Legion hall in Melfort. (Angie Rolheiser/northeastNOW staff)

By Angie Rolheiser

Legion Halls

Melfort Legion President weighs in on COVID-19 impacts

Jun 28, 2020 | 10:00 AM

Royal Canadian Legion halls around the province, like many other organizations, are facing financial hardships during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Melfort branch is in fairly good shape so far, but things like flooring replacements that were in the plans will have to wait.

President of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 30, Jim Graham said they will still be able to go ahead with their front step project.

“We had the money already put away for that and some nice donations that supported that so we will carry on with it but we will hold off with flooring for now and just try to maintain the facility,” Graham said.

Monthly bills are about $1,800 a month and with all rentals of the facility coming to a halt, they may need to dip into reserves.

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According to Graham, the local branch is in fairly solid shape compared to other places.

“It’s largely because of the way things that locally we have run the legion historically,” Graham said.

The lounge is not open full time and is ran purely by volunteers and only open during an event or when the facility is rented out.

“By mid-march when COVID took hold we had bookings all through the summer and they have all now gone away so that is quite a challenge for us,” Graham said.

The first round of Chase the Ace and a raffle in partnership with the Melfort Elks and Friends of Stovel Park, the legion was able to put away about $20,000. Those funds were being held for the flooring but Graham said they may need to use some of those funds.

Two large bingo’s and the senior’s monthly bingo’s, plus Nevada ticket sales are what is now going toward the monthly expenses.

“The Royal Canadian Legion Dominion Command freed up a few million dollars and we were able to apply to get enough money to pay one month of utilities out of that and received that,” Graham said. “If we are judicious, we should be able to see our way through this.”

With things still being uncertain though, Graham said it will continue to be a bit of a challenge going forward.

For example, if the pandemic were to stick around for a year or more, there would need to be money raised to keep going.

Seating has been reduced in the legion lounge and tables have been spaced out and capacity is down to 40. The Corvette room will be set up in the same way which would bring capacity to around 100.

“We could maybe hold some wing nights and rib nights on Fridays with those kinds of numbers but we will see in the coming months,” Graham said.

As far as Remembrance Day and Poppy campaign, the legion has had no guidance from Dominion Command on how things will look. Last year’s poppy campaign brought in over $17,000 with the majority staying in the community for local facilities that support veterans and their families.

“Those funds have to be separated from operating funds because they have to go back into the community, that is the design of the program,” Graham said.

Legion members typically do a Decoration Day in June at the Mount Pleasant Cemetery where there are over 350 veterans graves. The air cadets usually help with that but they can’t be called on this year so it will be only legion members to do that.

“It is an important recognition of the community members that served and supported the nation so we will carry on with that,” Graham said.

Comrade Barkley Bessey, Mayor Rick Lang, Mr Joon Han, Pastor Phil Houston and Comrade Bob Ellis. Submitted photo.

Thursday marked the start of the Korean War in 1950 and a recognition ceremony was held at Memorial Garden.

“The fairly new owner of the Chances R Hotel, Joon Han had served in the Korean Army, when he came to the community, he found that we had a veteran here from Melfort who fought and was killed in 1952 there,” Graham said.

Han contacted the legion about Russel Haraldson and a ceremony was held in his honour.

“A number of the Haraldson family members were able to attend and it was very touching, Graham said. “To me, it pointed to just how important it is to keep the legion’s presence in the community.”

The Melfort branch is hoping to host the provincial legion convention in October of 2021 which they have never hosted before.

“We are trying to be involved in some of the larger aspects of the legion,” Graham said. “The convention would be good for the community economically and good for the local legion.”

Graham said the legion members are also very hopeful that they will be able to host their new years’ levee which isn’t necessarily a fundraiser but they could potentially run a raffle of sorts in conjunction with that event.

“We intend the levee more as a community support activity but that could be an option,” Graham said.

It was reported earlier this week that an estimated 124 of 1,381 legion branches across Canada are likely to close permanently with another 357 facing financial hardships.

The executive director of the Legion’s Saskatchewan command, Chad Wagner, said most legions aren’t eligible for any of the federal aid programs.

“Essentially, we have fallen into this gap where we don’t belong in the norm,” Wagner said. “We have a call into the prime minister to see if he can do something about it.”

Wagner said about 10 legion halls in Saskatchewan are really struggling.

With files from CKOM

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angie.rolheiser@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @Angie_Rolheiser