Welcome to Royal Canadian Legion Br. 179 Capreol -The Ladies Auxiliary

REMEMBRANCE DAY LUNCHEON, TEA AND PENNY SALE: held each November, (this year's is Nov. 4/04) features a soup, sandwich and dessert luncheon, followed by an evening tea. We boast the best Penny Table in the Community. Our tea also has a raffle, a White Elephant Table featuring many treasures, and a grocery basket raffle as well. This fall tea is our mainstay for our Charitable works, with a substantial donation each year for the Royal Canadian Legion Bursary Assistance Program, and the Charitable Foundation of the Royal Canadian Legion. The Bursary Fund is the pet of the Ontario Ladies Auxiliaries, having donated over $500.000. to deserving students of Legion backgrounds, in the last year.

SPRING DESSERT TEA AND PENNY TABLE: is held each spring, usually in April, with all of the above events, but no luncheon, usually on a Sunday afternoon. This tea helps fills the Charitable Account for local donations and good works.

CHRISTMAS SHUT INNS: Gifts are delivered to every shut in from Capreol, whether at home, in the Hospital or Nursing Homes, along with a visit. Comrade Stella Rose has been doing this wonderful chore, with a helper, for over 25 years. We had 31 shut ins last year.

ANNUAL SENIORS 240 CLUB CHRISTMAS DINNER: is held in the Legion Hall, filled to capacity, for a nominal fee, each December. Most often the Valley Boys play music after dinner, with everyone enjoying the friendship and good food. The L.A. also assists the Branch with the Annual Senior's Turkey Banquet held each December at the Capreol Arena, serving over 300 yearly.

ANNUAL SENIOR BIRTHDAY PARTY: has been held 37 consecutive years each February. This event has evolved into a Senior's card party, with a luncheon served, including a Birthday Cake, and prizes for the card players.

LUNCHEONS are held approximately every two months, serving homemade soups, sandwiches, and desserts. These are very well attended, with many local businesses and schools, ordering take out meals.

SPORTS are a mainstay of the Ladies Auxiliary, with friendly competition starting at Zone level, with winners advancing on to District levels, and finally winners advancing on to Provincial levels at various cities in the Province. Sportsmanship and Comradeship is stressed rather than the mere winning of championships. Inter-Auxiliary visits and the meeting of comrades from other parts of the Province well be an incentive in-maintaining - membership and obtaining new members.

The Sports are: Euchre, Cribbage, and Darts, with Bowling just having been abolished because of difficulty in securing bowling allies on Saturdays at Provincial levels. All funds for Sports must be raised by special events designated for sports, under a separate bank account. In other words, sports must be self sufficient.

CONVENTIONS A Zone Convention is held annually, usually in April or May, with a good contingent always attending from Capreol. This Convention is hosted by one of 10 Zone L.A.'s, with a Provincial Officer always in attendance, to keep us all apprised of new laws, by-laws etc.

A Provincial Convention is held somewhere in Ontario every two years, usually in September. This year the Provincial Convention was held in Orillia., with seven attending from Capreol, with a total attendance of 1,198 ladies from all over the Province. A huge parade is always featured, with over 300 flags, two or three bands, and several marching. When an L.A. Provincial Convention descends on a community, we are very visible, with ladies everywhere it seems, the locals are always so generous, friendly and helpful, no matter where we go. The Ladies always receive a great welcome.

ADOPTED VETERANS: the L.A. always honors one veteran with Birthday gifts, Easter and Christmas visits and gifts. We also donate generously to the Ontario Veteran's Fund and the Zone H-3 Veteran's Wish List. Any family member who requires assistance with a Veteran is always helped out in any way possible, even if just a visit. Sometimes just seeing a friendly face helps.

LEGION FRIDAY FISH FRIES: L.A. members are active in the weekly fabulous fish fries held Fridays from 4:30 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. This has become a very popular joint effort of the Capreol Legion. starting from a humble beginning, to a well attended function, week in and week out. Mention the fish fry to anyone from Capreol, and they will rave about the quality and tastiness of our fish.

The L.A. has a rich and diversified past, with the hopes of continuing on into this twenty-first century strong, united, and dedicated to the morals and beliefs of the Royal Canadian Legion. We, as the L.A. to Branch 179, lend assistance to our Branch, to help veterans and their dependants in any way we can, in particular with the Poppy Campaign. The ladies of the L.A. have fin - we like each other - we all have the same values --we are all PROUD CANADIANS!

If anyone wishes more information about the Ladies Auxiliary to the Royal Canadian Legion, please call the Capreol Legion Hall at 858-1522, ask for the phone number of any of our executive - we would all be pleased to offer answers to any questions you may have - and YES, we would love to propose you for membership into our L.A.

Marge Thomas, L. A. Secretary.