The Royal Canadian Legion Saskatchewan Command Commemorative History Booklet 264 basement was prepared of cement block construction and the building moved on it late in 1953. The first Legion meeting was held in the new hall in January of 1954. After it was reorganized, the Branch spent much time trying to improve the condition of the local cemetery. Other activities were of a money-raising nature, such as running a concession booth at the local fair, sponsoring carnivals, sponsoring Associated Commercial Travelers Amateur Shows, turkey shoots, raffles, and operating the skating rink for a period of six years from 1961 to 1966. The Branch also helped Veterans secure assistance when it was required and held a Remembrance Day service each year on November 11th. The Branch donated a wheelchair to the D.V.A. wing of the Regina General Hospital in 1958 in memory of Frank Willford, who had spent so much time working on the Legion hall and Cenotaph. The hall required much work to make it a suitable place for meetings and much money and effort were expended to get it renovated. An oil furnace was installed in 1957, new windows in 1959, sewer in 1961 and water in 1964. The hall has been available over the years for many organizations to use. The Branch had another period of inactivity, but more recently it has become active again as sons and daughters of Veterans are now eligible for membership. Coronach Branch No. 268 of the Canadian Legion is an organization to assist all Veterans as well as to be a service group in the community. The Branch has attempted to fulfill this objective. In November 1953, a Ladies’ Auxiliary was authorized by the Branch. It has remained active ever since, which has helped to keep the Legion Branch active. Through the years, the Coronach Branch took an active part hosting and attending an across the border organization called the 49th Parallel. It was made up of Zone I on the Canadian side and Zone 1 on the American side. All the Veterans and Auxiliaries were welcomed to a weekend social, held every June on alternate sides of the border. Coronach Branch also attended many conventions and other Legion functions like cribbage, golf and curling. In recent years, we have donated to the local hospital and Veteran’s Comfort. They still have Remembrance Service, Poppy Campaign, Poster and 1itereary contests. There are now twelve members: five Active members and a very supportive Auxiliary. 49th PARALLEL DAYS by Cec Hayward The 49th Parallel Days celebration, as it is known to all the local Legionnaires was originated in 1954. It resulted when a little girl fromAssiniboia needed a very delicate heart operation, which was to be performed at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, NY. The arrangement for the actual surgery had been looked after, but there was a catch in the whole procedure, and that was the availability of blood for the necessary transfusion. At that time, blood clinics did not operate as they do today, and the cost of transfusion were exorbant. To meet this challenge, a few Legion members from Assiniboia, led by Donald Johnston of Assiniboia, started negotiating with some members from the Glasgow-Scobey area to see if an arrangement could be made available on a donation basis to complete the heart surgery on this little girl, whose family was not in a position to meet the high cost of the medical bills. After considerable negotiation between the Canadian Legionnaries, the necessary blood was made available through donations, and the surgery was completed successfully, and the story had a happy ending. As a result of this cooperation, when the chips were down, this original group of Legionnaries from both sides of the 49th parallel decided it would be a nice idea if they and their colleagues got together at least once a year for some socializing. The idea caught on, and it became an annual affair that continued until the mid-1990s, with the celebrations alternating, one year south of the border, and the next year, north of the border. To many Legionnaries on both sides of the border, it was a high point of the year. CORONACH BRANCH 268 (...Cont’d) Remembrance Service - Nov. 11th, 1982 49th Parallel Days held at Coronach June 1981 49th Parallel Days held at Coronach June 1981
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