By Gail Landon, first vice-president of Creston’s Royal Canadian Legion Branch 29
We have an executive of eight people who work extremely hard for Branch 29. We are a small group, yet we are surrounded by an amazing community! We could not do this work without you. Those still serving and the veterans appreciate each of you so very much. Our members and patrons appreciate you. We know that without you, our doors would not be open.
You are the patrons who come to our Branch. You are the do’ers who fundraise and plan special events to increase patronage. You are the volunteers who have been taking on the huge task of painting our building. You are the trades who frequently pop in and lend a hand without asking for compensation.
George Longpre from Mad Dog Electrical in Creston has been helping our 1947-year-old building come up to code for several years. He has often brought in apprentices as well. Recently, we had a grant to pay George for the electrical upgrades in the canteen and the kitchen, but over the last few years, he has put in countless volunteer hours. We do not know where we would be without you George.
Since the flood in the canteen, we have uncovered plumbing nightmares in the canteen and the kitchen. We had leaks that were dealt with by plunking a pail down to catch drips or by covering hoses with electrical tape.
Enter Zane from Abracadabra Plumbing in Creston. He came and saw our problems, and volunteered his time to fix our plumbing properly. Thank you, Zane! It means so much to us that our building is safe for all.
Our asphalt pavement in front of our building was crumbling away. This was a huge safety concern for us. It was not safe for the Veterans who attend our outdoor Remembrance Day Service.
We did a huge ask of Power Paving in Cranbrook. Rod Stebbings and his crews cleared away the old asphalt, laid new gravel beds and then put in new asphalt. They donated materials, equipment and labour.
How do you put a value on safety? We decided to put a thank you on our Facebook Page. In a time of COVID, we are all craving positive stories. At the time of this writing, this post has reached over 57,000 people and climbing; as well it has been shared over 750 times.
Our Legion still needs so much. We need a new roof, we need to upgrade our kitchen counters, we need to keep our boilers running smoothly. We know we have a long road ahead of us. Instead of being mired in a never-ending to-do list, we are buoyed by gratitude.
As Remembrance Day draws near and we all pause for the Act of Remembrance, knowing it will look different than years before, we express our gratitude to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice while fighting for our freedoms. We are eternally grateful for your service.
It has been a challenging year for Branch 29. COVID-19 shutdowns, a flood and a very gradual soft opening have us pinching every dollar. We are determinedly moving ahead, not alone, but surrounded by community. Please come visit us. We have made many changes with more to come. And one more time: “THANK YOU!”
