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15TuesdayNovember122013WeRememberWeRememberTheyshallgrownotoldaswethatareleftgrowoldAgeshallnotwearythemnortheyearscondemn.AtthegoingdownofthesunandinthemorningWewillrememberthem.ExcerptfromOdeofRemembrancebyLawrenceBinyonPetroleumLtd.1BreynatStreetFortSmithNT867872-4567VeteransAffairsestimatesthatmorethan7000withatleast500givingtheirlives.DeneBandsalutesAboriginalVeteransByMARIACHURCHMembersoftheRoyalCana-dianLegionRCLbranchinHayRiversaytheirbuildingisfacingclosureiftheydontndthemoneytopayforupkeep.Wemighthavetosellthebuildingbecauseitcostslotsofmoneytorunthiswholebuild-ingandwedontutilizetheup-stairsquiteenoughsaidRa-chelPeggvicepresidentoftheHayRiverLegion.Nowthatitswinterfuelbillsarehigh.TheRCLisCanadaslarg-estveteransserviceorgani-zationwithbranchesspreadoutacrossthecountry.Eachbranchisresponsibleforrais-ingitsownfundstooperatewhichisoftendonebyrent-ingoutthespaceandholdingeventssuchasbingonights.TracyCross-GauthieristheDistrict7commanderoftheRCLwhichencompasesallvebranchesintheNWT.Shesaidbranchesacrosstheterritoryandeventhecountryarefacingsimilarchallenges.Theproblemsareprettyconsistentthroughout.Thenumbersofmembershipsareloweringthepopulationisgettingolderandtheecon-omyhashadahugeeffectontheattendancetolegionfunc-tionsshetoldTheJournal.JulienLefebvrepresidentHayRiverLegionbuildingfacingclosureLegionsacrosstheterritorycountrystrappedforcashRemembranceDayRoyalCanadianLegionoftheHayRiverLegiononandoffforthelast15yearssaiditsbeenyearsbuthecanstillrememberatimewhenthewholetownwouldshowuptothelegionforpartiesandevents.Intheolddaysiftherewasafunctiongoingeverybodyintownwastherepitchinginhesaid.Itsnotlikeitusedtobe.Cross-Gauthiersaidthatfun-draisingisaconstantpursuitforalllegionsbuttheNWTsinconsistentliquorlawsandby-lawsoftenlimitlegionsinwhattypesofeventstheycanhold.OverthepastyearstherehavebeenseveralchangesmadebytheRCLnationallytoattractmoremembersforexamplerequirementsformembershaveeasedupandvotingprivilegeshavebeenextendedtoallmembers.Theyarealwaystryingtorecruityoungpeopleandgetsomenewfreshbloodintotheorganization.ThatsagoalofthelegionforsureCross-Gauthiersaid.Sheexplainedthatthema-jorityofthemoneyfrommembershipfeesgoesintoafunddistributedbytheAlberta-NWTLegioncommandforvet-eransandtheirfamiliesacrosstheprovinceandterritory.Alotofpeoplethinkthatifyoudontgotothelegionawholelotthenitsnotworthhavingamembershipbutinfactitisthecompleteoppo-site.ItsaterricwaytoshowyoursupportbypurchasingamembershipCross-Gauth-iersaid.TheHayRiverLegionhasaround200membersmostofwhomarefamilymembersofthosewhoveservedandnowpassedawayorwhohaveacon-nectiontothemilitarythroughorganizationslikecadets.MarthaLenoirmanageroftheHayRiverLegionsaideventhoughtheyarefacingtheclosureoftheirbuildingthevolunteersarekeepingthelegionalive.Wedohaveafewdedi-catedvolunteersstillshesaid.Weredoingthebestthatwecan.Lefebvresaidthelegionmembersareworkingonaplantoaddressthefundingshort-agealludingtofutureeventsbutdidntspecifywhatthosewouldbe.Ithinkitsgoingtoim-provehesaid.PhotoMariaChurchTracyCross-GauthierDistrict7commanderfortheRoyalCanadianLegionsaysHayRiverisoneofmanylegionsacrossthecountryfacinglowmembershipandnancialdifculties.