The new board was elected for the Aldergrove legion last month, in addition to several awards being handed out to volunteers and long-time members.
One such member was Metis Elder Ken Pruden, who received his 30-year pin from his four-year-old great-grandson, Hayden Larkin.
Pruden said it meant a lot to receive his pin from Hayden.
Eight volunteers were also given certificates of appreciation, including Shaun Francis, who has been a member since 1988.
"I joined the army, injured my hip, and came back," he said.
"It was a big part of my youth, with cubs and cadets, and it I just thought it was the right thing to do," he told The Star.
"I had some really good mentors there, Second World War veterans."
A memory he fondly recalls was visiting veterans who couldn't make it to the Remembrance Day service with other members.
"It was an incredible experience. A couple bomber pilots, an army guy, and myself... it was like being a fly on the wall hearing and [witnessing] their stories and camaderie," he shared.
"It's been important to me, and they passed the torch to me. Now, I want to pass the torch onto the next generation."
Francis joined the Aldergrove legion specifically in 2008 though, when he moved to town from Osoyoos, and has been parade marshal of the local Remembrance Day ceremony since 2009.
President Debra Gray also joined the legion in 1988, though her father who was in the Navy had initially bought the membership for her and her two brothers.
"The funny thing is, I never went to a legion until we moved to Forest Grove in the 1990s and there is a legion and I would go all the time," she laughed.
When her parents moved to the Lower Mainland, she visited often and joined the Aldergrove legion.
Francis notes that the Aldergrove branch has a lot of ties to the Navy because of the local Navy station.
Construction of the local legion building was done by volunteers, opening in 1969 and was completely paid off by December of 1972, when a mortgage burning took place. The lounge addition of the legion building was added later on.
The building allowed legion members to regularly get together for dances, bingos, and other entertainment. Money was raised through lotteries, which was donated to various charities.
By 1973, there were 217 members of the Aldergrove legion.
Now, 61 years later, the branch has managed to survive and thrive with just under 600 members, while some others in the Lower Mainland have suffered declining memberships.
And not everyone has to be a serving member or a veteran, Francis said.
"Any cadet or young person that comes into the legion are welcome. I don't care [if they have no service], as long as are here and want to give back to the community," Francis said.
"Understanding a little of what the military is about, and especially the legion," he added.
An annual membership is $65, which a portion goes to the local branch while the remaining funds are sent to the provincial and national commands.
The national Legion Foundation program is one such way the legion supports veterans. Through the program, each branch has bags of supplies for veterans who are homeless, or totes for those about to be placed into housing.
Aldergrove legion donates to a variety of veteran programs including the Honour House, a military family resource centre, Honour Ranch in Ashcroft, and various local charities.
It also hosts several events throughout the year in addition to the annual Remembrance Day ceremony.
Coming up in Aldergrove are:
- April 6: candlelight vigil to mark Vimy Ridge anniversary
- May 4: Remembrance ceremony for the Battle of Atlantic
- August: the Rolling Brigade will end at the Aldergrove legion
- Sept. 21: Battle of Britain parade
In its lounge, the legion also regularly hosts bingo nights, entertainment, meat draws, pool, darts, ping pong, sport watch parties, and more. Bands are often scheduled for Friday and Saturday nights, including ACDC Dance and Metallic tribute bands. A $10 breakfast is served every Sunday from 9 to 11 a.m.
"All the money we raise, from our events, goes to charity," Gray said.
From the poppy campaign, various scholarships, and the weekly gaming fundraisers, the legion raised and donated more than $88,300 to various charities and non-profit groups in 2024.
Gray credits the legion’s hard-working volunteers with keeping it going.
She also said that the legion is always looking for new volunteers, and anyone interested can call the main office at 604-856-8814.
Aldergrove's legion branch is located at 26607 Fraser Hwy.
