Royal Canadian Legion branches offering Ping-Pong, open mics to attract new members

The Royal Canadian Legion has lost 25 per cent of its membership over the past decade.That's around 100,000 members. For manysurviving chapters, the only option left isto open their doors, and diversify their offering.

"It's hard. It's always a struggle to keep the membership up, but we are trying." says Bob Miller, president ofRichmond's Legion Branch 291.

"The Billy Bishop started to get veryquiet," saidDebbie Wretchka, president of the Kitsilano Legion.

Both branches are nowopen to non-members, a clear sign of sliding enrolment.

So to attract new, youngcard-carriers, many Legions are starting to expand their weekly offeringto visitors.

Expanding the event calendar

The Billy Bishop for example now hosts Ping-Pong nightson Thursdays and an open mic on Saturday. It also benefits from proximity to the Seaforth Highlanders army regiment.Wretchka says the special events are getting lots of attention from veterans and non-members alike.

"It's a very nice environment for them to come in and just relax."

But innovation tends to be accompanied by a departurefromtradition. For Wretchka, the updated event calendar was simply a necessity.

"We need to have people stay in their seats in order to stay alive," she said. "You have to offer them something."

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Miller's Branch 291 has pool tables, dart boards, and also offers shuffleboard, but has had a harder time getting people in the door.

If hecan't find a way to attractfresh faces, he says the branch could facethe same fate as manyother locations that have had to close.

"There's always worries, a lot of branches have closed down because of lack of membership, but we will survive," he said.

Both heand Wretchkaare now looking forward totomorrow's Remembrance Day celebrations. The hope is with veterans already on the minds of many Canadians, their next thought will be of the Legions that support them.