KEEPING PACE WITH THE TIMES

In 1925 an appeal for unity resulted in the formation of the Dominion Veterans Alliance, from which sprang the Canadian Legion the following year.

The Legion quickly became a persuasive advocate for improved pension legislation and other benefits for veterans and their families such as: treatment and appeals procedures, returned soldiers' insurance and help for those suffering from tuberculosis.

Passage of the 1930 War Veterans Allowance was a major breakthrough winning financial assistance for thousands of men who were not eligible for disability pensions although they had been incapacitated by war.

ADJUSTING TO THE TIMES
Although the Legion was founded to advance the cause of veterans, its grass-roots structure led naturally to community service. The "Foster Fathers Program," founded in the 1940's to help boys who had lost fathers in the war, stirred the imaginations of members who recognized the Legion's enormous potential to serve Canada. Soon branches across the country were responding to needs in their communities, an ambulance here, a sports program there, and eventually large-scale provincial and national projects, such as housing for the elderly and the track and field program for young Canadians.

Today with over 600,000 members, the Legion is the largest community service organization in the country contributing millions of dollars and voluntary hours to help Canadians, particularly seniors and youth.

MEMBERSHIP
The Legion is a non-profit; self sustained organization with 1,750 branches throughout Canada, the United States and Germany.

As well as community service, comradeship, sports and social activities, Legion members receive Legion, one of Canada's largest paid circulation magazines, devoted to veterans and senior issues, Canadian wartime history and Legion affairs.

YOUTH ATHLETIC PROGRAM BUILDS LEADERSHIP

In 1956, eager to adopt a nation sports program, the Legion threw its support behind a successful endeavor run by the Canadian Olympic Training plan.

In 1957, the Legion undertook to financially support the Olympic Plan, which has since become known, as Canada's only track and field program for athletes up to the age of 17.

The highlight of the track and field program is the annual national athletic camp. About 400 young Canadians, coaches and trainers attend the week-long event which has been held since 1975 in locations ranging from St. John's Newfoundland to Victoria BC. Four qualified professionals conduct clinics in track and field events while about 90 volunteers run the competitions. Most Canadian track and field medal winners at recent Olympic Competitions have been Camp alumni. Each year the legion spends close to one half million dollars to run the camp; most athletes attend free of charge.

The Legion's track and field program is designed to foster among participants a sense of personal and civic pride, as well as athletic achievement. In addition to the national program, several Legion branches sponsor track and field all year round and provincial commands organize meets and training camps for hundreds of young athletes. Selection for the national camp is made at these provincial events.

GOING TO BAT FOR VETERANS AND EX-SEVICE MEMBERS

The royal Canadian Legion is the largest, non-governmental service organization in Canada supporting the needs of veterans, ex-service members and their families. Legion programs and activities include direct assistance to veterans at the community level, as well as advocacy and advisory services.

The Legion's flagship program is the Veterans' Service Bureau, a network of 1700 volunteers and professionals working at the national, provincial, and local levels to secure from the Federal Government pensions and benefits owed to veterans - sometimes, since World War II, or even earlier. Established after the First World War and funded in part by donations from the annual National Poppy Remembrance Campaign, the bureau is a free service to Legion members and non-members alike.

Although the number of Canada's war veterans is decreasing - the average age of Second World War veterans is now 75 years and Korean veterans are in their mid and late 60's - demands, and those of their dependents are increasing. In fact, Service Bureau officers are seeing younger applicants every day -- some still in their twenties.

In addition to disabilities arising during wartime service, all armed forces members are eligible for pensions for injuries or disabilities attributable to military service or arising while serving in a special duty area. Service Bureau officers not only help claimants through the sometimes daunting maze of government legislation and documentation, but represent them at all levels of the process, including before the Veterans Review and Appeal Tribunal at the final appeal level.

Military Service, even in peacetime, is more dangerous than most occupations. Twenty-three Canadian service personnel have been killed in one year while on duty, both at home and abroad. The need to assist these victims of peacetime mishaps, and their dependents, will continue to challenge the legion's service Bureau long after the last veteran has gone. The bureau will eventually become one of the major legacies left by Canada's veterans to future generations of service members.

To sustain this and other programs for veterans, the Legion spends millions of dollars every year. IN 1996 alone, expenditures for veterans' services Amounted to $3.3 million. In addition Legion members donated 331,00 volunteer hours to help 55,000 veterans and their dependents.

LEGION PROGRAMS FOR SENIORS PROMOTE INDEPENDENCE

The Royal Canadian Legion's commitment to seniors dates back more than fifty years to when branches first got involved in building low-rent apartment units for elderly veterans, widows and their dependents. Today, most Legion branches across Canada run seniors' programs and services, focusing on health care, home support and housing. On the nation level, the Legion Seniors' Committee advocates to protect seniors' rights and well being. It also supports the work of organizations such as Alzheimer's Canada and others. In 1996 alone, the Legion committed $3.46 million and contributed 440,000 voluntary hours to helping hundreds of thousands of seniors. What follows is an overview of seniors' programs at the Legion.

HEALTH
To meet the growing need for professional training in gerontology in Canada, the Legion offers financial support in the form of fellowships to doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and occupational therapists who wish to pursue post-graduate study in this field. These annually awarded fellowships, which are intended to improve the quality and availability of geriatric care, represent an annual expenditure of $269,000.

HOME SUPPORT
Dedicated to the principles of dignity and independent living for older adults, the Legion and its branches offer a number of services including transportation, vehicles for the disabled, friendly visits, foot-care clinics, meal-on wheals, telephone assurance, home maintenance and diners' clubs.

HOUSING
The Legion is committed to providing acceptable, affordable housing for seniors and veterans. One hundred thirty Legion branches own and maintain housing projects, located in a number of communities. In 1996, the Legion spent $3.7 million dollars on housing. While some projects are available only to veterans, most offer accommodation to all seniors. Legion housing is currently valued at over$100 million.

COMMUNITY SERVICES AND RESOURCES
The Legion's commitment to the well being of Canada's seniors is apparent in the number and scope of community services and activities sponsored by branches across the country. Health care, recreation and social activities are a feature of most branches while many also offer instruction on matters such as: safety, home crime proofing, avoiding fraud and con games, elder abuse and others.

The Legion's Dominion Command provides resources in the form of guides, videos, posters and development kits to help branches and ladies auxiliary programs set up and maintain seniors' programs.

THE POPPY CAMPAIGN

Every year for approximately three weeks prior to November 11, Remembrance Day, The Royal Canadian Legion conducts the Poppy Campaign to raise funds for needy Canadian ex-service personnel and their dependents. Former members of the Commonwealth and Allied Military Services may also be eligible to receive benefits from these funds.

For every donation received, a symbol of Remembrance is provided either for personal or public display. these symbols include lapel poppies, wreaths, crosses and sprays, which are displayed or laid at cenotaphs and other memorials across the country and overseas. In some instances such as in the schools, all the children are given poppies free of charge in the interest of fostering the tradition of remembrance. Home workers, many of who are veterans and their spouses, assemble the lapel poppies.

These symbols are a tribute to the 114,000 servicemen and women who died while serving with Canada's armed forces during World Wars I and II, the Korean War and in United Nations peacekeeping missions.