Legion wraps one campaign, starts another

The breather between Poppy campaigns for the Yorkton Legion is brief as one winds down and the next begins.

In 2015 the local branch of the venerable veterans organization raised $33,161, $19,086 from poppies and $14,075 from wreaths.

Of that $20,000 has been disbursed to the four cadet corps in Yorkton, the Health Foundation, the Yorkton and District Nursing Home, Meals on Wheels and the Military Family Resource Centres at Moose Jaw and Dundurn.

In addition, the Legion donated to the two Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) programs serving Saskatchewan veterans, “Leave the Streets Behind” and “The Power in Me.”

Still to be handed out is $3,000 in $500 bursaries, three each for the two high schools. Students whose parents or grandparents have served or are serving in the Canadian Forces or RCMP are eligible and the Legion is still accepting application. Awarding of the grants is based on need and marks.

The Legion also handed out $25, $15 and $10 dollar prizes for first, second and third places in its annual Essay, Poem and Poster contest. A total of 450 kids entered the competition. Of these, 11 captured prizes at the Zone level and four went on to place at the District level.

In the Senior Poster-Coloured category, Yorkton Regional High School’s Breanne Achtymichuk took first place in the Zone competition and second at District.

Caitlyn Sidoryk from Saltcoats School placed first in the Junior Essay at Zone and second at District. Ali Rusnak from Yorkdale Central School was first in Junior Poster-Coloured at Zone and third at District. And Charlie Szabo was the Zone winner for Primary Poster-Coloured and second place finisher at District.

The Yorkton Legion is now gearing up for the 2016 campaign and has a number of important dates upcoming.

June 6, of course, is the annual parade commemorating D-Day.

Also this summer the Yorkton branch will participate in the Wounded Warriers Weekend Foundation “Run To Remember,” an Olympic-style torch relay that will kick off in Regina at Government House July 7 and pass through Yorkton July 10.

The annual event is intended to “help promote further awareness of the challenges of PTSD faced by our veterans and first responders.”

More information on these and other Legion events, as well as opportunities to join an volunteer are available by calling 306-783-4332.