Words Kelly Finerty
The year is 1926. Tenth Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King, the man you see on the $50 bill, returns to office, King George V is monarch, Queen Elizabeth II is born and Warner Bros. releases the first film synchronized to sound. Locally on Vancouver Island, Saanich Peninsula Branch 37 of the Royal Canadian Legion was founded as one of the first in Canada that year, on November 16, 1926, ushering in a new era of support to the community.
An instinctive thought may be that the Legion exists solely to support veterans and their families, and although that is a large part of what they do, at the core of it, the Legion is actually about connection. In correspondence with Legion Branch 37’s President, Ryan Trelford, I was given a historic peek into the Legion’s accomplishments, and within it, there was undeniable pride and honour – and so together, let’s reminisce.
In its early years, the Legion shared space at the Freemasons Lodge in Saanichton before settling in 1940 at the newly built Legion Hall at the former North Saanich School site, 1660 Mills Road. The Hall was constructed by the community through donations of land, time and funds in a “barn raising event” to be remembered, and hosted many weddings, graduations and dances on its famous floating dance floor – back then, the talk of the town. In 2002, the Hall was sold, but Branch 37 remained a tenant for over 20 years until the pandemic, ending an 80-year residence. Never deterred by hardship, the Legion reopened its doors in 2021 at the SHOAL Centre in Sidney, a partnership they are grateful to have acquired, and where the Saturday Meat Card Draws take place from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
If the lifeblood of the Saanich Peninsula Legion is its connection to the community, then the beating heart is its many volunteers who keep the connection flowing. The women and men, both veterans and civilians, who have dedicated their time and knowledge to the Legion and its many successful events deserve medals of honour in ensuring the community remains well supported. Before Ryan, Branch 37’s first female President in 2000, Valerie Noyes, served with distinction, followed by Mary Truttman, who served as President with a warm and comradely nature for veterans and their families. “We’ve always had a very healthy contingent of women volunteers,” Ryan relays. The wonderful men and women volunteers are always looking for new community opportunities to improve the Legion’s many events and activities.
Fundraising has always been a staple. The long-standing annual Poppy Campaign distributes 100% of its donations locally and has raised over $1.25 million since 2014. Legion Scholarships invest in the education of future generations, with Ryan being one of the past recipients. “The Legion awarded me $6,000 of scholarships over my four years, paying for a whole year of post-secondary education at UVic! I am so grateful for their support, and see my volunteer work as a way to give back to the branch for all they’ve done for me and other members of my family.”
A heartfelt thought from Ryan to conclude the reminiscent magic of the Saanich Peninsula Legion’s Centennial celebrations: “We had a wonderful Centennial barbecue on May 30 sponsored by the Sidney Lions Club, Torquemasters, Peninsula Celebrations Society, Thrifty Foods and Telus, and hosted at the wonderful Canadian Tire North Saanich. It was a great example of what we can do when we work together with others locally.”
Over 200 guests are expected to attend the Centennial Dinner and Dance at the BC Aviation Museum on June 20, and although in the future from when this piece was written, I’d imagine it was an unforgettable event to be talked about for the next 100 years.
If you would like to learn more about the Saanich Peninsula Legion or become a volunteer, visit https://peninsulalegion.ca/.
