The Royal Canadian Legion Saskatchewan Command LEST WE FORGET 189 The Manor Legion Branch was granted their original charter on March 19, 1931. The original charter members were as follows: L. Mathews; Thomas A. Pargeter; Aubrey Beatty; J.P. (Punch) Mitchell; Donald D. Dickin; J.A. Robinson; C.E. Busby; J.R. Behr; H.G. Reid; A. Glew; Tom Templeton; F.C. Wood; H.J. Greene; P. Brockman; C.H.H. Wilsone; J.A. Brown; J.A. Cower; J. Cowee; R.J. Wiggins; Pete McCallum; A number of the charter members had previously belonged to an organization called The Great World War Veterans. They rented rooms in the west end of the building, formally “Beatty's Foods,” now the 'Centennial Park,' from the village council, which naturally became known as the Legion Rooms. Following the end of the Second World War, most of the returning Veterans joined the Legion; in 1947, the Roll Call contained 39 names, the highest membership ever obtained by Manor Legion. Unfortunately many of them never became very active members. Some moved away and the membership dropped off year by year. Manor was in dire need of a new town hall. The Legion thought it would make a suitable memorial to Manor and district War heroes, so on March 6, 1948, a special meeting was held to discuss the matter. It was decided to purchase the Lawrence building at the south east corner of Main Street. The efforts of the members in the next few years were geared to building, equipping, and paying for a new dance hall and meeting place. Building funds were acquired by the usual dances, bingos, rummage sales, whist drives, sports, and donations from the Ladies’ Auxiliary. Tragedy struck in the forenoon one day in July1961, when the Legion Hall was destroyed by fire and the hard working men of the Legion were back at square one. They collected the insurance on the hall, procured some land at the north end of town, next to the theatre, and again slatted the long procedure of building a new Town Hall for Manor in June 1961. Again came the canvassing for donations, Street Bingos at the sports grounds, dances at Cannington Manor Hall, anything to bring in a little money. Volunteer crews of Legion men and many other willing hands worked on the new building under the guidance of Comrade H.C. Hortness. Donations were received from the R.M. of Moose Mountain, the Community Theatre, from the school children and teachers: from other service clubs, and from private citizens. In the beginning the lower level contained the clubrooms, kitchen, furnace room, banquet hall, washrooms, and bar, with the dance floor on the upper floor. The official opening was scheduled for June 2, 1967. Some of the contributions the Legion has makes to the community, other than management of the hall, are donations to Minor sports, to provide uniforms and trophies to Minor Hockey and Minor Ball teams. They make a yearly scholarship to Manor school and donations to the Curling Club and Over-Sixty Club. They also have given to the Arcola Hospital and Redvers Hospital. The Hall is still rented out today and the Branch has thirty-eight members at present. C.W. (Cliff) Beatty was Secretary/Treasurer of the Branch from 1954 until his passing in 2005. Today's president is Terry Dickin, and Secretary/Treasurer is Glen Rowley. LADIES’ AUXILIARY TO MANOR BRANCH 151 The Ladies’ Auxiliary to the Manor Legion Branch 151 was granted a charter to form an Auxiliary on September 6, 1934. There were fourteen charter members: Margot Bagot, Josephine Busby, Edith Beatty, Sarah Brockman, Roberta Dawson, Rosamund Greene, Mary Keenan, Felice Mitchell, Maude Mathews, Mary Pargeter, Violet Wilson, Elma Stevens, Agnes Templeton and Lillian Woode. The first meeting was held in the Legion Rooms located in the building that was “Beatty’s Foods” in 1981. The first and most important priority of the Auxiliary was the care and comfort of all Veterans. November 11th was always an important day. The ladies joined the Legion for church and to lay a wreath. In recent years, the local cadets have joined also. The Auxiliary helped furnish the hall and kitchen. They raised money catering to weddings, anniversaries, reunions, hockey, wheat pool and credit union banquets. They also sponsored the annual Halloween Masquerade and the Pig and Whistle, organized and sponsored the first square dance club, and the first figure skating club, hosted the first senior citizens’ party, and for several years, served them a turkey supper with all the trimmings. The Auxiliary donated scholarships and bursaries to local students, money for uniforms for minor hockey and baseball and money to the rink to help with the roof and bleachers. The Auxiliary entered floats in 1967 centennial celebrations, the 75th birthday celebrations for Manor in 1977, and the 1980 Celebrate Saskatchewan. From 1981-1999 Phyllis Efford, daughter of charter member Edith Beatty served first as President then Secretary. When the Ladies’ Auxiliary disbanded in 2001, the Executive was: Edith Gould, President; Muriel Truman, Vice-President; Kathy Bax, Secretary; Ella Hartness, Treasurer; Ruth Fraser, Sick and Welfare Representative; and Mary Kay Reddick, Flag Bearer. Some of the Auxiliary members have since joined the Legion as Associate members. MANOR BRANCH 151
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