Corporal, pastor and comrade Geoff Thiessen sees the Royal Canadian Legion as a special group of people who are set apart from other volunteer organizations in communities spread across the country.
Thiessen told about 40 people attending the annual Past Presidents鈥� supper in the Estevan Legion Hall on Saturday night, the Legion was different thanks to their undying commitment to veterans along with their already well established and acknowledged efforts in building a better city and province.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not necessarily membership and community focus, but the commitment to veterans that sets us apart,鈥� said Thiessen. 鈥淭hose who were and are willing to put their lives on the line. We are military at the core and when you join the Legion you realize the pride in service we provide for veterans.鈥�
Thiessen was joined by Estevan鈥檚 deputy mayor Brian Johnson who brought greetings from the city council, thanking the Legion for their many and varied contributions to the community.
Estevan Branch No. 60 president Troy LeBlanc served as emcee for the evening鈥檚 program that included the installation of three new members into the executive committee. Willie Forrest was also installed as the assistant sergeant-at-arms and joined the branch鈥檚 colour party.
鈥淲e have re-organized the colour party and we鈥檙e thankful for that, for those people who stepped up. Our numbers may be dwindling, but we carry on,鈥� said LeBlanc.
Past president Sharren Dukart officiated over the installation of Forrest, as well as new executive members Danielle Evenson, Christine Jones and Dean Erickson.
During his address, Thiessen noted there were four elements of the Legion that made them a special organization, beginning with their belief in the military and those who serve in it. Holding the values and beliefs of a military personage can sometimes be challenging, he suggested.
鈥淭he second is the fact we cherish the memory of the fallen soldiers, those who didn鈥檛 come home. Lest we forget? No, that鈥檚 why we visit schools to remind young people of what this is about. That is why we have cenotaphs in our communities. We keep the history alive, so we can remember the price of peace and freedom.鈥�
Serving families of those who serve was the third element Thiessen said he admired about the Legion. 鈥淲hen those military personnel come home they need help, whether it鈥檚 PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) or other assistance that is required. The Legion is there, because we are passionate for the cause.鈥�
The fourth element, was the combined strength of the Legion for 鈥渢ogether we make a difference. We can symbolize the fact that many hands make light work and we prove that point.鈥�
Before bringing the evening鈥檚 program to a close, LeBlanc noted that 2015 had been a memorable year with the realization of the Veterans鈥� Park in the Royal Heights area of the city, coming to a reality while the ambitious Soldiers鈥� Tree project has been launched with plans to place it near the cenotaph, in the central part of the city on the courthouse lawn.
Visiting Legion members attending the Estevan event included couples from Bienfait and Oxbow.
