The Royal Canadian Legion Saskatchewan Command LEST WE FORGET 285 Shortly after the end of WWI, the Veterans of the Pense district formed a Veterans organization that had no connection or affiliation with The Royal Canadian Legion or the British Empire Service League. This organization of Veterans annually held a parade and sponsored a Service of Remembrance in the Pense Town Hall on November 11th, or Armistice Day, as it was called at the time. On November 19, 1947, this group met with Veterans of WWII and it was decided to form a Branch of The Royal Canadian Legion. The charter was issued on December 22, 1947. As the newly formed Pense Branch had members from the surrounding communities of Drinkwater, Belle Plaine, and Stoney Beach, for some time meetings alternated between these communities, as well as Pense. For a number of years, Remembrance Day Services alternated between Belle Plaine and Pense. When a new one-story Masonic Temple was built in 1967, the Pense Branch members, many of whom were Masons as well, finished the basement of the building as a place to hold their Legion meetings and other small functions. Some years later, when the Masons surrendered their charter, the Branch purchased the entire building for a small sum and in turn sold it to the Village of Pense for a much larger sum. These proceeds were then donated to the Rink Committee, which at the time, were raising funds to build a new ice-skating rink for the community of Pense. The Post Office, Village of Pense office and Village Council Chambers, to this day, are located on the main floor of this building. Through an agreement with the Village, the Branch continues to use the basement as its meeting room. The Ladies’ Auxiliary held its first meeting on January 7, 1954. During the time that the Auxiliary existed, it supported the Branch by organizing the dinner on Remembrance Day, a banquet and midnight lunch for the annual Legion cabaret and dance, and assisted in numerous other worthwhile projects. Each year, generous donations were given to Veterans comforts, the Bursary Fund and the Pense Scholarship Fund, as well as mental health. For years, the Auxiliary sponsored a Christmas party for Veterans and their families. When the Provincial Command ceased to exist a number of years ago, some wives of Veterans joined the Pense Branch as Associate Members. They still do the bulk of the organization and work for the Remembrance Day Service and the dinner that follows. Since its formation, the Pense Branch has held Remembrance Day Services every year. The Branch has been very active in supporting community projects over the years. It was the first Branch in Saskatchewan to sponsor a Boy Scout Troop and Wolf Cub Pack. It sponsored a Firearms Safety Course for boys, girls and adults of Pense and surrounding communities, with Comrade Grant Ogilvie providing instruction for almost twenty years. The annual Poster and Literary contest has produced many Zone, District and Provincial winners over the years. Although the Pense Branch #341 is small in number of members, it continues its obligation, responsibility and duty of honouring those who have given so much for this country in the two World Wars, the conflicts since then, and the peace-keeping missions. PENSE BRANCH 341 The Glentworth Branch 342 was formed in Glentworth on January 5, 1948. Several members had belonged to the Woodrow Legion, but to better serve other Veterans in the south it was decided to start a new Branch in Glentworth. Cyril Baldwin, a WWI Veteran and a long-time Legion member was the first President. The Legion is very appreciative of the many associate members and fraternal members who joined the Branch and have given great help with its operation and its success. Our Legion Branch in Glentworth has worked continuously to better our community. It established the first Boy Scout Branch in the area. Members assisted in little league baseball and formed the Legion Pony League, which started with three teams and included up to twelve teams in its many years of operation. The Legion supplied sports equipment to hockey and baseball over the years, and managed the Legion sports grounds and organized the annual sports day in conjunction with the curling club for many years. Due to an aging membership, the sports day was turned over to the newly formed Sports Day Committee consisting of the men’s and ladies’ ball clubs in the mid-1980’s. The Legion has also hosted several hockey and baseball clinics over the years, where professional instructors such as Bill Hicke, Lorne Davis, Hugh Huck and Ervin Doerkson came to Glentworth to teach skills to young people. It has also sent several youths to Provincial and Dominion sports training camps over the years. Other events the Legion has sponsored or promoted over the years were 4-H activities and rodeo schools. Junior sports awards banquets were a popular Legion function for several years. These were usually father-son banquets, catered by the Legion Auxiliary, with a guest speaker and attendance usually averaged over 150. Some of the guest speakers were: Ron Lancaster and Gord Barwell of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Bill Hicke of the Montreal Canadiens, and Ervin Doerksen, a professional baseball player. The Glentworth Branch has sponsored school Remembrance Day Essay, Poem and Poster contests for many years and has presented students with over $30,000.00 in prizes since the contests began. Legion members often speak at area schools prior GLENTWORTH BRANCH 342 (Cont’d...)
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