Working to dispel the dated perception of the legion being a closed door, beer swilling, cigar smoking old boys害羞草研究所� club, the Sicamous branch is updating its look to reflect that, and what the organization actually does for the community.
害羞草研究所淲hat we害羞草研究所檙e learning is, we害羞草研究所檝e done so much in this community, and a lot of people really don害羞草研究所檛 understand who the Sicamous Legion is, and what we do,害羞草研究所� president Bill Moore said, with the executive board aiming to change that. 害羞草研究所淚n the last two years, we害羞草研究所檝e probably given back over $100,000 back to the community for different programs.害羞草研究所�
He added that they can害羞草研究所檛 keep any of the money made from the meat draws, just 15 per cent over a year for administrative costs, but the rest has to go back to the community with clear guidelines set on which groups they can give that funding to.
The Poppy Fund has an even stricter mandate on who that money can go to support as it害羞草研究所檚 solely for veterans, and recipients have to be approved by Legion BC/Yukon Command, such as the donation Sicamous was authorized to donate $10,000 to Pacific Assistance Dogs Society (PADS) last year.
Moore explained that the PADS organization trains PTSD dogs, which costs approximately $40,000 to do, and has heard they害羞草研究所檙e currently training a dog that may be going to a veteran in Sicamous, which is really what the Poppy Fund is all about.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 very controlled, and that害羞草研究所檚 the part that people need to understand. Operation money is a hundred per cent from beer sales害羞草研究所� that害羞草研究所檚 the income here,害羞草研究所� board member Jeff Mallmes said, adding that hall and Gardom Lake cabin rentals also contribute to that. 害羞草研究所淎nd that all comes from the membership coming in here and supporting us.害羞草研究所�
It害羞草研究所檚 not only the local membership, however, with the Sunday meat draw attracting people from Salmon Arm, Enderby, Armstrong and even Kamloops, with some having told Moore that while they害羞草研究所檙e members elsewhere, Sicamous has the best legion around.
Through that support, and three New Horizons grants, the Sicamous Legion has been undergoing renovations and upgrades over the last five years to update the facility and attract more people. That includes an outdoor patio, new floor and ceiling installed last year, upgrades to the bathrooms and kitchen, a new fa莽ade on the exterior and will soon be redoing the bar. They also installed their own sound system so when they have live music, the band can just show up and play, saving a lot of time on set up and tear down. That, in turn, gets the legion a lower booking cost.
In addition to updating the bricks and mortar of the legion, the board has also updated the long-standing rule of no hats, finding it excluded a lot of the younger generation they害羞草研究所檙e trying to attract, 害羞草研究所渂ecause every young person is wearing a hat,害羞草研究所� Mallmes pointed out.
That was voted on by the general membership, as was a proposal to allow kids in the legion until 8 p.m., like any other licensed restaurant.
Mallmes added that these changes and advancements are only possible because of the people involved with the organization.
害羞草研究所淚f it wasn害羞草研究所檛 for the people that are involved in executive board, and volunteers害羞草研究所� it takes the right people to make it successful,害羞草研究所� he said.
害羞草研究所淓verybody害羞草研究所檚 got to be rowing in the same direction,害羞草研究所� board member Judy Moore added.
While the board has been modernizing the Sicamous branch, she also stressed that it is still an organization that is about the veterans.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e kind of unique in some aspects in that we do have some of the memorabilia and the medals害羞草研究所π卟菅芯克鶟 she said. 害羞草研究所淎nd when people come in here, yeah we害羞草研究所檝e kind of fancied it up a little bit, but we害羞草研究所檙e still honouring the veterans.害羞草研究所�
Membership is $55 a year, with announcements of the many events held there posted on the page.
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