President’s Message:

Joe Gowing – President@Prestonlegion.ca

Welcome back and I hope you all had a great Summer! The executive and I have been busy planning for the year coming and we have lots to share with you and we are excited to get people back to the branch.

I, along with Al Clark (1st VP), Deb Page-Bruce (Secretary), Terry Smit (VSO) and Bob Bruce (Sgt at Arms) attended the Dominion Convention in August. We will present all the information at our General meeting in September.

We have many events planned and what better wat to kick off our year with Warriors Weekend Wine and Cheese and Band Tattoo.

Our Branch Regulations will be brought back to our September General Meeting (as I thought they would) so we will need to get everyone back to the September and October meetings to re-approve them.

As we wait for the changes, we have decided that we will adopt the time change of the General Meetings so please note that they will start at 6:30PM not 7:30pm.

Remembrance season is also coming up. Please make sure that you sign up to canvass or volunteer for money counting. There is many things that you can do. Campaign starts Oct 25 2024.

If you haven’t yet, please visit our website and sign up to receive information from the branch. www.prestonlegion.ca.

Thank you all and I look forward to seeing you at the branch.

1st Vice President & Entertainment:

Al Clark – 1VP@prestonlegion.ca

Comrades,

As summer comes to a close I’d like to welcome back those who were away. This fall we are planning to bring more entertainment and activities to the lounge. Some of the events will include trivia with Taylor on October 5th, the return of horse races along with lots of karaoke.  We are also having a band called The British Invasion on September 27th and the always popular Destroyer on October 12th. 

This summer we trialed some new products; several beers from Wellington Brewery, Preston’s own, Wave Maker Craft Brewery and coolers from Vodka Fridays. Some of these products will remain available through out the year.  In addition, Helles Lager and Stella will be available on tape.  If anyone would like to make suggestions for the bar or entertainment please feel free to reach out.

2nd Vice President & House & Grounds:

Brian Patterson

The Accommodation review Committee has been busy with meeting outside companies that are interested in helping/ partnering with us on our new building venture. We will be meeting with everyone and will have something to present at our October General Meeting.

Seniors:

Myra Plantz

Thank you to all the Seniors for attending the last dances. We have had great success so far and we are going to continue to have fun.

Next Dances are:

Sept 15  

Oct 20

Thursdays Euchre 12:30pm start $5.00 to play. We have grown from 4 people to now over 40! There is always more room for anyone that wants to come out and play.

Secretary/ Membership

Debbie Page-Bruce - secretary@presonlegion.ca 

 Welcome back Comrades! Sure hope you had a great summer full of fun, sun and lots of good food cooked on the barbeque. Our goal this past year was to reach a membership count of 400 members and I am happy to report that we are already at 391 members. We are having another EARLY BIRD MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL CAMPAIGN this year. All membership renewals plus 5 year memberships will be eligible for 1 of two $50.00 Legion gift certificates from September 1st to December 1st, 2024. The winners will be drawn at our December 7th, 2024 meat draw.

 I am looking to recruit members in good standing to join our Membership Committee to help with the administrative duties in the processing of our membership renewals as well as new members. You can email me at secretary@prestonlegion.ca or contact me at 519-653-8100.

 CALLING ALL VOLUNTEERS! Please reach out to me if you are interested in putting your name forward as a volunteer. We have a list of people that I manage that we reach out to on occasion to help out where needed. So, if you are interested, please reach me at secretary@Prestonlegion.ca

Thank you all for your support; wouldn’t be able to do without you.  

SGT AT ARMS

Bob Bruce

Hello Comrades! Sure hope you had a great summer! Our color guard is in dire need of capable bodies to march in uniform at our upcoming Remembrance Day Parade in November 2024. If you are interested in becoming an active member of our color guard, please contact me at 519-653-8100

Bar Manager

Brian Arn

The summer has been pretty good for the bar. We were open more days this summer than last. The bar prices are down and expected to stay that way for a while. New products have been coming in with wave maker and wellington breweries making the scene for your drinking pleasure. We would like your feed back and or recommendations for additional choices. Check the calendar for more events as now that fall is coming more is planed

Veteran Service Officer

Terry Smith -VSO@PrestonLegion.ca

Hello Comrades,

Hope you have all had a great summer.   Through my work as the branch veteran service officer I am sometimes engaged in visiting other branches and meeting various veterans,  Unfortunately, I often hear how local branches are failing to assist veterans when they have certain needs.   I can assure you this is not the case on my watch or with our branch.  In the past few months I have been instrumental, along with a network I have, in housing two homeless veterans.

As a branch and at my proposal the house where these guys are housed is also a registered charity and from poppy funds we have donated over $3,000 to assist with repairs needed to the house.  This is the type of thing poppy funds are for and donations that are graciously given.

In the same period I have assisted other veterans with medical claims through VAC to date all claims have been successful and in the total amount of $298,000 hither to unclaimed. Not all are legion members but that doesn't matter a veteran is a veteran.

Also I have attended a veteran peer and trauma support course through the Mood Disorders Society of Canada and I am now part of the Legion Branch service officers operational stress injury section {BSO-OSI).

I am also running a Buddy Check coffee morning at the branch 1st Tuesday of the month 11am to 1pm this is open to all military veterans CAF and Commonwealth and RCMP and those currently serving.

On a final note.   Again we have the street banner  programme running again this year with and additional 21 street poles made

available through Cambridge City Council.   So the year we should see banners all the way down King Street across the bridge toward Dover Flour.

For those of you who have not yet paid the $50 reinstallation and storage fees going forward can you please do so as soon as you can.   Lets make this a fantastic tribute once again to our local veterans.

Thank you all for you support

Poppy/ Bursary/ Youth Ed Chair:

Sherrill Hyde

This is a busy time of year where we get ready to start another successful Poppy campaign. This year, we donated $22,000 to different Veterans' organizations to support our Veterans in times of crisis.

The Poppy campaign starts Oct . 25th and ends on Nov. 11th. This campaign is 3 weeks long this year. If we are to have a successful campaign, we are going to need your assistance. Please donate a couple of hours of your time to canvass to raise donations for our Veterans. We greatly appreciate your efforts as every little bit helps to support our Veterans.

In October, signup sheets will be posted in the Branch lounge. Please, be generous and donate a few hours to this worthwhile cause.

November 11th, Remembrance Day, we will have a parade from the Branch on Westminster Dr. North to the Cenotaph on King Street for a Remembrance service. After the service, we parade back to the Branch for lunch and comradeship.

That night, we host a Remembrance Day dinner. Doors open at 5 with dinner at 6 pm. Everyone is welcome. Tickets will be available at the bar October 15th . Veterans are welcome as our honored guests.

Sherrill Hyde Poppy Chair

YOUTH EDUCATION REPORT

I will be attending a Youth Ed seminar on Sept. 5th to receive revised information on the 2024 Poster / Literacy contests. These information package will be emailed to the schools this month.

Sherrill Hyde Youth Education Chair

BURSARY REPORT

I will be attending a Bursary seminar on Sept. 5th to receive updated bursary information. This information will be delivered to the high schools for their students.

Sports:

Jeff Whittaker – sports@prestonlegion.ca

 Everyone Check your keys!!! There are small locks on the pool cues in the back lounge. If your key opens it, it is yours. Locks will be cut off November 1st.

 Sports interest sheets are going up. We need 12 people each to get started for the following.

Monday Afternoon: Shuffleboard (1-3pm)

Monday Evening: Cribbage (7-9pm)

Tuesday Evening: 8-Ball

Wednesday Evening: Snooker

Thursday Evening: Cornhole

Friday Evening: Darts

Saturday Morning: Ring Toss (12-3pm)

We have a good turnout for Golf Tournament. There is always room for more next year so please sign up early. We can also use some hands to help out with the tournament. Call me 519-841-9388.

 We are looking for another 8-ball table so stay tuned. Get your muscles in shape with some fun exercise.

 See you all soon.