Sechelt's Royal Canadian Legion will celebrate its 75th anniversary next Friday, Sept. 25, with a public party featuring a local who's who.
And 75 years, Legion president Dennis Johnson said, is a significant milestone for a B.C. Legion.
"There's a few that are older, but 75 is a pretty long time," he said.
The anniversary celebration will include local notables such as Sechelt Mayor Darren Inkster, Sechelt Indian Band Chief Garry Feschuk, fire Chief Bill Higgs, RCMP Sgt. Russ Howard, as well as Legion notables, such as zone commander Bill Perlstrom, and past zone commander Judy Boxall.
In honour of the occasion, Legion members have been assembling historical materials to create a "Then and Now" slideshow, juxtaposing photos of Legion life in 1934 and 2009, as well as historic versus present-day Sechelt, said Barry Pruden, chair of the 75th anniversary committee. The slideshow will be displayed on a TV at the celebration, forming a silent backdrop for guests to enjoy as they mingle, dance, and listen to brief speeches. The committee is also putting together a memento newspaper, with stories of what was happening 75 years ago.
And remembrance is key to the Legion's place in the community.
"It's about remembrance of a lot of people we never knew in the First World War, Second World War, Korea," he said. "And Afghanistan is awful close. The Costalls in Gibsons lost their son [Robert] in Afghanistan. That really brings it home, I think, to a lot of people that there are people out there who are protecting our way of life."
But equally the Legion is all about service, which is why they've tagged the anniversary, "75 years of service to the community." In the last 10 years alone, Pruden said, the Legion has poured $400,000 back into the community, from money raised through channels such as the poppy fund.
Johnson said across Canada, The Royal Canadian Legion makes up the country's largest volunteer organization.
"It's tailored to meet the unaddressed needs in the community for veterans, senior citizens, members of the forces, as well as programs for youth," he said.
In Sechelt, the Legion sponsors a number of youth programs, including providing high school bursaries, organizing a Remembrance Day poster contest, and supporting the 2963 Seaforth Highlanders of Canada Army Cadet Corps.
"These kids just do wonderful things," he said. "They start out in cadets and they do leadership, citizenship, and they go on to bigger things and win amazing awards. Some of the air cadets on the Coast have their pilot's wings already."
And anybody in the community is welcome to join the Legion.
"There's a perception out there that you had to have a connection to the military, or be a veteran, to be a member," he said. "Well you don't. Anybody who supports the purposes and objects of the Legion, and that is to fellowship and it's non-sectarian, non-political. And anybody who supports those ideals of our life in Canada, is welcome to join."
The anniversary party is open to everyone, and starts at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 25.
