in need.
Recipients do not need to be veterans, Legion members, or local residents to be eligible for the program.
“We had a request from Yellowknife one time,” Cubbage said. “It took a few weeks for it to get there, but the person got their wheelchair.
“Anyone can come in and request what we’ve got,” Cubbage said, and since launching the initiative in the late 1980s, the Legion has lent out about 4,000 wheelchairs.
“That doesn’t include the walkers we provided,” he noted, but it does include “electric wheelchairs we’ve assisted financing on.”
Space to socialize
Local Legions often offer hall rentals to community groups such as horticultural societies, quilt guilds and pipe bands free of charge.
“If you want to call it a community hub, you wouldn’t be too far off,” Cubbage said.
Legions offer a place for people – both members and non-members – to come together and socialize, games of euchre, Catch the Ace, golf, darts, pool, shuffleboard, cornhole, car shows, karaoke, live music, dances, and breakfasts, lunches and dinners.
The patio at the Erin Legion is a popular place for socializing during the summer, Kirkwood said.
For larger events at the Fergus Legion, such as Halloween and New Year’s Eve parties, Bielby said almost half of the attendees are not members. “But our logic is, if they come in and have a good time at the Legion, perhaps they will become members,” he said.
“It’s always been a nice respectable place to go and drink,” Bielby said. “I can take my wife in, or my daughter, my brother … and know I am going to have a nice social evening. I’m not going to get joined up in a mob riot.”
Bielby said between 60 and 100 Legion members visit the Fergus lounge on Fridays for a “fun social afternoon.”
In Erin, seniors meet at the Legion on Wednesday mornings, and Kirkwood said looking after seniors is a priority for the Legion.
Membership
Legion membership is open to anyone who wants to join, though this hasn’t always been the case.
“When I joined 50 years ago I had to get my parents’ discharge certificates sent [from the UK] in order to join,” Bielby said.
“But now the number of veterans has declined significantly – thank goodness we’re not having more major wars – now anybody can be a member of the legion.”
The last Second World War veteran at the Erin Legion, Alice McMahon, died in July, Kirkwood noted.
“She was in the Navy during World War II,” he said, and was a Legion member for more than 50 years.
In order to vote, members must be Canadian citizens or members of the British Commonwealth, he noted.
“Without the membership we wouldn’t have a Legion,” Bielby said.
“Like any organization today, it depends on volunteers to work.
“It would be nice to have a few new members coming in who perhaps had some time to help out, but also had some ideas for how we can continue to grow,” he said.
“The Legion has to change to keep up with the times. We can’t still be doing what the Legion did 50 years ago, otherwise we will go out of business. It is a business, unfortunately. If we don’t make money, we can’t keep the doors open.”
County Legions
For more information about local Legions or becoming a member, visit
– Elora Legion (Branch 229) at eloralegion.ca or 10 Metcalfe St., Elora;
– Fergus Legion (Branch 275) at ferguslegion.ca or 500 Blair St., Fergus;
– Palmerston Legion (Branch 409) at 260 Daly St., Palmerston or palmerstonlegion.ca;
– Erin Legion (Branch 442) at 12 Dundas St. E., Erin or erinlegion.ca.
– Drayton Legion (Branch 416) at 15 Elm St., Drayton or facebook.com/draytonlegion416;
– Arthur Legion (Branch 226) at 281 George St., Arthur or facebook.com/groups/705187336284350/;
– Harriston Legion (Branch 296) at 53 Elora St., Harriston or facebook.com/HarristonLegion; or
– Mount Forest Legion (Branch 134) at 140 King St. W., Mount Forest or facebook.com/p/Mount-Forest-Legion-Branch-134-100064622115010.
