LEGION EVENTS ARE POSTPONED OUT OF RESPECT TILL AFTER QUEEN’S FUNERAL

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

GRAVENHURST — There may be a national holiday Monday to mark the Queen’s passing.

And a day of mourning in Ontario.

But at the Royal Canadian Legion here the monarch’s death means no branch events till after Elizabeth’s funeral.

That’s led to the postponement of Thursday night’s billiards downstairs and bingo upstairs, as well as a postponement of this Friday night’s TGIF dinner — which will resume next week on Sept. 23.

Bartender Al Wells questioned the provincial command’s postponement order. He thought the Queen wouldn’t want to prevent any legion from keeping their head above water.

Al Gibson, who just turned 90 and celebrated his 70th wedding anniversary with wife Roberta at the legion Labour Day weekend, didn’t mind.

The former army cadet from Burk’s Falls, who was 13 when the Second World War ended, was just happy to pick up his usual couple of tickets today and will be glad to be back next week.

(Call the branch at 705-687-2801 if you’d like to pre-order a $20 ticket for this month’s pork dinner.)

Members did watch and play Rotary TV Bingo Wednesday night on YourTV.

Flags were at half staff out front of the Harry Wray Branch #302 where a stiff breeze at times today had them standing them briskly at attention.

Three pipers who usually practise in the hall had gone home by mid afternoon, but the forlorn sounding skirl of a lone piper in the neighbourhood could still be heard as darkening clouds gathered.

A sombre reminder of the start four days of the Queen lying in state in London as crowds began circling her coffin at Westminster Hall six hours earlier.

Al Gibson was happy to get his tickets for this month’s TGIF dinner at the legion, which has been pushed back a week in recognition of the Queen’s passing and funeral Monday.
Flags stood at attention this afternoon at the Branch #302 legion in Gravenhurst, where they’ve been at half staff since last Thursday’s death of Queen Elizabeth II.

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