We support our troops
Royal Canadian Legion
Branch 79, Richelieu
At a meeting of the executive committee of the Royal Canadian
Legion, Branch 79 Richelieu in the spring
of 2006, our Sergeant at Arms, Comrade
Jean-Paul Bertrand , who himself had served in the Canadian
artillery during World War II, suggested we organize a "Fundraiser"
to support humanitarian aids sponsor by our soldiers in Afghanistan.
He himself had experienced the benefits of humanitarian aid the
allies gave to the German people and he wanted to help in the
same way for our soldiers in Afghanistan and hoped that such a
gesture would facilitate their work.
The committee endorsed the proposal and president, Comrade
André Marion delegated Comrade Pierre Garneau to organize
this fundraising campaign.
To begin, we had to get in touch with the Canadian Forces and
Branch 79 Richelieu is fortunate to have a very good relationship
with the Canadian Forces
Leadership and Recruits School (CFLRS), in St-jean.
Lieutenant- Colonel Mercier referred us to Major Sylvain Rhéaume,
himself a veteran of the conflict in Afghanistan, and he suggested
the « Material Assistance
to Afghanistan Trust Fund » program which is administered
by our soldiers serving in Afghanistan and which has its own constitution.
Moreover Major Rhéaume suggested he could make a presentation
on his experience living in Afghanistan. This presentation was
held at the local Branch on May 26, 2006.
A committee was formed and it was decided that the fundraiser
would be a spaghetti supper and that it would take place at Branch
79, Richelieu, on Saturday, November 18, 2006, between 16:00 and
20:00 hrs.
On July 22, 2006, a regiment based in Montreal, The
Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada , took the
pain of losing one of its members in Afghanistan. Corporal Jason
Warren, one of our Heroes
, was killed in a suicide attack.
With the support of his regiment, we contacted his parents and
invited them to our Fundraiser. Unable to attend, they sent us
a moving « letter »
encouraging us to continue in our initiative.
We collected a sum of « $3000.00
» with this “Fundraiser”.
Those responsible for this event were so delighted by the success
of this fundraiser they decided to have another in the fall of
2007.
This second “Fundraiser” took place on October 27,
2007. The organization had begun in August, and had accepted an
invitation from the St-Jean Garrison to attend the “Festival
des montgolfières” of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu. In so
doing, we signed the memory book "Notes
from Home" from MCpl Renay Groves… and met with
retired General/Senator M. Roméo Dallaire.
The supper proceeded very well this time; we collected a sum
of « $6090.00
» for the "Material Assistance to Afghanistan Trust
Funds".
We would like to take this opportunity to thank our volunteers
, our volunteers in the kitchen
, our sponsors and especially the public
, who kindly supported us during this event.
To learn more about our two "Fundraisers", you can
read the articles published in the "Journal Servir"
of the St-Jean Garrison. Articles written under the pen of our
Comrade Florent Tremblay:
Article November 18, 2006;
Article October 27, 2007.
