Members and community friends, September is upon us and Branch 29 is coming back to life after the quieter summer months. There is important business before the membership, a changing of the financial guard, fire-safety work underway, a full slate of leagues starting up, and a 100th Anniversary weekend that belongs to the whole community.

Please read on, mark your calendars, and come out.

MOTION ON THE FLOOR — CHAIRLIFT INSTALLATION

A motion will be placed on the floor at the General Meeting for members to pass or reject the chairlift installation. This has been an ongoing process, and it is now time for the membership to decide.

The General Meeting will be held Wednesday, September 16 at 7:30 p.m., following the 10- and 15-year service awards at 7:00 p.m.

Everyone is encouraged to attend. Please reach out if you need more information before the vote.

ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCES

SAGE 50 will be the new financial platform operating all of the Legion’s books and finances. It should be up and running by October.

Darlene Murphy will serve as our Financial Administrator as of this fall. Geoff Adeney has looked after our finances since 1997 and is respected as a Life Member of this Branch. Geoff will still be around as an advisor and friend.

Thank you, Geoff, for your years of service.

We continue to work hard on implementing Chase the Ace for the Branch. Stay tuned for updates.

BUILDING, FIRE SAFETY, AND SATURDAY HOURS

The Chief Inspector for Fire Safety has been through the building and has provided a list of items that need to be corrected. Jed Morris has been making those corrections, and we thank him for the work.

Until further notice, Branch 29 will only open on Saturdays for scheduled events — meat draws, celebrations, and the like.

Follow the calendar on our website and our Facebook page for the latest events. We understand this is not great news, but the decision is to maintain operations. Once the William Street Bridge reopens, we will reassess having regular hours on Saturdays again.

GETTING BACK AT IT THIS FALL

I look forward to getting into September and starting up again. Men’s and ladies’ darts, billiards, euchre on Tuesdays, and the cornhole league will all be back. NFL football will be in full swing in September — Jack Kirby is setting up the program. Come on down, bring a friend, meet new friends, and stay active this winter.

100TH ANNIVERSARY AND POPPY PROJECT

Yahoo — you did it! Over eleven thousand five hundred poppies are on the netting and now waiting for October to hang the displays. Such a super response from the community and from Legion members, both knitting and crocheting the poppies and attaching them to the netting. A big hug goes out to Paris.

The 100th Anniversary Committee will be at the Paris Fair over Labour Day weekend, Thursday, September 3 through Monday, September 7, in the Homecrafts building. Look for us. Artist Donna Verschoor Campbell’s fiber art piece commemorating our 100th anniversary will be on display there, and there will be a quilt raffle. Come and see it, and pick up information on the Open House and the rest of the anniversary events.

Our 100th Anniversary Open House Exhibit is open to schools, community groups, and the public. The display is entitled “Stitches, Strength and Steel: Holding the Line at Home — Women and World War II.” Displays will show how Paris and Brant County women and children dealt with rationing, provided items for service men and women, and carried on with fewer men in the workforce.

Monday, September 28 to Thursday, October 1 — 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Friday, October 2 — 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND EVENTS

An Evening of Live Blues — Saturday, October 3, 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. Featuring Juno Award recipient Chuck Jackson and acclaimed blues singer Cheryl Lescom. Tickets are $20 and available at the bar. Some tickets may still be available — don’t wait.

Meet and Greet — Sunday, October 4, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Meet the executives, discover the Legion, and learn about our programs, services, leagues, and the many ways to give back to our community. All are welcome.

YEARS OF SERVICE AWARDS

Branch 29 will recognize members who have reached milestones in their years of service to the Legion.

Please come out and congratulate your comrades. These presentations are from the Executive Committee.

Five-Year Award | Wednesday, September 9, 2026 | 7:00 p.m.

Susan Bohar
Jamey Brosseau
Kim Clark-White
Andrew Cronkwright
Mel Fedorkie
Erik Hager
Susan Dalton
Nancy Gorelle
Richard Mackenzie
Norman McIntyre
Tracy Munday
Noel Vandall
Neil Murray

Ten- and Fifteen-Year Awards | Wednesday, September 16, 2026 | 7:00 p.m.

Irene Adeney, 15 years
Martin Corbett, 15 years
D. Fyffe, 15 years
Gerry Paxton, 15 years
Gerard McKenna, 15 years
Daniel Aitchinson, 10 years
Stanley Hutchinson, 10 years
Brian Buckley, 10 years
Heidi Ostner, 10 years
John Ostner, 10 years
Christopher Sutton, 10 years

Twenty- to Seventy-Year Awards | Wednesday, September 23, 2026 | 7:00 p.m.

Douglas Keeton, 70 years
A. Moran, 50 years
Sheila Moran, 40 years
Linda Ogborne, 40 years
D. Brown, 35 years
Thomas Croome, 30 years
Larry Devuyst, 30 years
Cort Stubbert, 25 years
Wayne Coombs, 20 years
Carol Gibbons, 20 years
Derek Gibbons, 20 years
Liz Guest, 20 years
B. Morris, 20 years

See you at the Branch. Lest we forget.

Barry Humphrey
President, Branch 29