The Royal Canadian Legion Saskatchewan Command LEST WE FORGET 79 On November 25, 1926, charter number 54 was issued by the Saskatchewan Command of The Royal Canadian Legion to the World War 1 and Boar War Veterans of Sylvania and District. The charter members were: Elmer B. Robinson; George M. Dunlop; Thomas H. Ford; John O. Davis; Anatole Caron; Edward J. Devereaux; George F. Franklin; Henry Vandendorfe; Leonard E. Hill; George H. Greenwood; Octaaf Lefrebre; Ernest H. Clift; Alfred B. Creasy; Frank Wenbourne; James Paxton. This first group operated for a short time but carried on for a few years as an unaffiliated organization. They had several very successful Armistice Day celebrations and banquets. It is thought that the difficulty of collecting dues during the thirties, when money became almost non-existent, caused the Branch to become inoperative. After the World War II Veterans returned, the need for an organization became desirable again. In 1947 and 1948, the Veterans of the area got together and celebrated Remembrance Day, and at the 1948 celebration it was decided to reactivate the Legion Branch. The Saskatchewan Command was notified and a meeting was called for November 30, 1948. Soon after the Branch was reorganized, it was decided to build a cairn in memory of those men from Sylvania who lost their lives in the two World Wars. This did not get started until July 1955. The site in front of where the station then stood was suggested by Comrade Lorne Knuff. The Branch was fortunate to have Mr. Jim Angus Sr. in the community, who was a stone mason and did the stone work. Funds for the project were raised by donations from all the veterans in the area. At a meeting on November 26, 1957, a motion was passed to contact Mrs. Morphy regarding the formation of a Ladies’ Auxiliary. This was done and the Ladies have been most valued partners of the Branch ever since. Over the years, the Legion entered into lives of the community in many ways. They held dances for many years, and for a number of years put on the NewYear’s dances. Sports were a very big part of community activity and they supported equipment and coached baseball teams in all age groups. The Sylvania senior baseball team of the 1950’s and 1960’s wore the Legion crest and were supported as far as it was possible. In curling, the Branch participated each year at the zone playoffs. Also, for some years it held a curling clinic and bonspiel for the school children. Gerry Ivany, a station agent and avid curler helped with the children. In 1965, the Legion, who had been meeting in the Restroom with permission of the Ladies Club, decided that they needed a building of their own. The Sylvania Rural School, which was the original Sylvania School No. 1873, was vacant and as the building was still very sound, although built in 1907, it was purchased from the Tisdale School Unit for a nominal sum. Permission was granted by the Municipality to move the building onto the sports ground. A basement was put in with volunteer help and on November 22, 1965, the building was moved by D.M. Stewart. There have been many improvements done, including an addition built by the Sylvania Sylvans, new siding and the basement finished. The Legion members are now the grandfathers and grandmothers of the community and have become much less active the past few years, but still support the essay contest with the co-operation of the teachers of Sylvania and McKague. Since the early 1950’s and until the present, the Legion has looked after the cemetery with the help of others. LADIES’ AUXILIARY TO SYLVANIA BRANCH 54 With the help of the Sylvania Branch, a Ladies’ Auxiliary to the Sylvania Branch of The Royal Canadian Legion was formed on April 17, 1958. Mr. Garnet Crawford and Mr. Bill Matthews, executive members, invited Mrs. Irene Killer and her executive members from Melfort to attend. Mrs. Killer read the constitution and the new members were sworn in. The original members were Mildred Crawford, Phyllis Ellis, Joyce Nontell, Murl Miller, Marion McCaffery, Eileen McCaffery, Rose Mariash, Phyllis Ratcliffe, Hilda Dunlop, Minnie Toth, Olive Reid, Lillian Kidney, Dorothy Hainstock, Doreen Deforest and Verna Reddeman. They were in business from the word ‘go.’ The second meeting saw them making plans to cater to the local Saskatchewan Teacher’s Federation Supper on May 28th. This netted the Auxiliary $13.86. The Auxiliary catered this supper until 1967. How many remember the running from table to table to snitch fresh rhubarb pie? They also sent a curling team to the Zone play-downs and Christmas boxes of goodies were packed for bachelor veterans; a tradition they have carried on to the present. The community club graciously allowed the use of their club rooms for several years. The Auxiliary started to support the Mental Health program in 1959. Through the years, they held bingos, bake sales, canvassed and made donations to that worthy organization. One of the highlights as an Auxiliary was furnishing a room in the Tisdale Hospital in conjunction with the Legion Branch in 1960. They hosted Zone Curling several times through the years and served the banquets when the Branch hosted the same. In the early years, they held family Legion Auxiliary parties. We purchased ball uniforms and looked after curling programs for youth. They sponsored figure skating, senior citizens, the children’s concert candy fund, sewing classes, the Veterans comfort fund and the Bursary fund for students, made donations to fire victims, looked after hospitalized veterans and Auxiliary members. Donations have been made to the community hospital and to the cardiac unit in the hospital. The Auxiliary ran the Sports Day booth for many years until 1971, and shared the profits with the Branch. The Auxiliary catered many weddings, family reunions, anniversary suppers and many lunches to bereaved families. They worked hard, especially the first fifteen years and they had fun! The spirit of comradeship and fellowship was top notch and couldn’t have been matched anywhere! SYLVANIA BRANCH 54
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