Strathcona Legion - Branch 595

Youth Programs

Youth Programs
Legions throughout Ontario Command sponsor youth programs that include sports, Cadet Corps, Scouts, leadership training and Remembrance activities. It is our aim to help youth learn an appreciation for teamwork, leadership, duty and most importantly, Remembrance.

Remembrance
Legions believe educating our youth on the high cost of their freedom is one of our most important roles in Ontario today. We must impress upon young people who have never known war, that freedom was won at the cost of many lives; young lives like their own. Our annual poster, literary and Public Speaking contests with a Remembrance theme, help focus the attention of the participants on those who gave all for the freedom we enjoy.

Annual Literary and Poster Contests

As one of our primary goals, fostering Remembrance is a part of everything we do. Thanks to the longstanding tradition of the Annual Literary and Poster Contests, we have been able to involve Canadian school children in helping us to promote not only the National Remembrance Day Service, but also the act of honouring our military heritage. Deadlines for entries in the Poster and Literary Contests are determined by the local Legion branches.

The deadline for Strathcona’s entries to this year’s Poster and Literary Contests is 16 November 2018. Entries are to be delivered to the Royal Canadian Legion Strathcona Branch 595, at 1940 B Bank St. An awards ceremony will be held in January 2019.

Ontario Command also invites students to take part in a Public Speaking Contest and a Remembrance Video Contest.

The Deadline for the Video Contest is 01 December 2018. Entries are to be emailed to Ontario Provincial Command at info@on.legion.ca.

The Royal Canadian Legion Zone G5 Public Speaking Contest will be held on March 2, 2019 at the Royal Canadian Legion Bells Corners Branch 593, 4026 Old Richmond Road Ottawa, ON. Registration for grades 1 to 8 is at 8 a.m. and the contest will run from 8:30 a.m. to noon. Registration for grades 9 to 12 is at noon and the contest runs until 5 p.m..

Entry form for Poster & Literary Contest

Ontario Command participates in the biannual Pilgrimage of Remembrance. This program, organized by our Dominion Command, uses veterans and other Legion dignitaries as guides for tours of WWI and WWII battlefields and cemeteries.

Sports
Some of the most popular youth programs are the multitude of sports programs run by Ontario Command Branches. Sports activities such as hockey teams and leagues, baseball, softball, soccer, swimming, figure skating and lacrosse are among the programs supported by our branches.

Each year, many branches co-ordinate track and field programs. These programs allow young athletes to participate in many events and to complete with other athletes at District meets, and at Provincial levels in one of the Legion's semi-annual provincial meets.

Leadership
Legions in Ontario Command help to promote patriotism, leadership and an awareness of duty by sponsoring youth groups such as Scouts, Navy League and Sea, Army and Air Cadets. The Legion, through our local branches, also sponsors the Cadet Medal of Excellence. This medal is awarded to outstanding young men and women who participate in cadet programs.

Education
Ontario Command branches are encouraged to support the Encounters With Canada program, that brings together students from across the country for a week of Canadian studies and activities at the Terry Fox Centre in Ottawa. More than 3,000 young people from across Canada participate in this excellent program.

Legions throughout Ontario Command sponsor bursaries for high school, college and university students. Our branches also pool funds with Ladies' Auxiliaries through our Ontario Command Branches and Ladies' Auxiliaries Charitable Foundation. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in bursaries are awarded each year through the Charitable Foundation.

Lest we forget...Lest we forget