After many decades of excusable and nonchalant procrastinating, on Aug. 11, I became an associate member of the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 124 here in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Situated on prime real estate on King Street near Mary Street, I have passed by literally thousands of times on the way here and there.
Next to the old Niagara Nursery School, and near the Memorial Park tennis courts, the Legion often seemed to be hopping with activity, and the permanent temporary sign was continually being updated to announce upcoming social and fun activities.
With a very strong family military background stretching way back to the First World War, it was way past time for me to join.
My uncle Alexander Ross was in fact the brigadier general who played a very significant role at Vimy Ridge, and in fact coined the phrase, “I was witnessing the birth of a nation.”
After returning home to Canada and Saskatchewan in 1918, he spent several years lobbying the federal government for benefits for veterans and their widows and the thousands of orphans across Canada.
He was an early president of the Royal Canadian Legion, and helped set up the British, Australian, New Zealand and American legions.
Enough of this history — in the next month or two, I will ramble in detail about why I had never joined the Legion. Uncle Alex understood and never pressured me.
Back now to the local scene.
The good people of the NOTL Legion work so diligently and enthusiastically to organize social events and fundraising projects. I quickly learned that the activities and social events are almost never-ending.
Whether it’s the weekly fish fry (all welcome) on Thursdays from 4 to 7 p.m., or the live music and dinner every Friday, regular karaoke or the monthly open mic featuring brave local talent, the good times never seem to stop.
The welcome is unfailingly warm and the beer is perfectly cold. Perfectly cold and so reasonably priced, served up promptly by the effervescent Shannon and Sandra behind the bar.
A fair selection of lagers and ales, and I continue to lobby for the addition of our local Oast House Barnraiser (I don’t give up easily, eh? Like Chinese water torture. Drip, drip, drip).
Let’s ramble back to the multitude of activities. Music trivia regularly, and euchre and darts leagues for those so inclined.
The annual veterans dinner is on Nov. 9 this year and on Nov. 30, the Christmas craft show. See what I mean? Whew.
Back on Sept. 22, the annual golf outing was a big sold-out success. Some 44 golfers, and happily, a happy George McCormack won the grand prize.
Not for low net, longest drive, longest putt or closest to the hole, but a very egalitarian prize won strictly by luck. What a great concept!
In charge of the BBQ, fork and tongs in hand back at the Legion was a smiling Mark Derbyshire.
Arguably the best left-handed or right-handed golfer in town, the fun of 44 golfers being served by the primo golfer seemed just so politically correct. In what other town in Canada would this happen?
So, soon “the Legion” will be a featured entrant in the Dec. 14 Santa Claus Parade. Be there to cheer for our float.
Just last Sunday, Megan Vanderlee worked her unique magic to produce the annual Mrs. Roper’s Romp, with about twenty fun-loving women on a pub crawl around town.
My thick thesaurus doesn’t include sufficient colourful adjectives to describe the scene in front of the old Court House, or as the orange-haired fun lovers stormed into Corks Wine Bar and Eatery on Queen Street.
For good times, think about becoming a member of the Legion here in our town.
