In addition to looking after the nation’s veterans and spearheading the annual Remembrance Day ceremonies, the team at Oliver Legion Branch 97 has continually found new ways to be philanthropic over 88 years since establishing the canteen.

With the recent passing of Legion Week, it’s time to take an overview of the generous support they thanklessly share with Oliver.

“We try to help and support the community as best we can, and we’ve been very successful in caring and looking after our veterans,” said local president Peter McKenna.

McKenna has been a part of other Legion branches, having first signed up as a prerequisite to play slow pitch baseball. He said it’s the members of the Oliver Legion that makes the local branch most unique.

“Our legion is so friendly and outgoing, it’s unbelievable.”

One of the their recent successes was the popularity of their New Years Eve celebration, which filled the canteen right up to capacity.

“We’re moving next year’s party to the community centre because of high demand,” he said, adding that all money raised is donated back to the community.

Beyond their annual Halloween and Oktoberfest celebrations, the local Legion holds weekly meat draws every Saturday.

“Our meat draws are mega draws, there’s around $300-$400 worth of meat,” he said. “And we support local businesses when we do them.”

Another weekly commitment is their Friday night dinners, which offer full plates usually consisting of beef, chicken, pork or salmon.

“We have all different types of meals – most people can’t finish what’s on their plate,” he said. “The meals are all cooked from scratch by volunteers, and people can bring their kids with them.”

To coincide with the first day of Legion Week and the middle of a lunar cycle, the Legion invited the public to the full moon dinner on June 24, with a hardy meal, silent auction and music by Rebel Love.

The Oliver legion has around 400-450 members. The rule of thumb is that you have to be a veteran to join; someone who serves or served in the Armed Forces or RCMP. Family members of those who serve can become associate members, but McKenna said the local branch is open and friendly and willing to accept people who aren’t affiliated with a veteran, though there are still checks in place.

In the lead-up to Remembrance Day, the local Legion calls on youngsters to create art relating to the occasion. Entries can advance as far as the national level, and while no Oliver artists have made it that far yet, McKenna said the local kids have done very well.

“We get them to participate in the ceremonies to help them understand what went on years before,” he said. “They know what Remembrance Day and the poppy are about and they seem to understand. It’s getting better and better every year.”

During a visit to a local school earlier this year, youngsters were fascinated by the badges being worn by First Vice-President Chris Yerburgh, whose uniform includes medals he earned as a peacekeeper.

“They were asking him what all the medals are all for and what he did.”

After involving the kids in the Remembrance Day ceremonies, the local Legion treats them to dinner at Subway and a night at the movies.

The local branch was the recipient of a grant from Holland, where a group donated tulips to build a Veterans Garden. But normally, the Legion is making the donations.

Money has been shared with Highway to Healing, the Town’s Parks and Recreation department for kids to swim and skate for free, the Canadian Cancer Society, and medical aid for veterans and their families.

For all that they do, their work was most recently recognized by the Town, which named the branch as a recipient of the Spirit of Oliver award.

DAN WALTON

Oliver Chronicle