Staff reporter
While it’s importance as a place where aging and younger members of the various branches of the Canadian military can gather and reminisce, there can be no denying that branches of the Royal Canadian Legion from coast to coast have fallen on hard times in their effort to gain new members, including the one in Rimbey.
“Our membership is aging and we don’t seem to be able to attract young people to take an active part in the Legion,” said Herb Keith, president of the Rimbey. “We have an awful lot of members in the Rimbey branch but the participating members are getting down to just a few. With the wreath campaign for example, our members are finding it more and more difficult to get around to sell the wreaths. Even the core group from last year has dropped off some because we have a few members who can’t do it anymore.”
In trying to determine exactly why younger people aren’t signing up with one of Canada’s great institutions, Keith said he’s at a loss.
“I have no idea. The younger people seem to think they’re too busy anymore,” he said. “When we were at that stage we all had families to look after as well, but we seemed to find time to support the clubs we belonged to as well.”
Originally an associate member when he joined the legion in 1984, Keith said joining is easier than it has ever been.
“At that time, the legion was not as easy to join as what it is now. You had to have an affiliation and each branch was allowed only so many affiliates,” he said. “Since then the membership requirements have been reduced dramatically and now you can join without any connection to the military at all and become an affiliate member. After serving for two years as an affiliate, you can apply as an associate voting member.”
Keith said during and after the Second World War, legion branches experienced tremendous growth with hundreds of thousands returning members of the military and the trend continued throughout the Korean conflict.
“This legion has been here since 1926 but during the Second World War and afterwards, there was quite a surge with all the servicemen coming back,” he said. “It was a great thing to belong to. They pulled together. There was a camaraderie that they experienced in the armed forces that carried on into the legion.”
Keith acknowledged that despite the fact Canadian soldiers are fighting in Afghanistan, Canada has been at peace since the end of Second World War and the Korean War, which may have resulted in a disconnection to the military by the general public.
“That could very well be. From what we’re getting from the national legion, they’re getting more younger veterans who are returning from Afghanistan who are joining,” he said. “We can’t experience that here because we don’t have that many in the armed forces from our small community.”
Keith said the search for new members isn’t unique to the legion.
“I wish I knew the solution, I really do. It’s not only the legion, but other organizations as well. I’m also a member of the Masons and we’re having problems in recruiting new members too.”
Either way, he said legion branches are more than willing to discuss the benefits of membership within the legion family with anyone who’s willing to listen.
“We’d like to talk to anyone who is interested in joining or supporting the legion. We’ve always got time to talk to them and explain the process,” Keith said adding that despite their aging membership, public support has not waned for the organization, especially at this time of year.
“The wreath campaign in Rimbey is going very well,” he concluded. “We’re generally overjoyed with the response we receive from the merchants in Rimbey and we really appreciate it.”