The Legion branches across Canada may have been created as a place for war veterans to gather, but two young women are trying to prove it can hold a special place for younger generations as well.
Stephanie Cheesman, 32, and Courtney Stephenson, 30, are involved with the Turner Valley Legion and hope to encourage more young people to join.
Both women grew up in Turner Valley with families involved with the Legion and while neither of them live in the community anymore, they both return to their roots at the local Legion branch when they can.
Stephenson has always held a membership to a Legion in Manitoba where her grandmother lived, as memberships are valid at any Legion. Her grandfather was stationed in Holland and Germany during the Second World War, so when he returned home from the war, the Legion was a place for him to socialize with his peers, she said.
“My biggest memory of my grandparents is them going to the Legion and I spent a lot of time at the Legion with my grandmother,” said Stephenson.
Stephenson said she doesn’t think children were able to attend the Legion in Manitoba, as she recalled her grandmother sneaking her in a few times.
“At her funeral, we all actually went to the Legion to go to the meat draw together because it was in her honour.”
Stephenson said she is able to connect with the Legion even though she is not part of that generation.
Cheesman’s grandfather also fought in the war, and she grew up with her whole family involved in the Turner Valley Legion.
“When I was younger, on Saturdays, as silly as this sounds, we used to come here as a family. Me, my mom and dad would come and meet the rest of the family.”
After her father’s funeral, her family also gathered at the Legion.
Their parents’ generation would come to the Legion for social gatherings, but people from the younger generation often do not utilize the Legion, they said.
“I don’t think many people know that it’s still around,” said Stephenson.
Others might think the Legion is just for veterans, but anyone can join or attend social events, even if they don’t have family with ties to the military, they said.
“People need to realize that because of our grandparents and all the veterans out there in Canada, the Legion is kind of almost a memorial in their honour that they fought for our freedom and that it’s an important part of Canadian history,” said Stephenson.
“And to keep places like this Legion and other Legions going, we need more people to get involved with it,” added Cheesman.
Turner Valley Legion president Michel Jackson said it is important for young people and a wide demographic to become involved in the Legion.
“We need new blood, younger blood to pick up the torch and keep the memory alive and carry on supporting their communities,” he said.
Legions across the country are seeing their membership diminish as veterans continue to age and fewer people join the military, he explained.
There are no remaining First World War veterans in Canada, “and our Second World War veterans are dropping like flies because those people are in their mid-80s and older,” he explained. Some Korean War veterans have died as well, he added.
Meanwhile, younger veterans often don’t join the Legion because of the age factor, as many of them see it as a place for older veterans, said Jackson.
“It’s important to provide a place where these younger veterans are going to feel at ease and where they’re going to be with more people of their own demographic or age group,” he said.
“The veterans of today, for example, associate the Legion with a bunch of old guys that sit around a table drinking,” said Jackson. “And at one point, it was pretty well the major activity that was going on within the branch. But people soon forget that the Legion is not only there to keep the memory alive and to serve veterans and seniors, but they’re also there to serve their communities.”
People might not be aware of the work local Legion do because they often don’t boast about their accomplishments, Jackson explained, but the Turner Valley branch is working to promote some of its projects, such as bursaries it has awarded to students and the more than $12,000 it raised for the Sheep River Health Trust last summer.
Anyone can come to the branch and fill out an application to become a Legion member, he said. They will then go through the process of being voted in and initiated, but Jackson noted there is no hazing or secret handshakes. Legion memberships cost $50 for anyone under the age of 65, and $40 for members over 65.
For Stephenson, the Legion can still appeal to young people who don’t have any family ties to the military.
“Even though they don’t have any ties, it’s important to remember what the Legion stands for and that those veterans fought for our freedom and it’s honestly just a good place to socialize,” said Stephenson.
The Legion offers sporting activities such as cribbage, pool, darts and poker, and hosts special events such as live music, along with dinner on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Both Stephenson and Cheesman plan to have their children follow the family tradition and stay involved with the Legion.
If the younger generation does not step up to help keep the Legions going they could disappear from the community landscape which would be devastating, said Stephenson.
“It’s almost like a generation is lost and what they stand for.”
