Legions in the region may soon want to be your friend on Facebook.
To combat declining membership, legions in Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario are looking to into ways to reach out to people online. It’s one of a number of chancges, resolutions and bylaws being discussed this week as Thunder Bay hosts the 46th biannual regional convention.
“All the business of the legion happens at the convention,” local arrangements chair Ken Milenko said Sunday morning before a parade at Fort William Gardens. “It’s a very important moment for us.”
“It’s hard to get people to join the branches, well that’s about to change.”
The convention is hosting around 350 people, completely taking over the Victoria Inn.
“It’s kind of nice to see all of those legionnaires all together in one place,” Milenko said.
Anyone can become an associate member of the legion. Milenko said while numbers are down, those signing up are as young as 20, which is good to see. Legions give back to their communities through things like food bank donations and beatification projects.
“We do a lot of work,” he said.
And they also honour veterans. The parade Sunday had around 200 people marching in it as a remembrance ceremony along with officially kicking off the convention.
