Allan Bowers named Kincardine Legionnaire of the Year

The Kincardine Legion had lots to be proud of Sunday evening as it hosted the annual Honours and Awards banquet in the Legion Hall.

Allan Bowers received the Legionnaire of the Year award; and Robert (Bob) Forrest and Red Larsen received life memberships.

In presenting the Legionnaire of the Year, honours and awards chairman Robert Grey said Bowers has made a significant contribution to the success of McDonald Branch over the past 10 years as a member.

"He has spent countless hours on the recent renovations to the clubroom, clubroom washrooms, patio extension, cell tower installation, and general repairs of the Branch premises," said Grey. "He has also assisted with catering events, working the bar in the hall and on Bingo nights."

Bowers has served on the executive and has been the property committee chairman since 2012. "Without his contribution, our Branch would not be the same."

"This is quite unexpected," said Bowers. "A lot of people could be standing up here, not just me. There are many others who help keep things operational around here. Thanks very much for this award. It is a great honour."

Forrest and Larsen have served on many committees and executive positions over the past 10 years and are very deserving of the life memberships, said Grey.

Forrest has helped out the Branch with electrical installations on all the major renovations, and continues to trouble-shoot when the Branch has problems with electrical equipment, be it lights, heaters, motors, etc, as well as when carpentry work or other tasks need to be done.

When it came time to replace the crosses on the veterans' grave sites at the Kincardine Cemetery, he volunteered to chair the committee and not only spearheaded the design and construction of the new crosses, but a dedication ceremony to highlight their installation.

In addition, he is nominating committee chairman, ensuring that the Branch has candidates running for the positions of officers and executive members at the annual elections.

An emotional Forrest accepted the award and said this was a total surprise.

"I'm always shocked when people say they knew nothing about an award like this before it was presented," he said. "This is the Legion; information spreads faster than the speed of sound. This is a great honour and I thank you very much."

Larsen served in the Korean War and remained in the Canadian Navy after the war as a navy diver and demolition expert.

Since transferring to the Kincardine Branch, he has taken on many roles, and fills in when others are on vacation. He has held the position of parade marshall and carried the colours during Canada Day parades, Remembrance Day ceremonies, and at Zone, District, Provincial and Dominion conventions.

He is a very dedicated Legion member when it comes to supporting the purposes and objectives of the Royal Canadian Legion.

"This is a great honour," said Larsen. "But I didn't get here alone. I appreciate all the support of my wife, Emma (Greco) and all the members of the Legion. Thank you very much."

Certificates of appreciation were presented to:

• Jane Bowers
• Betty Shelley
• Aaron Dyer
• Shirley Ross

Certificates of merit were presented to:

• Barb Forrest
• Wayne Brownrigg
• Cathy Alcombrack
• Maureen Couture

Past officer's medal and executive bar:

• Jim McDonald

Members who passed away in 2014:

• Alex T. Clark
• John Veen
• John Smith
• Isabel Wilson
• Christine Golden
• Ruth Schumacher
• Sharon E. Arnold
• Richard P. Colwell
• Muriel I. Newton

MEMBERSHIP

Five years:

• Gordon Campbell
• Toni Fludder
• David Hackney
• Alexander Hepburn
• John MacKay
• Ronald McDonald
• James McNamee
• Nancy McNamee
• Stewart Neely
• Kirk Rutledge
• Stephanie Rutledge

Ten years:

• Allan Bowers
• Jane Bowers
• Ted Carthy
• Burton Hayes
• Ruth Ingard
• Dale MacCrostie
• Hope MacCrostie
• Marilyn Meldrum
• Ronald O'Brecht
• David Palmer
• Gordon Palmer
• Marc Plouffe
• Larry Whittle

Fifteen years:

• Richard Black
• Gerald Bolender
• Barb Forrest
• Donna Healey
• Pauline MacLean
• Herb Paetzold
• Peter Vettor

Twenty years:

• Cathy Alcombrack
• Andy Burgess
• David Carson
• Patrick Coyne
• Gerrit Grey
• Betty Hunter
• Glen Lewis
• Denise McClement
• Catherine O'Brien
• Terry O'Brien

Twenty-five years:

• Phyllis Cuyler
• Thomas D. Fullerton
• Darlene Hilliard
• Marjorie Kirkconnell
• Elmer Lamont
• Margaret Lamont
• David Leaning
• Laura MacDonald
• Don MacPherson
• Barry MacSween
• John Montgomery
• Peter Montgomery
• Linda Osborne
• Nancy Stewart
• William Stewart

Thirty years:

• John Fullerton
• Jake Johnstone
• Brenda Jolley
• Ken Jolley
• Les Jolley
• Mike Reaume
• Eleanor Roppel
• Arnold Titus
• Donald Weber

Thirty-five years:

• Jane Buckingham
• Jewel Butters
• Daryl Hilliard
• Barry Schmidt
• Wayne Sullivan
• Arthur Turland

Forty years:

• Ron Catto
• Alex McKenzie

Forty-five years:

• Charles Mann

Fifty years:

• John Crowe

Grey said last year, there was a total of 163 volunteers, with 114 serving three times or more; and 49 helping out one or two times.

A total of $6,211.96 was raised through Bingo ($1,942), Meat Draws ($2,369.96), Municipal Nevada ($200), Provincial Nevada ($1,000), and Twoonie Fund ($700). And $16,000 was raised through the Poppy Campaign.