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AV le = VI \v 1) AL 4 a ~- WY "9 WW. LL Ce wr 3 : > ) t : » Where will future members come from? Brooklin Legion, Branch 152, like many legions across Canada is concerned that dwind!- ing membership of veterans might one day cause some to close their doors. Many legionnaires feel the only way to ensure the future of the legion is to bend the rules somewhat. New equipment for play Ashburn and Area News by Rose Heron Wedding Bells are ringing again in our community. We are sorry that Mrs. Bill Gard- ner had a serious heart attack and was in intensive care in Oshawa Hospital, but we are glad she is im- proving nicely now and we hope you will soon be feeling better and all well again soon Bernice. Glad to report Mrs. Mabel Com- pton is home again after her stay in Dr. J.O. Ruddy Hospital. There has been a new slide and some new climbing equipment put in the park around the Community Centre for the young children to play on and enjoy. Quite a few new houses are going up in the village and area. Ashburn seems to be growing rapidly. Elizabeth Johnson and Alaurien Gill are attending Glen Mohr Presbyterian Church Camp this week.' Rev. Thomas Gemmell was the guest minister at Burns last Sunday morning. He took his message from St. Matthew's gospel, Chapter 12. Barbara Porter sang a lovely solo entitled 'A Song of Blessing" she accompanied herself on the chord hays. Rev. Gemmell will be at Burns again next Sunday. Cheerful thoughts have a wonderful power of lightening a heart or brightening an hour. oS Viewpoint PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, July 15, 1986 -- 19 Crisis in the making? Legion facing dilemma in warless generation As the Canadian legion celebrates its 60th Anniversary this year, there is some question as to what the future of this organization might be. Legion members have traditional ly been war veterans, but the last Canadian combat soldiers went to war a generation ago in Korea. Ac- cording to Bob Heron, president of Brooklin Legion, Branch 152, for nine years, the average of true Legion numbers, that is those who have participated in Canada's arm- ed forces during wartime, now stands, at age 67. At the present time, the legion permits sons and daughters of veterans to become members. But up until a few years ago, these sons and daughters were not permitted to become the president of their respective branches; this right be- ing reseved for only those who had seen wartime service. Heron is. pleased changes have been made within the legion over the past few years, but admits the changes are coming about too slow- ly. He feels the only way to assure the future of the legion is to allow other relatives of veterans to join, such as grandchildren, nieces and nephews. ka "There is a great deal of competi- tion from other service groups such as the Kinsmen and Lions Club, who don't care what your father did dur- ing the war," said Heron, "The on- ly way for the legion to survive is to be more flexible." But the idea of non-service members has always stirred resistance among the troops. As far back as 1928, the organiza- tion's first president foresaw the legion's demise if it continued to de- pend exclusively on veterans for membership. That was just two years after the Canadian Legion of the British Em- pire League, and Lt. Gen. Sir Per- cy Lake of Victoria, B.C., encourag- ed the induction of sons and daughters. But few legionnaires were ready to take up Sir Percy's call, The - declaration of war in 1939 effectively shelved the discussion of non- service members for decades. In the meantime, even the new generation of veterans created by the second World War was not im- mediately welcomed into the group's top positions. According to one vet who wished to remain anonymous, "The vets from the first war who were runn- ing the legion said to themselves: 'those damned kids aren't going to take over my organization' ... the same thing is happening today, a lot of legionnaires just don't trust their sons and daughters to carry out the aims of the legion." It wasn't until 1972 that sons and daughters were finally allowed to join as associated members -- but they couldn't vote on legion deci- sions. Members' children were given full voting privileges in 1980, but have yet to penetrate the ex- ecutive echelons of the organization. And this year the national conven- tion turned down a proposal to en- courage the 150,000 associate members to play a greater leader- ship role. The group's 600,000 members raises more than $30 million a year for senior citizens" housing, scholar- ships and contributions to youth groups and sporting events. They are the largest service group in Canada, and although about 1,800 branches across Canada, including the one in Brooklin, own buildings and real estate worth hundreds of millions of dollars, there could come a day when there are simply no members to carry on the traditions. The Brooklin Legion v:as found- ed around 1925, according to Heron, and was forced to give up its charter due to lack of membership just a short time later in 1929. Turnto page 20 H From page 18 mother. This is such a tragedy and I have sworn it is going to be remedied. It is not as though everyone in the family doesn't get along, so to speak. It is just that the only time we all seem to get together is at such occasions as 50th anniversaries or funerals. That is the shame of it all. Not the anniversary, but the fact a meeting of the clan, that should be so happy, is always the reverse because we are all saying goodbye to a loved one. ~ Uncle Tom's funeral was the straw that broke the camel's back. No more. On bidding our farewells, his wife pleaded with us to visit soon. 'I don't plan to be around too much longer," she said, and it broke my heart. I don't want to see the family again under the same circumstances I just went through. At one point during the three-day ordeal, I somewhat laughingly said we should have an annual family reunion whereby we could all get together to chat about old times, and " the cousins could actually meet each other (many for the first time) and keep up a rap- port that would keep the spirit of the family going. « The more I think about it the greater it sounds. What is one long weekend out of the year? There is certainly enough room for a tribe of tents and trailers at the farm, and enough room for the more timid in the five bedrooms. I have no doubt the idea will be well received and I'm only sorry I did not think of - it sooner. Uncle Tom would have been pleas- ed more than words can express to have the whole gang around him. But it is too late now. And that is what bothers me the most. Although I have no doubt he knew it in his heart, I never told the man how much I loved him and how much he meant to us as a fami- ly. This is my biggest regret. But it has smartened me up, and made me aware that there is no such thing as putting off 'till tomor- row when it comes to love and family ties. I will not make the same mistake again. From now on I won't take my silver seniors for granted figuring that they could never die. If this Viewpoint has been somewhat longer and more down-toned than is my usual fare, I apologize, but I hope it has perchance hit home a little bit. Everyone has a family such as I have described, with senior members who can easily be forgotten in the hustle and bustle of this 20th century civiliza- tion that we live in. Don't forget them as I did and regret it. Don't let a whole year go by before you make an effort to visit them as I did, only to regret it terribly. There is an old song that says "stop and smell the roses ..... kind of hokey, but so damn true. 1) Pearpentay CUSTOM FRAMING * GARAGES DECKS * RENOVATIONS * BARNS -- Free Estimates -- ~ BROOKLIN ONT. (418) 655-8897 CARPENTER JAMES GUILLETTE WwWCD ENTERPRIZES -- PLUMBING -- Service - Renovations - Pumps Brooklin - Ontario WAYNE DISNEY 655-4545 - New Ownership - C.A. COULTER WASTE DISPOSAL LTD. now owns BROOKLIN ! SEPTIC TANK SERVICE Call for early clean-out. a WHITBY - 668-2563 OSHAWA - 433-8681 § | i A i li