43 - Sunday, June 10, 1990 - North Shore News Yoga preps spirituality PAGE 46 Legionnaires still a strong voice in the community TODAY MARKS the beginning of a major event in the life of the Royal Canadian Legion (RCL): the start of Royal Canadian Legion Week, which runs until next Sunday and the organization’s 33rd biennial Dominion convention. The convention, which is being held in Vancouver for the first time since the mid 1950s, is ex- pected to attract over 4,000 RCL members from across Canada. And, according to Jack McMillan, chairman of public relations for the Sominion Con- vention, and a member of the West Vancouver RCL, the issue of na- tional unity will be a major resolu- tion issue the convention will ad- dress this week. “Several hundred resolutions have been sent in. I’m sure unity will be a big part of it,’’ said McMillan. ‘‘Our new president has written to all the MPs, senators and premiers. He wrote a very strong letter and he calls for toler- ance, understanding and avoiding bigotry.’’ The RCL has about 600,000 members across the country and the organization, which was first established in 1925, is geared towards helping out both old and young. “We're primarily concerned with seniors’ projects,”> McMillan By SURJ RATTA News Reporter said, ‘‘but 25 per cent of Canada’s Olympic athletes have benefit of the legion’s sports training.” In addition to Canada’s Olympic athletes, the RCL also supports amateur sports. Some of the areas the RCL is involved with include housing for seniors, community services, home support services and health care. In fact, to meet the demand for medical practitioners specializing in gerontology and geriatric medi- cine, the RCL gives legion fellowships to doctors and nurses every year in order that they might pursue post-graduate studies in those fields. Those fellowships total $105, a year. McMillan says the RCL has a variety of ways it raises money to support senior and community projects. “Pull tabs and bingo are very big. In West Vancouver, quite a bit of our community profits come from the bar,’’ said McMillan. He added that the RCL is also involved with several other groups in providing programs and services to Canada's seniors and veterans. “In West Vancouver, the branch there joined with the Rotary Club to build the Capilano Towers (seniors housing project),’” he said. The RCL, with some 1,800 branches across Canada and the United States and West Germany, is involved in each community in which it is located. The Legionnaires support over 400 cadet corps in Canada and a similar number of scout groups. The RCL is a non-profit group that receives its funding from dues and special events. While the RCL is involved in a host of different activities, the one it is best associated with is the an- nual Nov. !1 Remembrance Day . vAanies, when the country’s war .terans take time out to honor the memory of their fallen comrades. it was in 1931, after a continued lobby from the RCL, that Ottawa amended the Armistice Day Act so that Nov. 11 could be set aside for the nation to pay special tribute to those “who gave their lives that freedom might prevail.’” NEWS photo Stuart Davis ROYAL CANADIAN Legion Branch No. 118 members Ron Ferguson, Sid Ward and Roy Mosdell look over photos of the Royal Canadian Legion Color Guard for the Gov. General's visit to Vancouver. Today marks the start of Royal Canadian Legion Week in Canada and the organization’s 33rd biennial Dominion Convention to be held in Van- SO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF The Architectural Series PVC Siding IN ’91 IT’S GOING TO COST MORE! 7°%0 7%y Oo more Super Roof I and I Alurninum Rooting System eat * 4 's Unique "Peach Smooth" finish; looks like wood and won't hold dirt. Almost twice the thickness (.050) of other vinyl! sidings. Wide 8” seamless colonial corners (up to 20 ft. with no seams). 60-year, non-prorated and transferable warranty. Manufactured in B.C. since 1969; thousands of satisfied customers. Adaptable to any type of roof design, including tar and gravel. Absolutely the last roof you'll ever have instailed on your home. 50-year, non-prorated and transferable warranty. "15% DISCOUNT ~ ACT NOW! CALL BRUCE MARCH 274-4411 INTERNATIONAL EXTERIORS B.C. LTD.