I’m starting the year off with a new look on the blog. Seems to freshen it up. Now, it is time to get down to posting more regularly.

Let me know what you think of the new look.

Yesterday was the shortest day of the year, it was also the first official day of winter. We’ve been pretty fortunate so far, we’ve had very little snow so far this season. For the first time in 160 years there was zero snow in November.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t really dislike winter. I do love the beauty of a winter snowfall, even the beauty of ice clinging to trees after freezing rain. I don’t enjoy the treacherous roads the weather brings. I deal with them by refusing to budge from the house when a storm is underway or imminent.

The start of winter also brings us very close to Christmas Day, just three days away as I write this entry. I’m going to be spending a quiet day at home on Christmas Day. Depending on the weather on Christmas Eve, I will be going to church and then will settle in for a couple of days of quiet time. I’m looking forward to that time. I have some reading I want to do and some writing. Read the rest of this entry

Life is busy, isn’t it for most of us. November and December are two of the busiest months in my year. Remembrance Day (Nov. 11th) is the most important day of the Legion year. At the same time we start taking applications for Christmas hampers. Intertwined in there, I have to show up at the office to make a few bucks to fund my volunteer time.

I was a guest at Rotary this past Monday to deliver a talk on the Legion in the community. I am sharing my talk with you:

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When I was asked to speak this evening about the Legion in the community, I have to admit I did a bit of a gulp. I know our local branch does a lot in and for the community as do branches throughout the country. To assemble that knowledge into a brief speech is a bit daunting.

Where to begin. Don’t all groups start with a mission statement?

Our mission is to serve veterans, and their dependents, promote remembrance and act in the service of Canada and its communities.

The first two elements of our mission are pretty specific, to serve veterans and their dependents and to promote remembrance. It’s the acting in the service of Canada and its communities where the picture grows pretty large. Tonight, I think the best I can do is bring you an overview and a bit of a snapshot.

The Legion is actually made up of two distinct elements, the branch and the Ladies Auxiliary, which is separately chartered but under the guidance of the branch. LA members can hold membership in the branch and many do, which creates considerable overlap between the two groups as it is not uncommon for members of the LA to be serving on the branch executive and vice versa.

Locally, the Ladies Auxiliary form the catering part of our work and when called upon they support the branch activities. So, in a very real sense, the work of the branch is the work of the LA. Read the rest of this entry