SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
A lot of history has gone through the legion doors since the Second World War ended, and later this month Branch No. 164 in Yellowknife will bo looking back on time with its 70th anniversary celebration.

Nancy Hayward, a volunteer with the organization and head of the poppy campaign, says plans are in the works for a birthday celebration Nov. 21 in recognition of long-term members.

"This year is the 90th anniversary of the legion as a whole across Canada and we have been here for 70 years," she said. "I think it is still really important because we have to remember what (egion members and veterans) did for us many years ago and what they are doing today."

The Yellowknife legion was the second community club established in town, only behind the Daughters of the Midnight Sun. According to a Yellowknifer article marking the legion's 50th anniversary, the original location was an unused community hall in Old Town up the hill from the Wildcat Cafe.

Hayward pointed out the legion contributes to celebrations for war vets every year including the Nov. 11 ceremonies, the overnight vigil at the cenotaph by the cadets and the lighting of candles at the cemetery on the evening of Nov. 10.

The legion has been located at 4709 Franklin Ave. since 1978 but has previously known locations in Old Town, on 50 Street and at the location now occupied by the Fuego restaurant, she said.

Hayward said of the five branches in the NWT - Yellowknife, Fort Smith, Inuvik, Hay River and Norman Wells - Yellowknife is the oldest.

Over the years she said she has seen the membership numbers dwindle from around 600 people in the late 1970s to about 150 now. This has been "due to the fact that people have passed away or retired and (have) gone back to their native homes," she said.

Still, Hayward says the importance of the legion as an institution and a symbol of Canadian history should be celebrated.

"That is a long time," she said of the Legion being run since 1945. "A lot of the military (personnel) came up here after 1945 when (the war) was over. They sent them up to Inuvik to build the northern DEW Line and they were building airports and that sort of stuff. We were started in 1945," she said.

Lloyd Lush, president of the branch, joined 16 years ago and said the milestone should prompt reflections on the legion's role in building the community. A volunteer for 16 years, he has seen the legion raise money for community programs. The legion fundraises for the Salvation Army Christmas hampers every year and lunch programs at Mildred Hall and Weledeh, he said. The legion also regularly does the budgeting for the army cadets.

"A lot of people that come in recognize what we do for the community and want to know that their money is going to childrens' lunch programs at the school or Salvation Army or the food bank," he said.

Douglas "Dusty" Miller is the only surviving 70-year member of the local branch, although a number of people have many years under their belts, according to Hayward and Lush.

Hayward said she wants to use the day to hand out 194 pins to members who have been involved for anywhere between five and 70 years.

Nine of the pins are for members who have been with the legion for more than 45 years and some people will receive life memberships with a gold insignia card, she added.

Hayward said other plans are still being solidified but she is hoping to have Royal Canadian legion district commander Tracy Cross Gautheir present and have the celebration last all day. She said she hopes to have people pop in and out, including dignitaries, to have a drink and a piece of birthday cake.

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