Members of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 232 and friends gathered for a special luncheon on Sunday, May 24, to honour longtime members and celebrate an extraordinary milestone for Lawrence Main — a Second World War Veteran who has devoted 80 years to the Royal Canadian Legion.
Main, who is 100 years old, was born in 1926 and served in the Canadian Army during the Second World War from 1944 to 1946. Shortly after returning home, he joined the Royal Canadian Legion in September 1946, beginning a lifetime of service and camaraderie with Branch 22, Woodbine Heights, in Toronto, and later serving in other branches.
Lawrence married Marjorie, and the couple welcomed two children before moving to Orillia, where Main transferred to Royal Canadian Legion Branch 34. His dedication to veterans and his community continued there, earning him an Award of Merit in 1972 for his service.
As the years passed and the family grew to include grandchildren and great-grandchildren, the Mains moved farther north to Burk’s Falls, where Lawrence Main became a member of Royal Canadian Legion Branch 405. During his time with the branch, he served as Sergeant-at-Arms and, in 1982, as branch president.
Main has been a member of Royal Canadian Legion Branch 232 in Huntsville since September 2009 and remains a respected member of the Legion family.
During Sunday’s celebration, Main received a standing ovation as friends, fellow veterans and community leaders recognized his remarkable lifetime of service and dedication. He was presented with awards and tributes from the Legion, Huntsville Mayor Nancy Alcock on behalf of the Town of Huntsville, as well as greetings and certificates from the office of MPP Graydon Smith, which were delivered by MP Scott Aitchison, who also presented Main with a special recognition from his office honouring his decades of service.
Speakers thanked Main not only for his military service and sacrifice, but also for the example he has set through resilience, community involvement and devotion to fellow veterans. At 100 years old and after eight decades with the Legion, Lawrence Main remains an inspiration to generations past, present and future.
“It’s been a long time, but I enjoyed every minute of it, and I’m just so happy I was here to get this today,” Main told Doppler of receiving the accolades.
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