Time has a way of blunting the edges of our memories.
As the years pass, it becomes more difficult to remember even those things we have vowed to never forget.
Members of the Royal Canadian Legion (RCL) work to mitigate the erosion of memory that the years can cause, hosting community Remembrance Day Services and providing a variety of resources so that those of us who have not lived through wartime might remember the sacrifice which made our ‘peacetime’ possible.
Last Monday, four members of Kipling Royal Canadian Legion Branch #6 were recognized for their efforts and presented with Life Membership in the Legion.
Brian Beckett (RCL Zone Commander – Zone 1 – District 4) was on hand to present these members with their Life Memberships and says that he was pleased to be part of the event.
“I was very impressed with how the evening went. I’m new to this position, and even though I’ve been with the Legion for 30 years, this is the first time that I’ve had the opportunity to be involved in presenting Life Memberships.”
As is often the case with volunteers who willingly give of their time and effort, Beckett observes that Legion members are often reluctant to accept recognition for what they do. However, he adds that recognizing these efforts can inspire and encourage other volunteers.
“The Legion is not known for tooting its own horn. But volunteer organizations like the Legion are what keeps many small communities going, not only in Saskatchewan, but across Canada. So, it’s good for members to see where you can get in your life as a Legion member.
“I’m also glad we were able to share the citations for each person who received a Life Membership, because it’s important for people to know what these members have done, both for the Legion and their community.”
However, while Legion members make significant contributions to their community, Beckett points out that supporting Canadian veterans and their families remains the Legion’s top priority, and notes that even members of a Legion Branch in a small community like Kipling play a role in that ongoing mission.
“Branches like this one have an important role to play in supporting veterans. And it isn’t just about supporting those veterans who are living in your community. This is a national effort. Saskatchewan Command will often get calls about a veteran who needs assistance with something, and they will put that call out to branches like this to help provide that support.
“We also have programs such as PAWS, which trains dogs to recognize when a veteran is having issues related to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and give that veteran some help – and the ‘Leave the Streets’ program, which assists veterans who are homeless and helps them to get off the street. Both are programs that Branches like this can donate to and support. So, these members can provide support for veterans across Canada.”
Given the significant impact that efforts of Legion members in communities like Kipling can have, Beckett says “I was extremely honoured to be able to present Life Memberships to these four individuals. It was a great evening and I really enjoyed being part of it.”
The four members of Kipling Royal Canadian Legion Branch #6 who received Life Memberships on Monday were:
Robert Steil
Robert has been a member of the Kipling Legion Branch for over 49 years.
He has served as president, secretary and is currently treasurer, for a combined total of over 45 years as an executive member.
During his term as president, Robert oversaw the building of the Legion Lounge which was attached to the Legion movie theater. Robert has always been very active in organizing and supporting Legion functions like suppers, fundraisers and the annual November 11th Remembrance Day Ceremonies.
Robert is a past member of the Kipling Lions Club. He served as Mayor of Kipling for nine years and was a member of the Kipling Volunteer Fire Department for over 20 years,acting as Fire Chief for 15 of those years.
Robert is an active member of the Catholic Church where he has served over 25 years as treasurer and actively assists with fundraisers and other activities.
Sharon Steil
Sharon has been a member of the Kipling Legion Branch (which includes the Auxiliary) for over 49 years. She served as president, secretary and treasurer of the Auxiliary, for a combined total of over 40 years prior to the Auxiliary members joining the Branch in 2020.
Sharon was always active in organizing, assisting and participating with Branch functions such as teas and various fund raisers including delivering Meals on Wheels. Sharon has also routinely taken the lead in organizing the annual Breast Cancer Walk-a-thon and Telemiracle fundraisers.
Sharon is an active member of the Catholic church and participates in many fundraisers as well as weekly maintenance of altar clothes etc. Sharon was on the board of Sask. Housing for 26 years, and was Chairperson for 20 of those years.
Terence Ovans
Terry has been a member of the Kipling Legion Branch for over 19 years.
Shortly after joining the Branch, he volunteered to head the annual November 11th Poppy Campaign and continues to do this today. He orders the supplies and distributes the collection boxes to local businesses including those in nearby communities where the Legion Branches have disbanded. Upon completion, he collects all the donation boxes and arranges for the deposits. Terry also ensures the information is distributed to the school for the annual Essay, Poem and Poster Contest. He ensures the local judging is completed in a timely manner and winning entries are forwarded appropriately.
Terry also heads the Legion Hall Building Committee and looks after renting, billing and collection of rent and ensuring the building is kept clean and in a rentable condition. He is very active in supporting and assisting with all Legion activities.
Terry faithfully looks after the Canadian Flag at the cenotaph, ensuring that it is in good condition and raised or lowered at appropriate times. ln addition to the Legion, Terry is an active member of the United Church and the local museum.
Gloria Ovans
Gloria has been a member of the Kipling Legion Branch (which includes the Auxiliary) for over 20 years. She served as president of the Auxiliary for a combined total of 10 years prior to the Auxiliary members joining the branch.
Gloria is always active in organizing, assisting and participating with Branch functions such as teas and various fund raisers including Telemiracle and Breast
Cancer walk-a-thons. Gloria was also an active participant in delivering Meals on Wheels when the Legion was the host. Gloria also assists her husband Terry with November 11th poppy collections and has for the past 20 years.
ln addition to her work with the Legion, Gloria is an active member of the United Church and the local museum board.
