Local Legion members attend rally

<strong>By Lucie Roy</strong> <strong>Onoway</strong> - Legionnaires from around the region gathered in Onoway over the weekend for a rally. The Morinville Legion had 13 Branch and one Ladies Auxiliary member in attendance. The annual Rally includes Legion and Ladies Auxiliary members from the Branches in Whitecourt

By Lucie Roy

Onoway – Legionnaires from around the region gathered in Onoway over the weekend for a rally. The Morinville Legion had 13 Branch and one Ladies Auxiliary member in attendance. The annual Rally includes Legion and Ladies Auxiliary members from the Branches in Whitecourt, Leduc, Sangudo, Mayerthorpe, Onoway, Blue Ridge, Morinville, Cherhill, Edmonton Ex Service, Devon, Jasper Place in Edmonton, Stony Plain, Calmar, St. Albert and Spruce Grove. There were 108 members registered for the full-day rally.

The annual Branch and Ladies Auxiliary reports were presented, winners of the School Remembrance Day Literary and Poster Contest were announced, and discussions on the darts schedule for the next couple years were discussed.

Morinville received the winning bid to host the Area A Rally for 2013 and the Mixed Darts event to be held Nov. 24, 2012.
The annual report from the Morinville Ladies Auxiliary included the projects they have outstanding for 2012. They are working through the process with the Town for the Veterans Way street sign they would like to see implemented on the street in front of the Legion. The Veterans Way would honour the military and RCMP veterans and members of the Emergency Services. It is hoped to have the Veterans Way replace the Laval Avenue sign, which is named after a Quebec Bishop t who never ventured west. The Ladies Auxiliary will host its 2nd Annual Family Fun Bingo in June in conjunction with the St. Jean Baptiste Festival. They are also working with the Morinville Museum and Centralta Tourism Society to have a vignette completed on 100 years of military service from Morinville. This project was in conjunction with the Freedom of the City held Sept 2011 and the new dedication plaque at the Legion cenotaph. The Ladies Auxiliary will also partner with the museum and Volume 4 History Committee to have the Queen’s Jubilee display boards at the museum for the St. Jean Baptiste Festival. The Ladies just completed the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Celebration in February and presently are working on the souvenir booklet to be distributed to the booklet winners and participating seniors lodges.

The Ladies Auxiliary completed numerous projects in 2011, the Afghanistan Appreciation event held in August, seniors Halloween party, Seniors Luncheon held in conjunction with 100th anniversary of the Town and with a Town grant, a float in the St. Jean Baptiste parade. The new Ladies Auxiliary flag was flown for the first time last year by Sgt-at Arms Nicole Gaudette.