LITTLE CURRENT – Royal Canadian Legion Little Current Branch 177 president Ruth Eadie became involved with the Legion over two decades ago, first becoming acquainted with the veteran support organization while hanging out with her sister Joyce who worked there.
“It’s a good organization,” she said of the Legion, “it does a lot of good for the community. We have a great volunteer team.”
With the advent of COVID-19 and the restrictions that came with the pandemic, that team has shrunk a bit, but teamwork and the atmosphere makes all the difference. “There are only about five of us right now,” said Ms. Eadie of the core volunteer team. “It’s great working with a team when you get along with everybody.”
Like many Islanders, Ms. Eadie yearns for the days when dances and other entertainment were a major part of the organization’s day-to-day operations. “It’s a great opportunity to meet people in the community,” she said.
Ms. Eadie said that she found working to provide assistance to members of the community very rewarding. “When someone needs help so their kid can play hockey or ice skating, the Legion is there to help them out,” she said. “Sometimes it’s fire victims or someone who has some other kind of emergency.”
The Legion’s fundraising efforts are wide and varied. “Before the restrictions, we held a taco dinner that raised $1,300 to help a family,” she said. “I don’t mind helping out with that kind of thing, it’s a way to give back to the community.”
The Legion “community” stretches far beyond the boundaries of Little Current, noted Ms. Eadie. “We support CanSkate, people from West Bay, Wiikwemkoong, all across the Island.”
The Legion has been running a very popular and well-received wing night on alternate Thursdays, but Ms. Eadie said that she was thinking it was time to change things up. “Maybe a whitefish dinner, or cold salads.”
Ms. Eadie said that the Legion is always on the lookout for new members and she encourages anyone to consider joining the organization. “We do some things to encourage people to join,” she said. “When we hold an event like a dance, admission is $10 but we drop it to $5 for members to come to the event, for instance. It’s a way to show appreciation to the members who support us. We do little things to encourage people to come out.”
Ms. Eadie said that she is very proud of the work the Legion does in the community and the sense of community that comes from being part of such a wonderful team.
