Branch 29, 70 William St., Paris, ON N3L 1L6 519-442-3788
parislegion29@execulink.com
The Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 29, Welcomes You !
The Legion is a community service organization as well as an active social club. Our branch has a licensed lounge as well as dart, pool and cribbage leagues. We regularly have barbecues, yearly summer and winter golf tournaments, car rallies and poker runs. We also support local organizations such as the food bank.
Did you know that the Legion is open to everyone? You don’t need to be a member to visit or enjoy the many events and activities happening at our Branch. Whether you’re looking for a place to meet friends, enjoy a social event or simply explore what our Legion has to offer, our doors are open! We’re a welcoming space for the whole community, supporting our Veterans, our Youth, and our Community. Come by and see what we’re all about. Whether You’re here for a quick visit or to join us in support of a great cause, you’re always welcome at Branch 29 Legion 70 William St. Paris Ont.
Building Strength Through People – Branch 29 Update
As we continue in our efforts to strengthen Legion Branch 29, it is clear that our success depends on people—dedicated individuals who bring the talent and commitment needed to make things happen.
Some time ago, I appointed Mark Ford as Sergeant-at-Arms and Awards Chair, and I am pleased to say that progress is well underway in both areas. I have also asked Mark to begin exploring potential real estate opportunities as we consider the future possibility of relocating our Legion to a new property.
Charles Prystupa has taken on the role of Membership Chair, and through our discussions, it is evident he is already making meaningful progress in addressing some of the challenges we face. Charles also brings valuable IT expertise that will be a great asset moving forward.
Building a strong team focused on a common goal is essential to ensuring that Branch 29 remains a vital part of the Paris community for many years to come. I have reached out to several newer members to join our executive team and look forward to their responses.
With BBQ season just around the corner, we are pleased to report that our first meat draw of the season was a success. We look forward to continuing this momentum with monthly draws in the months ahead.
I would also like to recognize a few of our dedicated volunteers who consistently go above and beyond each week, including Sue Bohar and Randy Monday. Their behind-the-scenes efforts do not go unnoticed and are deeply appreciated.
To our current executive, thank you for the ongoing work and dedication you bring each month. It is also encouraging to see new volunteers stepping forward, ready to contribute and support their Legion.
100th Anniversary News
Preparations for our 100th Anniversary continue to gain momentum. Our poppy count has now surpassed 8,700, an incredible milestone made possible through the generosity and support of our community. While we have set the end of June as the official cutoff date for poppy donations, we will continue to accept contributions beyond that point. However, we do hope the number of incoming poppies begins to taper off so we can focus our efforts on the next phase—attaching them to the netting.
The Anniversary Committee has been hard at work organizing a mix of new fundraising initiatives alongside some of our tried-and-true favourites. We encourage everyone to support these efforts by attending upcoming Legion events, including the Mother’s Day High Tea and Mother’s Day Brunch. Tickets for both events are available at the bar for $20.00.
TREAT MOM TO SOMETHING SPECIAL THIS MOTHER’S DAY WEEKEND!
Celebrate Mother’s Day at Paris Legion Branch 29 with two wonderful events designed to make Mom feel extra special.
Mother’s Day High Tea Saturday, May 9 | 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM Enjoy a relaxed afternoon social with friends and family featuring: • Fancy sandwiches and delicious treats by Queensview Retirement Community • Refreshing teas by The Peddler Tickets: $20.00, available now at the branch
Mother’s Day Brunch at the Branch Sunday, May 10 | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM Treat Mom to a delicious and relaxing morning with a hearty brunch menu: • Peameal bacon • Eggs • Toast • Brown beans • Pastries • Coffee & tea • Orange juice $20 per person Tickets available at the bar or at the door
Bring your family and celebrate Mom all weekend long—we’d love to see you there.
Spring has Sprung Gras is Riz I wonder where my garden is?
Mark your calendars for April 17. A representative from Quilts of Valour Canada will present comfort quilts to several of our veterans. These veterans will be celebrated for their service to their country in both combat and peacekeeping times. Show your support for our fellow legion members by attending this short ceremony and then stay for the fabulous meal by Queensview/Branch 29.
The poppy count is now close to 8000. Such support from our community is truly amazing. Workshops on attaching the poppies to netting will be soon announced.
Our 100th Anniversary fiber art quilt is travelling to St. Jacobs for Weftfest on April 11 and 12. It is a great venue to promote the skills of Donna Campbell while making the public aware of the Royal Canada Legion's special anniversary.
Branch 29 BBQs are forecasted to start in May, weather permitting. Reintroducing meat draws and bringing in new events such as hypnotist, Adam Graeme will help to fill our coffers. Raising funds is an ongoing project and any new ideas to do so are always welcome.
The Royal Canadian Legion’s free membership drive has increased our membership by 35 plus. These new members are a great asset to Branch 29 and are helping in our kitchen, bar and with renovations. Let’s be sure to give them a big welcome and thank you for their support.
Chuck Prystupa, a new member, has taken on the Membership posting. Chuck brings several talents to the legion including I.T. and helping with November 11th services.
Maintaining our 100+ year old building and making it accessible to all is proving a challenge. A campaign and a committee to seek land for a new building development needs to be looked into. Suggestions welcomed.
My mind and body shout spring but the calendar and the weather are not in agreement. Maybe by the time the next newsletter is printed the temperature will be warmer.
Queensview Retirement Community is now onboard to help our branch fundraise. They graciously provided all the food for our very successful Valentine’s Day Dinner and will continue to do so once a month. Watch for our upcoming Lasagna Dinner on March 20th. Get your tickets early for this special meal before they are sold out. March 27, will be a special meal as well as Derek and Carol will be cooking up their Shepherd’s Pie.
At our last general meeting it was brought to everyone’s attention that the age and condition of our Smokehouse requires continual and expensive upkeep. It was suggested that a committee be formed to check into the feasibility of moving Branch 29 to a new location.
March 7th will see the return of our very popular Chili cook off with a Euchre tournament on the following day. Be sure to participate in both fun events if you can.
A new happening at our legion will take place on March 28th in the form of our first Meat draw, Tickets and information will be available at the bar shortly. Sobeys will be helping out with this fund raiser.
The annual Ralph Burke Euchre Tournament is on the 29th of March. Ralph Burke was a great supporter of our Branch 29 and his wife Ruby is carrying on the tradition. Come out for a fun time at this commemorative event.
Thanks to Geoff, our financial administrator for bringing attention to the monthly costs of our Rogers network. Rogers was supplying phone, tv, and wi-fi at a cost of $600 per month. We are now on the Execulink network at $200 per month with all the same features. That is an annual savings of $4,800 dollars for the next three years.
The MacKenzie pool tournament was a great success with 6 sets of players playing for bragging rights. Successful shark players were Jack Kirby and Barry Humphrey.
New members are being called and individually welcomed. Hopefully they will become active volunteers at the legion and help out in our growing number of events that are needed to help our Legion serving the Paris area.
The poppy count is now over 7,000 and going strong. Several winter workshops are planned and stitchers from all around Paris (some as far west as Vancouver and as far north as Timmins!) are busy knitting and crocheting for our anniversary and Remembrance Day events. The fiber art quilt by Donna Campbell is now at the Paris Museum and Historical Society, It will reside there until the middle of April when it will move to the Canadian Military Heritage Museum for the Liberation of Holland celebrations.
As we head into hopefully the last of a snowy cold winter let’s think warm thoughts and check out what is happening at our Legion.
Coming soon – Branch Meat Draws, Keep alert for updates.
SUPER PRE-BOWL TAILGATE PARTY!Y! Get ready for an afternoon of live music, great food, and football vibes at the Paris Legion!
Valentine’s Lottery Raffle Basket will soon be displayed. Proceeds going to the 100 Anniversary committee. Our anniversary is only eight months away and plans are ongoing for fundraising.
February 14 Valentines Dinner tickets available at the Branch. Tickets for this sit-down meal are limited so get yours soon. Chef for the evening is our very own Lesley Felhazi.
Join us for an OPEN CRIBBAGE TOURNAMENT Sunday, February 15
Limit of 13 teams — so don’t wait! Sign up at the Legion!
A big shout out tour community for backing the Anniversary Poppy Project. A workshop at the Paris Library was well attended and another is planned for Feb 14th at the Paris Fairgrounds. A huge thank you to both groups for opening up their space for the anniversary committee’s use. Stay tuned for more anniversary events and future workshops to attach the poppies to the background netting. 5723 poppies and more on the way.
Mackenzie Pool Tournament is coming in February. All are welcome and a sign-up sheet is at Legion.
Come to play on the only pool tables in Paris. Thursday evening is League pool with partners while Friday afternoon is drop-in.
The Centenary Program for Free Membership for 2026 has brought in several new members to our branch. Please welcome them and encourage their participation as volunteers and event attendees.
