Schooners is OPEN but the Legion Canteen remains closed until further notice.
Schooners is open to the public and it is anticipated that Legion members will come down with a friend or two for coffee, lunch, or maybe a drink and make Schooners their go to place for the next few months. The Pool tables are open as are the dart boards.
June 7 Robertson Memorial held a very simplistic, yet tasteful, Remembrance Service at Hillside Cemetery in the Field of Honour Cenotaph. The Executive were in attendance and once again the CAVs cleaned the headstones and were present to lay a wreath. The rain held off and we were able to complete the Act of Remembrance with the sun almost peaking through the clouds.
As mentioned above, Schooners Pub opened for business on June 12th. Summer hours are in effect and are as follows:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday- 11am-8pm Lunch is also available from the menu. Food is also available throughout the day and evening but not from the menu.
Thursday 11am-11pm Lunch available 11-2 and supper 5-8 from the menu.
Friday 11am-11pm Lunch 11-2 and supper 5-8 from the menu
Saturday- 11am-10pm Food available but not from menu.
Sunday- 12pm-4pm Food is available but not from menu.
Thank you to all the staff who sanitized the building and to Holly for preparing the Re-opening Plan referencing Alberta Health Guidelines that we needed approved by Alberta Gaming before we could open.
June 22nd was the drive by for Roy Gale’s 100th Birthday. There must have been at least 200 cars. Way to go family and friends of this Veteran. Roy plays a very significant role at our Legion as he faithfully turns the pages in the large Book of Remembrance and he is a faithful Poppy Campaign worker. Roy has many great stories to tell, especially of his time in the Army during World War II. Thank you Roy for your service and commitment to your country and to your Legion. Robertson Memorial supplied four Veterans to escort Roy from his residence to the place of honour where he greeted each vehicle. It was an exciting day not only for Roy but for all those who attended.
The new Bathroom in the Pub is coming along nicely. Next week the old carpeting will come up and the new flooring will be installed in Schooners. This will provide a much cleaner and friendly atmosphere for all our patrons.
Speaking of cleaner, Lorraine Lozo and I have applied for another Seniors New Horizon $ 25,000 grant to replace our aging dishwashers that, if they break down cannot be fixed. Cross your fingers as it looks very promising.
Just a reminder to Veterans that Wayne Donner is the Service Officer. Just call the Office 403-527-7184, and he will contact you to set up a meeting. If you are in need please don’t hesitate. We are here for all Veterans and their families.
The Remembrance Day Ceremony and the Poppy Campaign will in all probability look very different this November then it has in the past. Your Executive is busy coming up with various plans depending on the COVID-19 and where we are as a City.
We are anticipating that with Social Distancing, in the Fall that Darts, smaller groups of line dancers, and Pool can resume. We are working to develop a plan for the meat Raffle later this summer and Chase the President may be awhile before it is implemented. Time will tell.
We are trying to err on the side of caution to keep all our members safe. There is hand sanitizer and signs with directions for keeping safe throughout the Legion and Schooners Pub. Please adhere to them.
The cancellation of the Stampede has definitely effected our bottom line. On a brighter note, bingos are back at the Bingo Hall and our Machines in Schooners are 6 feet apart and open for business.
In closing, I need to respond to the question that has come up with some of our Executive from our members. “Since the Legion is closed, why do I have to pay my $60.00 dues for next year? Shouldn’t I get a discount because the Legion has been closed?”
To answer the above question, let me remind you that we are a Veterans organization whose mandate is to help veterans. Please be prepared to help us as we try to open Robertson Memorial Br #17 during these very difficult times. Our Veterans need us. Think about why you joined. This is the time to remember our Veterans and support your Legion. Of this $60.00 yearly fee, only $23.40 stays in the Branch, the remainder goes to AB/NWT Command and to Dominion Command.
Hopefully, this Pandemic will end soon and we can get back to some kind of normal. In the meantime, we have Veterans who need us. Lest we forget.
You may want to visit the following link where Roy and I were interviewed. https://chatnewstoday.ca/2020/06/24/its-been-tough-royal-canadian-legions-take-big-financial-hit-amid-covid-19/
Yours in comradeship,
Sheila Donner
President
