HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News Record, 2013-12-18, Page 5letters to the editor
Wednesday, December 18, 2013 • News Record 5
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Legion founded on the need
for camaraderie and support
To the editor,
Dear Comrades, the Legion and its more
than 320,000 members have a long tradition
of Veterans helping Veterans. After WWI, Vet-
erans identified a need to meet with other
Veterans in an informal atmosphere. They
wanted a place where they could go without
fear of being judged or stigmatized and could
relate with each other following their deploy-
ment experiences whether in Canada or
overseas. In 1926, they realized the power in
numbers and banded together to create The
Royal Canadian Legion.
The challenges facing Veterans, both while
serving and after release, are wide -spread
and have uniquely developed through the
roles and responsibilities they
take on while in service. Some Canadian
Armed Forces (CAF) and RCMP members
may have suffered grave wounds, loss of col-
leagues and friends, operational stress inju-
ries, mental health challenges, and difficul-
ties transitioning to civilian life.
These challenges are not new to the CAF
or RCMP and the challenges can persist well
beyond their years of service. Yet it is from
these challenges that the Legion was first
formed in 1926... and to this day, it is the rea-
son the Legion continues to help.
The Legion started from a variety of dispa-
rate veterans' associations who faced chal-
lenges obtaining the care and benefits their
country had promised them. Together, they
formed an association where all Veterans
could come together and advocate on each
other's behalf. This is as true of the Legion
today as it was in 1926. The Legion was
founded on the need for Veterans to bring
their collective voice forward and for it to be
heard. They came together because they
fought together.
Often, one of the biggest challenges in the
Veteran community is getting information
and assistance to those who need it. Our
local Legion Branches are the boots -on -the -
ground connection to Veterans and their
families.
Now, more than ever, we need to reach out
to Veterans, their families and our
communities and there are a number of
ways we can do this:
- Our Branch Services Officers in more
than 1,460 branches across Canada are
encouraged to reach out to their local Vet-
eran community and meet with Veterans to
assess and address needs and to refer them
to the services
available to them through their Command
Service Officer.
• We encourage branches and members to
proactively reach out to the community at
large, and invite and welcome Veterans to
visit their branch, participate in public activi-
ties, hold an open house, or invite other
service
clubs to hold a meeting at your branch.
• We encourage our member Veterans, and
all branch members to welcome all
generations of Veterans into the fold. Our
senior Veterans can remember
back to when they were young and can
relate to much of what the younger
Veterans are experiencing. Our newer Vet-
erans can gain valuable insight and
camaraderie from an older generation of
Veterans and share in similar
experiences across the years. Whether a
Veteran comes just to visit, or to get
help and support, or to become a member,
all should be welcomed with open
arms.
There are many challenges facing our Vet-
erans, both young and old, and it is
through connecting these generations of
Veterans, that they can gain strength, find
comfort, and get the support they need. The
Legion is here to help all Veterans connect,
share, talk and live their lives to the fullest.
The Legion is a Veteran's extended military
family, because we understand
Veterans and we care for them.
Sincerely,
Gordon Moore
Dominion President
The Royal Canadian Legion
Arena is a place where memories are built
Dear Bluewater Council Members,
My name is Marlese Coombs and I have
been a member of the Bayfield Skating
Club for 11 years. The Bayfield arena has
been my second home.
When I saw the words "Thanks for the
memories" painted on the ice it broke my
heart. Over the years I have built memories
and made lifelong friendships. An arena is
a centre of a community. You not only skate
with people your own age but you skate
with younger and older people! That has
had a real impact on me, I was able to skate
with my cousin who is seven years older
then me. My cousin is a best friend, and
role model, because of the Bayfield figure
skating club I was able to make a lasting
bond with her. That is the great thing about
having a small club you can make
friendships.
I spend five maybe six days a week on the
ice, I play hockey and I figure skate. I have
been to a lot of arenas and none of those
fancy new arenas compare to the Bayfield
arena. The Bayfield arena to me just feels
like going home. The ice surface is so crisp,
I don't even know any other word to
describe it but perfect. Forget the dressing
rooms, forget all of the fancy little things,
just think about the ice. The smooth, crisp,
hard ice of the Bayfield arena.
Thanks to the skating club I have learned
so many life skills and lessons. I learned
how to teach kids, and how to be enthusias-
tic even if you don't feel like it. I learned
how to get along with everyone, and how to
be more coachable in any sport. But most
of all I learned no matter hard things get
you have to keep trying, no matter how
many times you get pushed down you have
to stand backup and keep trying. That is
why I feel an ice surface needs to stay in our
community because I want those little skat-
ers on the ice that the other girls and I help
to coach to have the same opportunities we
have had. I want them to be able to meet
different people in their own community,
not someone else's community. Thanks to
these life lessons I know that no matter how
many times we are pushed down we will
continue to try. Figure skating is a passion
not just a sport. I know to you it is just an ice
surface but for me it is where I have grown
up.
Sincerely,
Marlese Coombs, 14
LET'S MAKE CANCER HISTORY
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