It’s pretty hard to hold weekly barbecues when your grill gets stolen.
The Royal Canadian Legion branch in Vernon experienced that scenario when its Napoleon barbecue, used for holding weekly cook-outs on the patio at its 29th Street facility, was stolen, possibly on Canada Day.
“We used it on July 1, shut it down at around 6:30 p.m., and discovered at 10 the next morning that it was gone,” said legion branch president Doug Weaving.
The grill, valued at around $1,400, had been used a couple of times for weekly barbecues and at an open house at the legion the weekend before the theft.
The local branch has since replaced the barbecue with a slightly less expensive model, but the bill takes a big chunk out of the legion’s budget.
“It’s disappointing,” said Weaving of the theft.
“It’s a pretty big hit for us. A lot of people don’t realize that funds from our poppy fund and funds we receive from gaming can’t be used for maintenance of the Legion.
“We had to pay for it out of general funds and, like a lot of other legions in the country, we are not doing very well.”
The local branch is well-known for giving back to the community, donating cash to a number of organizations and groups.’
Anybody with any information on the theft is asked to call the Vernon RCMP at 250-545-7171, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, or leave a tip on the Crime Stoppers’ website, www.nokscrimestoppers.com.
