After decades of helping the Huntsville community and its veterans, the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 232 is reaching out to the community in its own time of need.
A storm early this week caused flooding on the building’s main floor, forcing it to close temporarily while the mess was cleaned up.
“The deluge of rain Monday night and Tuesday overwhelmed our weeping tile,” said Bruce Frank, the branch’s president. “We don’t know if we have a plug in it now. Up until this rain tonight (Thursday, October 20) we had pretty much stopped it from coming in, or slowed it down. Plumbers put a pump outside the building to pump the water away, so that’s helped. And we’ve had lots of donations of equipment to dry the place out.”
The branch will be open today at 1:00 – but not for its usual Friday lunch – and on Saturday at noon for their usual meat rolls, said Frank. And then on Sunday, a crew will be coming in to rip out all of the carpet.
“This is going to be a very expensive project – it’s going to cost up to $50,000 and because it’s all on private property, it’s at our expense, and that’s money we don’t have right now,” said Frank, adding that they will use volunteers to do work like pulling up the carpet to save costs. “We’ve already had close to $5000 donated by people in the community and a couple of small businesses. Monetary donations would be greatly appreciated by the Legion.”
Frank noted that the building is more than 60 years old and in need of update and repairs. “Now is the time and we have to get it done before winter comes and the snow flies. We’re going to clean it up as best we can for Remembrance Day and (the holidays). Once that comes, we’ll really tackle the inside and try to make it more modern.”
Prior to the flooding, a Legion committee had already begun looking at options for downsizing due to declining membership but, with multiple levels of approvals to go through within the Legion organization, that process will take several years. “There are five levels we have to go to before we have permission to sell and rebuild or sell and relocate, and we would need to determine where to put the cenotaph.”
In addition to making donations, Frank encourages people to use the Legion for events, as a practice facility for bands, or to become members. “People still have a misconception that we are an old boys club, and that’s not the case. We are completely open to the public, we have the most reasonable prices in town – you can’t rent anything else in town under $800 and that comes with bartenders and table service.
‘We have a lot of young people joining and coming in. We need more and we need them to bring their friends. If you know a band that needs a place to practice – tell them to give me a call. Don’t be afraid to party, that’s what we’re there for.”
To make a donation to the Legion, contact Bruce Frank at 705-789-4641. Donations can also be made at any TD Canada Trust branch, account name Royal Canadian Legion 232 Flood Relief Fund, transit # 26642, institution # 004, account # 5230475.
This story was updated October 26 to include donation information.
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Is there no insurance? One would have thought if the Legion held functions they would have needed coverage?