HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1979-10-04, Page 29L
two
Allan Nicholson and Jack
Eisler are both, past presi-
dents of Seaforth's Branch
156 of the Royal Canadian
Legion, both saw service in
World War 2 and both are
convinced of the value of
Legion membership.
Jack joined the Legion
when he came homefrom the
service, where he served two
and a half years, including a
year in Europe with the
Occupation forces, mainly in
Holland. "1 was encouraged
to join by John Earle, one of
our older past 'presidents,"
he says.
Both men really. appreci-
ated -gifts from the Legion
during the war and Legion
sponsored canteens over-
seas. "The first war vets
raised the money to do that. I;
felt 1 should contribute too",
Al says:
Allan was inthe navy
aboard the Lanark and
watched two ships nearby
blow up in the Atlantic.
Comradeship ..: close
friendships andrespect for
each other, the most import-
ant thing, about being:. a
Legion member, the two men.
say. Along with. its many
community service functions
the Legion provides a club
where members . cane "be
among friends", Allan says.
Seaforth's ,Legion has a
membership of 425, except-
ionally. high for a town.; this
size. (Mitchell, for example,,
with a larger population, has
about 125 Legion. members.)
And for. four years Infiniti
the branch, has won the early
bird. membership plaque for.
the 'whole province. That's
because' nearly .all branch
. members , pay their ' dues
ahead of time.
Twist your arm
Al Nicholsonis the -Leg-
ion's membership chairman
and with the help of associate
members Bob Watson and
Ken Cardno;maintains this
record, and brings in new
members. "They twist your
arm," Jack Eisler jokes:
For : more thantwenty
years. the Seaforth., Legion
has sponsored ;all of Sea-
forth's minor hockey teams:
Jack was chairman of that;
1
effort for many years; and
estimates at least 180 young
boys a year got to play
hockey under Legion spon-
sorship.,
The local Legion branch
got minor sports "on their
feet" after the wary Jack.
remembers .4 and started
industrial league ball and
hockey in Seaforth too._
Severalyears ago, the
town took over sponsorship
of minor sports because of
the provincial grant structure;
and now parents pay a
nominal fee, to enroll their
children in Saturday morning
hockey for example: ''1 bet I
got 50 calls from people who
wanted:. to know why, 'they
had to pay after all those
years," when Legion spon
o ship ended Al Nicholson
comments.
The Legion still donates
annually to Seaforth:'s.
recreational program.
=50 each
Contributions: from Legion
war veterans who donated.
.the $50 each they received
from ,thetown back , to an
arena fund formed .the core
of the: money that was used
to build the present commun-
. ity centre, a total of about
513,000, the :r men explain.
For many years: the Legion
used the arena as their hall.
but in 1960 the present • new
bu ding. on S. Main. St was
erected,with a lot, of .volun-
teer help from members. 'Ten•
years later after fund raising
by Branch and Legion Ladies
Auxiliary:., members; • the
mortgage was burned.
Another highlight of
recent Legion years in Sea -
forth, Jack and Allan say, is.
Frank ` Phillips' display of
wartime photos, documents
and. uniforms. The display
was open to the public during
fiftieth ' anniversary cele-
brations this 'summerbut
both men say it 'deserves a:
permanent. home. A movie
film was taken at the displayr
• and it will be available to the
branch.
In addition to regularly
donating to every charity
campaign in town, the.
Legion for years has spon-
sored public speaking and
essay contests and hasgiven
bursaries to veterans' child-
ren for higher education.
Allan. Nicholson points out
that Legion Ladies .Auxil-
iaries in Ontario give over 31
million in bursariesevery
year. Paying tribute to the
local Legion. Auxiliary, he
adds "a lot of branches
wouldn't exist without
them."
The Legion. donated' 55000'
tothe new Seaforth Com-
munity Hospital and. for 30
years have carriedon the
• Salvation Army fund drive in.,
town.
Legion members don't talk
about their war, experiences
often, except on November
11, Jack Eisler, says. "And it
does bug me when, .people
won't remember," adds Al
Nicholson.
"Nobody wants another
war", he points out, but the
Legion would really like. the
Ontario government to make
Remembrance Day a statu-
atory holiday as some other
provinces have.
Now that a generation is
•
growing up whose parents
weren't born during the war,
important:. that children
understand, the sacrifices
servicemen made,both men
• say..
Local. schools seem to real-
ize this and are doing a fine
job in that ;respect,' Jack.
Eisler says "probably better
now than say' ten years after
the war.
Respect
Jack, who served in Hol-
land, and Al . talk about the
great respect Canadian ex -
servicemen and Canadians in.
general enjoy in Holland, the
country. , they liberated in
1945. There's a place in
Holland where every car
stops, for a+!moment every
day,, all year long,in a
;gesture of thanks and here
I we don't all remember what
the veterans°did for us, :Allan
;:says...:
'`Canadian didn't . go
through'a war, that's why,".
Jack Eisler says and both.
men shake their heads.
Both men are full of praise
for the co-operation the Leg-
ion receives from Seaforth
And Still Barring
The years have shown it is what you do best.
Thank you for it now. in the past...ond for the future.
ank
General Contracting. • Washed & Crushed: Aggregates +.
Material Handling. • Plumbing • Heating and Electrics) •
General Electric Dealer for over 40 years,
LEGION ANNIVERSARY SECTION 54.
and community, "People are
behind! the Legion 100 per
cent," they say.
Eight or nine years ago the
Canadian Legion's Dominion:
Command :authorized the
addition of sons. and .daugh- ..
ters of war veterans as.
associate. members, Seaford'
now has, 125 of these,awl*
local' branch; would; welcome
more. As well Branch.,156
has 223 vets, �m the two
world wars and a couple, Don
Muir and Jim Brown, who'
saw action in. Xeres. There
are ten honorary members
too, people who were invited
to join the local legion before
associates were allowed.
1 A number of the associate
members are very active,
:Jack and Al say. "Associate
1 memberships are really
agoing over well. The future
'will be in good hands," says
Allan Nicholson with a smile.
FOUR TIME ONTARIO WINNERS—Seaforth's Legion has won the -
province -wide early bird membership contest for 'four years straight.-
Holding. -the first three plaques are membership. chairman, Allan
Nicholson centre, and Bob; Watson and Ken Cardno. (Photo by Phillips)
1929 SEAFORTH BRANCH 156'
ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION
fns Me
OWN OF SEAFORTH
1979
MAYOR: John Sinnarnon
REEVE: DEPUTY REEVE:
John Flannery Bill Dale
COUNCILLORS:
Bruce Hoelscher "Bob Dinsmore:
Jim Sills.,!rwin Johnston Henry' Mero ". Gerald Groothui
CLERK TREASURER: Jim Crocker
POLICE CHIEF: John Cairns
FIRE CHIEF: Harry Hak
PUC MANAGER: Tom Phillips
PUBLIC WORKS FOREMAN: Harvey Dolmage
Commission and Staff
of the
SEAFORTH
PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION.
Chairman -Gordon Pullman' John Sinnamon (Mayor)`
Commitlsion•rs -0ou0 Fryatt.
Manager
Tom Phillips