Fenelon Falls Legion Newsletter

Fenelon Falls Legion Newsletter
Issue 48 - August 01, 2016
N
In this issue:
ew subscribers: Welcome! It is our intention to publish this newsletter around the
1st and 16th of each month to keep you aware of news and events at your Branch.
While this newsletter is primarily for members of the Fenelon Falls Legion, it is also available to the community of Fenelon Falls, so that you may also be aware of events at our
Branch. You are welcome to visit our Branch, and indeed become a member. Contrary to a
long-held belief, you no longer need to be a veteran or related to a veteran to join—any
Canadian citizen is now eligible to become a member of the Royal Canadian Legion. Please
drop in and speak with us about this opportunity.
Branch Hours
1
General Meeting
1
Message from the President
2
New Members
2
Decoration Day
2
Membership Update
3
O’Brien’s Story
4
Silent Auction
4
Beer Garden
5
Bookkeeper Request
6
Canada 150 Tulips
7
Ladies 8-Ball
7
Bomb Sniffing Rats
8
Backup Request
8
Thursday - 11:30 am - 6:00 pm (open 2nd Thursday to about 9:30 pm for General Meeting)
Who’s Who at 238
9
Friday - 11:30 am - 8:00 pm, unless there is a night function, ie Pub Night, Hall Rental , etc.
Kingston Pen
10
Chaplain’s Corner
12
Sobeys Fundraiser Report
12
Quilts & Crafts Sale
13
Legion Sports Schedule
14
Coming Events
15
Hot Lunch Menu
15
Cartoon
15
Last Post
16
If this newsletter was forwarded to you, and you would like to subscribe, refer to the last
page. At any time, you can opt-out — see the last page for contact information.
Copies of this and previous newsletters can be found on our website.
Branch Hours
Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday - 12:00 noon - 10:00 pm-ish (depending on when sports
leagues, bingo etc. finish)
Saturday - 12:00 noon - 6:00 pm unless there is a function or Hall Rental
Sunday - 12:00 noon - 6:00 pm
General Meeting
T
he next general Meeting will be on Thursday, August 11th, at 7:30 pm
Message from the President
A
fter two months on the job I am being asked, how I am
liking it. Generally speaking, things are going great!
There is the fact that a natural
resistance to change can be expected. PLEASE don’t go defensive or take any changes personally. What I would say at this point
is that any changes we are implementing are first and foremost,
things that must be done to have
an auditable paper trail or second,
to see if we can improve our
bottom profit line. This is our job.
It is not intended to minimize the importance of past efforts.
We are just getting started as a new executive. We will make
mistakes and when recognized as such, will correct. I am approachable any time to discuss concerns or ideas—we all want
a stronger better Branch financially as well as socially.
Lets work together to make this happen.
When I went to work for the Becker Milk Company years ago
to set up their security system, Frank Bazos, the founder who
also started up Devon Ice Cream in the depression, shared
with me that there is no such thing as standing still in business.
Either you kept improving and moving forward or you slide
backwards—there is no standing still. We will move forward.
There is no option. Sadly, after Mr Bazos died, Becker’s tried
standing still.
Did you know: ships and aircraft use mayday
as a distress call, which comes from the French
word, m’aidez, meaning help me, and is pronounced approximately mayday.
New Members
T
he following new members were initiated into the
Branch at the June General Meeting. (sorry for the delay
in posting this.. I was only recently informed).

Cde. L. Boudreau - Ordinary Member

Cde. T. Boudreau – Associate Member

Cde. B. Routcliffe – Associate Member

Cde. G. Routcliffe – Associate Member

Cde. C. Baldwin – Affiliate Member

Cde. E. Pitre – Affiliate Member

Cde. R. McGee – Affiliate Member

Cde. R. Randell – Affiliate Member
Please join me in welcoming them to our Branch!
Decoration Day
D
ecoration day takes place again this year on Sunday,
August 14th at 2:30 pm at the Fenelon Falls Cemetery.
We need volunteers to help with setup and take down.
Setup will be
on Friday August 5th, and
consists of
placing crosses
on the
gravesites of
local veterans.
Take down will
be removing
these crosses
on the 19th. If you have some spare time, your help would be
greatly appreciated. Please contact Jackie Walter. (Note that
at the present time, Jackie has some health issues and may not
be able to lead this effort as she has in past years—in which
case, please contact the President, Fred Walker.)
On the actual day (August 14th), all the community is invited
to attend—bringing a lawn chair is suggested. Legion members
are also invited to participate in the parade—blues and greys
are recommended, but not essential.
Page 2
Page 3
ThE Story of O’Brien’s
J
ackie Walter, who recently returned from the Dominion
Convention in Newfoundland, sends along this story:
Roy J. O'Brien was three when both his parents died within a
year of each other and he went to live with his Aunt Ivy at 278
Water St. in St. John’s NL. Ivy owned a confectionery store on
the ground floor and ran a small hotel upstairs. She had no
family and as Roy grew up she told him that someday the
store would be his.
the same type of place that my grandfather started."
A place where visitors can find the best in Newfoundland music, beginner and mid-range instruments, where professional
musicians can check out the higher-end vintage stock, where
anyone can come and talk music anytime. That's O'Brien's,
looking to be part of the Newfoundland music scene for a long
time to come.
Click on the image below to listen to some toe-tapping downhome maritime music from O’Brien’s!
Roy was 17, just short of finishing school, when Ivy grew sick
and died in 1939. She left no will and her premises went up on
auction. Roy went to see the auctioneer, told him he had been
promised the building and wanted to buy it. The man was impressed by his gumption, and told him, "If you can get $5,000,
be here at the auction next Tuesday before 10 o'clock and
make your bid." Roy managed to raise the money through the
mother of a school friend, and showed up before 1 0. The auctioneer called for bids. Roy said "$5,000." The auctioneer said
"Sold!" And that was that.
It was the beginning of WW II, and Newfoundland was still a
country. Roy, a musician himself, gradually turned the business into a music store catering to a growing interest in IrishNewfoundland music. He sold more button accordions than
anyone in Canada and had a big mail-order business. Meanwhile, he and his wife Nellie raised a family of six in their home
up over the store. In the 1 970s his sons Gord and Roy Jr.
joined him in the business, carrying on the tradition of service
with a personal touch that made the store a magnet for musiclovers.
Eventually Roy Jr. left to pursue an interest in carpentry while
Gord and his children carried on the tradition. In 2014 financial
difficulties forced the closure of the business. The music industry, mourning the loss of one of its pillars, showed a huge outpouring of support in a benefit concert that featured a long list
of Newfoundland musicians.
Silent Auction
A
new selection of items is now on the table for August.
Bidding for this auction ends at 1 pm on the last Sunday
of the month, with a new selection of items put on the table on
the 1st of each month.
Marlane Hampton, our new ways and means person, has taken over the table, adding new items each month.
Anyone having new, or equivalent to new, items they wish to
donate to the table, please leave with the Bar Steward Thanks!
(I will have a new photo in the next issue—the table was not
yet set up at the time of publication.)
Gord's nephew Dave Rowe was devastated by the closure. A
long-time member of the St. John's music scene, Dave grew up
visiting his grandparents on Water St. and working shifts at
O'Brien's. "When I heard that the place had closed, I just
couldn't stand by and do nothing," he says. "I didn't want to
see the family legacy come to an end." like Roy O'Brien 75
years before, Dave raised the money to buy the building, outbidding other interests to keep the business in the family. The
store re-opened in 201 5. "I really want to carry on the tradition of O'Brien's Music," says Dave, "and make it very much
Page 4
Page 5
BOOKKEEPING SKILLS?
We need YOU!
Volunteer with Honorarium or as a paid Employee
After 30 dedicated years, our bookkeeper, Fern, is retiring in September. We need a new bookkeeper to take over from her. She'll be a
tough act to follow, but her replacement will have the benefit of
hands-on training, the full support of the executive, and a lot of gratitude. The Treasurer counts and details the previous week's receipts
and provides a spreadsheet of this information for data input, as
well as making the bank deposits. The bookkeeper reports directly
to the President, with the guidance and assistance of the Treasurer.
Commitment:
 One day per week: Monday (Tuesday on holiday week -ends)
Qualifications:
 Basic QuickBooks experience - it is very intuitive
Tasks:
 Enter weekly sales and expenses
 Enter accounts payable
 Write/Print cheques
 Track, calculate, and prepare HST Statements
 Payroll (automated in QuickBooks)
 Payroll remittances to CRA
 Reconcile bank statements
 WSIB remittances and paperwork
 Filing relevant paperwork
 Prepare financial statements for monthly meetings (pre -programmed in QuickBooks)
If you have some QuickBooks knowledge and could assist, please contact:
Fred Walker, President, at [email protected]
Page 6
The Canada 150 Tulip
T
he tulip represents gratitude and the long-standing
friendship between Canada and the Netherlands.
Blooming in the colours of Canada’s flag, 'Canada 150 tulips'
will bring both pride and joy to gardens and communities from
coast to coast to coast," said His Excellency Cees Kole, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in a news release.
Update: At the last general meeting, a motion was passed to
purchase some of these—50 for the front of the Branch, and
500 to sell in a fundraising effort for the Branch.
Page 7
Bomb Sniffing Rats
B
elinda sends along this interesting story:
Throughout the world, places that have been involved in war
and/or civil strife often have large minefields that still need
clearing. In 2013, it was estimated that there was a global average of around nine mine-related deaths every day. The situation is especially dire in Africa.
Typically, clearing a minefield involves men in body armor
walking in very precise lines with metal detectors. Anything
(from a rusty nail to an old ammo cartridge) that sets the detectors off must be investigated before moving on. A new
method of bomb detection using rats, however, is flipping this
process on its head.
A Belgian NGO called APOPO has developed a way to train
African pouched rats (named for the storage pouch in their
cheeks) to sniff out bombs quickly and safely.
For more info and photos on this story, please visit: http://
www.wimp.com/meet-the-heroic-bomb-sniffing-rats-of-africathat-are-helping-save-thousands-of-lives/
Backup Request
F
or uninterrupted continuity in any business, It is always
important to have a backup. This also applies to my
work here with our website, newsletter, and calendar. Therefore, I am again making a plea for someone to be my backup in
the event I cease to exist, or cannot continue for any reason.
What is needed? Well, some basic
computing skills but nothing overly
complex or complicated. If you can
manipulate a word processor like Microsoft Word, then you should have
no problem putting a newsletter together and publishing it. I use Microsoft Publisher, which is part of the Office Suite. The template for the newsletter is already set up - all you need to do is
drop in the text, images, and photos. I could teach you pretty
much everything you need is about an hour. I also have a comprehensive video tutorial/course on Publisher should you want
to really learn it at your own pace.
The website has been set up
using WordPress, which is a
very easy content management
tool. Again, just drop in the text
and/or images and press publish. If you can work with a word
processor, it should be an easy
transition. I also have a number of video tutorials on WordPress should you wish to learn at your own pace.
A bonus is if you have some experience with photo editing. I
currently use Photoshop and Lightroom, but any photo editor
will work. Often I get photos that need some basic adjustments/corrections such as cropping, straightening, and exposure. If you want to really learn Photoshop and/or Lightroom,
again I have great video course on these as well. The current
versions of these programs are available on a subscription basis from Adobe for about $10 US per month for both.
And the last thing I do is maintain the calendar. This is really a
no-brainer. Once you have access to the calendar, you can
add, remove, or modify entries. It is a basic Google calendar,
so if you use such a calendar, you are good to go.
So, if you think you can help and be my backup, please contact
me as soon as possible. Thanks!
Page 8
Who’s Who at 238
T
he following chart lists the executive/staff/volunteers for 2016/2017 at out Branch, as well as their areas of responsibility.
Should you need to contact any of them, call the main line at the Branch (705-887-3041), or use the Contact Form on our
website. This list is also available on our website.
Title
Name
Responsibilities
PRESIDENT
Fred Walker
Public Relations, TOD
PAST PRESIDENT
Belinda Wilson
Navy League Cadets, Kitchen
FIRST VICE PRESIDENT
Kelly Johnston
Youth Education, Bar Committee
SECOND VICE PRESIDENT
Jackie Walter
Veterans Services Officer, Ladies Auxiliary Liason
THIRD VICE PRESIDENT
Arlene Colman
Seniors, Poppy Chair
SECRETARY
Linda Stuckless
Bingo Chair, Licensing Officer
TREASURER
Jim Walter
Finance
EXECUTIVE
Wayne Maddeaux
Building & Property Co-Chair
EXECUTIVE
John Mangan
Building & Property Co-Chair
EXECUTIVE
Mike Laplante
Asst Ways and Means
EXECUTIVE
Marlane Hampton
Ways and Means Chair
EXECUTIVE
Wayne Glencross
Sports Chair
EXECUTIVE
Linda Battams
Bar Chair. Charitable Foundation and Bursary
EXECUTIVE
Ken Cameron
Membership, Honours & Awards
CHAPLAIN
Major Roy Randell
Soul Chair
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS
Sandy Pearce
Colour Party
Bob Fader, Jack Shea, Aida Jarvie
Bar Stewards
Fern Bellwood
Bookkeeping
Janet Clarry
Hall Rentals
Marg Baker
Kitchen
Belinda Wilson
Catering
Elaine Mann
Mary Henderson
Paul Leduc
Volunteers
Funeral Teas
Website, Newsletter, and Calendar
Thank You!!!
I
want to give a big THANK YOU to Belinda Wilson for creating and providing me with the wonderful graphics, posters, and flyers for this newsletter over the past few years. I am
sure you will agree they are very professional looking and I am
very happy to have them add some pizazz to our newsletter.
You will also see some of her great artistic talent around the
Branch. Small things that often go unnoticed for the work and
effort put into them. Thank you, Belinda!
Page 9
Road Trip!
A
number of weeks ago, I reported on an interesting trip
we took to the Diefenbunker in Carp, Ontario. (See issue
42 if you missed that story).
I want to tell you about
another trip Lois and I
took this past week, and
that was to the Kingston
Penitentiary (also known
as K.P.) The Kingston
Penitentiary was officially closed down in 2013, with most of the inmates moved to
Millhaven, and others to institutions around the country.
Tours to the public opened last year, and were enormously
popular, and quickly sold out. This year was similar— when we
ordered our tickets in May, most of the sessions were already
sold out for this year.
It takes approximately 3 hours to drive to K.P. from here, and
the tour itself is about 1.5 hours. Tours are guided, and closely
monitored so that guests don’t wander off into areas offlimits. All visitors are given a wrist band for identification and
to keep them within their group. Each group is about 20 persons, and a new tour starts every 20 minutes; the tours run
daily (except for Mondays) from 9 am to 7:40 pm. Cost is
about $25 plus taxes per person.
Summer students do the intake and lead the groups from one
area to another, but most of the information about the different areas is provided by former guards at the facility. This
makes the tour very interesting and informative, as we are
getting stories right from the “horse’s mouth”, so to speak. All
the guards were extremely friendly and gladly answered our
questions. Cameras are welcome, and no area on the tour is
off limits for photography.
After the formal tour, visitors are encouraged to take in the
K.P. museum directly across the street in the former warden’s
home. Admission is free. Both the K.P. and the warden’s home
were built around 1835, and the quality of workmanship
shows!
The museum was very interesting, and has a large number of
artifacts on display not just from K.P., but also from other penitentiaries around the country. I was surprised at the number
of devices (whips, cat-o-nine-tails, paddles, etc.) that were
used to administer corporal punishment—and used right up
until 1969! Some of the home made dummy guns made out of
wood, were so realistic, I had to ask if they were real or fake.
There was a showcase full of ‘shivs’ made of all sorts of items,
from tooth brushes to broom sticks. Very interesting!
The museum also has a small gift shop, so if you see me walking around with the K.P. Tshirt, you know where I got
it.
Just north of the museum, is
the Prison for Women,
sometimes known as P4W.
This facility was closed in
2000, and has literally been
sitting empty for the past 16
years. All these buildings are
so old, they are now considered heritage sites, and so
very limited modification to
the buildings can be done.
Some developers attempted
to repurpose the P4W, but this heritage designation has prevented them from any major work, hence it is still empty.
There was also some talk of converting the K.P. into condos,
but again, this seems unlikely due to the heritage designation.
When I asked about its disposition, I was told that due to the
popularity of the tours, they will likely continue for at least the
next few years.
A small brochure on the K.P.Tour can be downloaded here.
As I said, the tours may already be sold out for this year, but if
you think this is something you might enjoy, keep an eye out
for the start of ticket sales next year.
Ref: http://www.kingstonpentour.com/
Page 10
Someday, we old folks will use
cursive writing as a Secret Code!
Want to publicize your
event?
C
omrades, I try to bring you the latest information regarding events happening in and around your Branch,
but I cannot be everywhere. If you are running an event you
want to publicize, please send me the details and I will do my
best to let members know about it. A short report after your
event would also be very welcome, so we can inform other
members of your successes. Photos are always a bonus! Try
to get the information to me before the 1st and 16th of each
month. Send to: [email protected]
Page 11
Chaplain’s Corner
E
veryone would agree that we’re in the middle of a very
hot and dry summer. The meteorologist has said it’s the
driest and hottest since 1993. If it wasn’t for the weekly bit of
rain, the lawns would be very brown. I am using rain water
collected from two barrels for my vegetable garden. Even
they have been very low at times.
There are even songs about summertime. One of the oldest
and better known ones was In The Good Old Summertime released in 1902 which goes like this…
Sobeys Fund Raiser
W
e had our annual BBQ at Sobey’s Saturday July 23 and
the weather was HOT, HOT, HOT!!
This year the proceeds were going towards candles to honour
the 100th anniversary of Beaumont-Hamel and the horrific
sacrifices Newfoundland Regiment.
There were not the usual numbers of Saturday shoppers this
year, maybe they all stayed home trying to keep COOL!!!
There’s a time each year
That we hold dear
Good old summertime
With the birds and the trees’es
And sweet scented breezes
Good old summertime
When your work day is over
Then you are in clover
And life is one beautiful rhyme
No trouble annoying
Each one is enjoying
The good old summertime
There are more recent summer songs that come to mind such
as Nat King Cole singing Those Lazy-Crazy Days of Summer
(1963) and one of my favourites, Sunny Days by Lighthouse
(1971). The Spirituals don’t leave summer out either as How
Great Thou Art says,
When through the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brooks and feel the gentle breeze
We made a modest profit of $189.00. Many thanks to our
enthusiastic volunteers, Fred Walker, BBQ chef par excellence
John Mangan, Linda Battams, Nancy Hunter, Elinor Manion,
Ian and Arlene Colman. Thanks also to Mark Knoester for
allowing us to hold this event. He not only supplies the BBQ,
tables, and chairs but also works diligently to get us the best
deal on all the product we use in an effort to maximize our
profit.
Then the song writer and many Christians sense the presence
of the Creator God in such times and think:
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God to Thee
How great Thou art
Yes, God is in His creation and summertime is a great time to
give Him thanks for the beauty we experience and see all
around. The Bible reminds us in Psalm 24:1, “The earth is the
Lord’s and everything in it, the world, and all who dwell in
it.”
Enjoy your summertime and please stay safe.
Chaplain Roy can be contacted at 647-217-1954 or
[email protected] If anyone needs a visit
(or prayers, or a listening ear) for any reason please let the
Chaplain know. May God guide and bless each one and your
families.
Thanks also to our comrades who dropped in for lunch to
show their support and to give the wilting volunteers encouragement.
Page 12
Page 13
2016 Legion Sports Schedule
Sport
Division
Location
Date
Time
Snooker
Zone
District
Provincial
Zone
District
Provincial
Zone
District
Provincial
Zone
District
Provincial
Zone
District
Provincial
Zone
District
Provincial
Zone
District
Provincial
Zone
District
Provincial
Zone *
District
Provincial
Zone
District
Provincial
Zone
District
Provincial
Zone
District
Provincial
Fenelon #238
Lakefield #077
Toronto #266/66
Coboconk #519
Pickering #606
Napanee #137
Brechin #488
Ajax #322
Port Credit #082
n/a
Oshawa #043
Falconbridge #336
Brechin #488
Campbellford #103
Burlington #060
Fenelon #238
Havelock #389
Angus #499
Lindsay #067
Cobourg #133
Smith Falls #095
Lindsay #067
Pickering #606
Sutton #356
Bobcaygeon #239
Peterborough #052
Kitchener #050
Lindsay #067
Port Hope #030
Brooklin #152
Fenelon #238
Belleville #099
Hawkesbury #472
Fenelon #238
Norwood #300
Cobourg #133
9-Jan
30-Jan
5-Mar
23-Jan
13-Feb
12-Mar
6-Feb
20-Feb
19-Mar
n/a
20-Mar
23-Apr
16-Jan
27-Feb
2-Apr
26-Mar
9-Apr
7-May
17-Apr
30-Apr
28-May
30-Apr
14-May
4-Jun
5-Mar
12-Mar
14-May
27-Feb
12-Mar
6-Aug
21-May
11-Jun
27-Aug
10-Jul
6-Aug
10-Sep
1100
1000
1000
1100
1200
1200
0900
0900
0900
n/a
1100
0900
1100
1000
1000
1100
1200
1200
1200
1200
1200
0900
1000
1000
1100
1000
1000
1100
1100
1100
1100
1000
1000
1100
0800
0800
Cribbage
Darts
Youth Darts
8-Ball
Euchre
5-Pin Bowling
Mixed Darts
Shuffleboard
Washer Ring Toss
Horseshoes
Golf
Note: Please arrive 1 hour early for registration!
Page 14
Coming Events Summary
Hot Lunch Menu for August
Sundays - Drop-in Shuffle Board at 1:30 pm
Sundays - Karate 4 pm to 5:30 pm
Tuesdays - Horse Shoe League at 6:30
Tuesdays - Drop-in Darts at 7:30 pm
Wednesdays - Bingo at 6:45 pm
Wednesdays - Men's Snooker Drop-in at 6:30 pm
Thursdays - Tai Chi at 10:00 am
~~~
Friday, Aug. 05 - English Pub Night at 5 pm
Friday, Aug. 05 - Decoration Day Setup
Saturday, Aug. 06 - Beer Garden on the patio 2 to 6 pm
Thursday, Aug. 11 - Monthly General Meeting at 7:30 pm
Sunday, Aug. 14 - Decoration Day Fenelon Falls Cemetery 2:30pm
Friday, Aug.19 - Decoration Day Take Down
Saturday, Aug. 20 - Meat Roll at 2:30 pm
(Always check our online calendar or call the Branch to confirm
latest dates)
(for sports, check the Legion Sport Schedule on page 14 of this
newsletter )
Cartoon: Freshen your drink?
Don't forget:
The Branch serves hot meals at lunch-time every Thursday and
Friday! These are not restricted to members - feel free to ask a
friend or neighbour to join you.
NOTE: There are no Turkey Days in July & August!
(the cooks are taking a well deserved break)
Page 15
Fenelon Fall Legion
23 Veterans Way
Box 247
Fenelon Falls, ON
K0M1N0
Phone:705-887-3041
Fax: 705-887-2982
Email: [email protected]
Last Post — 2016
Vet
Name
Date of Death
G. Howard Neal
01/01/16
Eigjil (Bob) Jensen
01/19/16
Geoffrey Godfrey
02/20/16
Duncan McDonagh
03/06/16
Leonard Arkell
05/05/16
Grace Brown
05/18/16
Frank Morley
05/20/16
fenelonfallslegion.ca
"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them."
Lest We Forget
Our mission is to serve veterans and their dependents, promote
Remembrance and act in the service of Canada and its communities
This newsletter is produced twice a month for the Fenelon Falls Legion
and members of the Fenelon Falls community to keep them informed
of events and activities at the Branch. If you wish to subscribe or unsubscribe to this email list, please send a note to [email protected].
Comments or feedback can be sent to the editor [email protected]
Page 16