Revelstoke Legion under trustee control

Revelstoke legion members raised their hands when asked who was a member at a March 30 meeting. **Photo by Lys Morton**

BC Yukon Legion Command explained to a crowd of over 70 attendees at a March 20 meeting some of the circumstances that led to the sudden closure of Revelstoke Legion Branch 46. Liquor infractions, unpaid membership dues and unpaid taxes were some of the key issues that brought command to locking the legion and placing the branch under trustee.

“We weren’t expecting this kind of turn out,” Craig Thompson, BC Yukon Command president told the crowd. “This is a good sign, we can work with this.”

With only 22 members on the registry, legion command was worried they would be coming down to a dying legion, Thompson explained. But when asked who were legion members, nearly two-thirds of the audience raised their hand.

“That shows us this is a strong legion,” Thompson said. “All of you here who are not legion members, who are community members wanting to show support, that shows us this is an asset to the community.”

Peter McKenna and Lindsay Gowin, who were in attendance for the March 20 meeting have taken trustee roles for the branch until command feels a management team is in place and all concerns have been dealt with.

Trustee placement means that the former executive branch has been suspended but former members, along with any legion members, can join the new management team if willing to work with command and trustee members, Thompson said.

“Everyone work together to make the compliance issues proper so that the legion can have its own executive back and start running as the vast majority of branches across the country operate.”

Shortly after McKenna and Gowin took trusteeship of the Revelstoke Legion, they were visited by a liquor inspector who noted six different infractions including one which would cost the legion $7,000.

“They’re willing to work with us,” Thompson explained. “There is a decent possibility that they may look and say, ‘these guys are fixing their own problems, let’s leave it at that’.”

Revelstoke Mountaineer reached out to the provincial Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB) for comment regarding the liquor infractions. LCRB did not reply by time of publication.

Another concern for command was the operation of the Bargain Basement, a second-hand store run in the basement of Branch 46 as a way to financially support the legion.

“The Bargain Basement is operating in a manner that gives us a bit of concern,” Thompson said.

How the Bargain Basement operates in partnership with the legion was brought into question by command and the trustees, leading to conversations about whether the Bargain Basement should become its own non-profit entity working in partnership with the legion, instead of under it.

“We’re talking with the Basement team,” Thompson said. “We’re working with them to see what steps to take, and they might be open and running sooner than expected.”

As of Tuesday, March 26 the Bargain Basement remains closed.

Community members asked Thompson what timelines looked like for getting the legion back open, or at least available for outside organizations to access. Thompson explained the date for a complete reopening of the legion is dependent on a new management team bringing key compliance issues back up to par, including liquor issues and outstanding bill payments.

Community concerns about the apparently sudden closing of the branch had Thompson explaining that Branch 46 was flagged by BC Yukon Legion Command several years ago. He explained command had worked to provide support for the branch but changes of executive members had hindered communication.

“It’s happened over the course of a period of time,” Thompson said. “The first time we hear something we don’t jump in and set up a trustee.”

Thompson explained that previous trusteeships at other branches have run from just a few months to years, depending on how long it takes to get the branch back in compliance and with management command feels comfortable with. But he expressed his personal desire to keep the community in the loop and legion members aware of any and all changes.

“Our goal, our mandate is to vets, to their families and to the community. And this is a community that is showing me it cares about their legion.”