The Royal Canadian Legion Saskatchewan Command Commemorative History Booklet 280 The South Saskatchewan Branch 306 of The Legion was formed at a special meeting on July 30, 1946 at Oungre. Ex-servicemen and women, some of who were already members of Weyburn, Estevan and Radville Branches felt that a Branch should be formed in the immediate area to look after the needs of Veterans and their dependants. Veterans from Goodwater, Colgate, Tribune, Maxim, Oungre, Hoffer, Ratcliffe, Beaubier and Lake Alma met and decided that a Legion Branch should be formed. In late 1946, plans were already underway to erect a Memorial Cairn at Foster's Grove by a special Memorial Park Committee and the Branch wanted to assist in any way. The Bromhead Branch was also asked to help in the undertaking. A plaque for the Cairn, which bears the names of twenty servicemen of the area who had laid down their lives in the Second World War, was ordered. This cairn fashioned from mortar and rock, almost ten feet high on a cement foundation, bearing the memorial plaque and topped with a white marble cross, was officially unveiled at a special ceremony at Memorial Park on Sunday August 1, 1948. The Branch members have carried on a Poppy Campaign throughout the years and continue to hold Remembrance Day services at the local school, Fifty-and-over Club, and at the community hall. A special Act of Remembrance ceremony takes place annually, where fallen comrades are honoured. Branch meetings have been held in various communities, using schools, homes, halls, etc. Through the years, there was talk of acquiring a Legion building. Dreams were realized in 1975, when the old Lyndale School at Oungre was purchased. The building is no longer used, but meetings continue to be held in homes. In 1946, the year the Branch was born, there were sixty-three Ordinary members, but with transfers and lack of interest, the membership rolls have been as low as twelve members in 1961. In 1975, the Branch accepted twenty-three sons and daughters into the Branch as Associate members. Sadly, membership has declined once more, with five Ordinary members, nineteen Associate members and two Life members. The Ladies’ Auxiliary was formed in 1976, with ten members, and today, five remain. One of the largest projects the Branch has been involved in is the care and maintenance of Oungre Memorial Park from 1954 until the park was made into a Regional Park in 1963. During these years, the Legion hired a caretaker for general maintenance of the park. The South Saskatchewan Legion Branch has sponsored hockey teams, assisted in minor league baseball and assisted in sending students to Ottawa for Encounters with Canada. They have participated in Zone golf, curling, cribbage and many rallies. Throughout the years, the Branch has furnished rooms both in Weyburn and Estevan Nursing homes. The Branch has assisted Veterans when needed, and donations to designated charities continue. Fundraising was done with amateur hours, cabarets, snowmobile derbies, raffles and bake sales. Currently, it is harder to participate in community events with the small membership, but they continue to try to look after the needs of Veterans and their dependants, and keep the mission of The Royal Canadian Legion alive. SOUTH SASKATCHEWAN BRANCH 306 Due to the large number of returning service men, it was decided to form a Porcupine Plain Branch of The Royal Canadian Legion. Meetings for this purpose were held in the original town hall and the charter was received in October 1946. The twenty original charter members were: AH. Chase, F. Chekowey, L.F. Chennells, R.C. Cooper, F.W. Coppell, A.I. Cundall, J.M. Dunlop, H.R. Eeven, E.L. Fannon, G. Hayunga, V.A Hurley, E. James, J.W. Kewley, J.B. Logan, W.E. Plante, G.W. Rhodes, M. Szydlowski, E.J. Walsh, M.J Wassill, M.K. Yakymishen. (Cont’d...) PORCUPINE PLAIN BRANCH 308
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