100 years of service: Sudbury Legion Branch 76 celebrates big

Royal Canadian Legion Branch 76 in Greater Sudbury is marking 100 years alongside the national Legion. Angela Gemmill has more on the celebrations.

It’s a big year for the Royal Canadian Legion across the country, as the national community service organization, which supports veterans and their families, is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

That’s the same milestone being marked for Branch 76, in the Minnow Lake community of Greater Sudbury.

Locally, to mark its centennial, Branch 76’s 100th Anniversary Committee has planned several events throughout the year.

On Wednesday, nearly to 50 people – including Legion members and their friends and family – were part of the Ramsey Riveria, a private charter of the William Ramsey cruise boat.

“We came up with the idea of seeing the branch from the water. Most members see it from the roadway driving up to the branch. There’s an opportunity to see the branch from the lake,” said David Kennedy, who sits on the centennial committee.

The group spent an hour on the water and got to see the Branch 76 building, which overlooks Ramsey Lake.

Several Legion members came outside to wave at the boat as it passed by. One person even waved a large flag to the group on the boat.

Two other similar boat cruises are planned for this summer to help mark the milestone anniversary.

To mark its centennial nationally, the Royal Canadian Legion has a membership campaign going on, where membership is free for new members wanting to join any branch across the country.

There are more than 1,300 Legion branches from coast to coast to coast.

“Dominion command has put out a notice this year that anybody joining the Legion this year, it’s free,” said Branch 76 President George Verge.

“We have, I believe, something like 125 new members just since the beginning of the year. We had about 400 members, so now that put us up over 500.”

Vice President Bob Cullens told CTV News that Branch 76 is initiating about 30 people each month.

“Interestingly enough, of the people that have joined this year on the free centenary initiative, we have almost 80 percent of those people who have signed up for next year as well, and want to be involved in the branch,” he said.

The free memberships across the country will last until Dec 31.

Cullens said it’s more than just the free memberships that are attracting new members.

“Every Legion branch is very community-based,” he said.

“We’re here for the community, to serve the community, to look after the needs of veterans, their families and people in need. We donate to initiatives all year long through our poppy fund and through our lottery draws.”

Branch 76 has a number of events planned for the Sudbury community to help celebrate its centennial anniversary – including a big gala on Dec 2, the hall’s actual anniversary date.