Through the Storm

How the Branch 5 Legion is Managing the Pandemic

About one month prior to this year’s Remembrance Day, Katriina Myllymaa knew the November 11 ceremony, for which she leads the planning, would look different than on a typical year. But she wasn’t yet completely sure how.

Myllymaa is the first vice president of the Royal Canadian Legion’s Port Arthur Branch 5, which is responsible for Thunder Bay’s northside ceremony at Waverley Park. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the observance would typically see about 1,000 people come to the historic greenspace to honour Canada’s veterans, Myllymaa says, as well as hundreds of current and former soldiers, cadets, and other representatives taking part in the ceremony itself. In an October interview with The Walleye, Myllymaa says that she was still awaiting confirmation on whether troops and cadets would be allowed to participate this year.

One thing is clear, however— that with capacity limits almost guaranteed to still be in place on indoor and outdoor gatherings come November 11, Myllymaa says that, like last year, wreaths will be laid by legion officials rather than by members of the public, and that observance by the public will have to be done virtually, instead of in person. “We often have between 80 to 100 wreaths that go on that cenotaph, so just the logistics of managing that amount of people and staying within the rules […] is just too hard.”

Planning for Remembrance Day is far from the only challenge area legions have faced during COVID. Pandemic restrictions forced branches to close their doors on two separate occasions since March 2020, shutting down things like inhouse food and drink sales, fundraisers, and other public events like live music—all crucial money-making ventures. Rob Cutbush is the Royal Canadian Legion’s vice president responsible for the Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario region and says the national organization has dedicated funds for individual branches to help with the bills, and that assistance from the provincial and federal governments has also been available. Cutbush, who is also a past president of Branch 5 and currently its property chair, says that the northside branch— which is typically very active with in-person events—was able to pull through, thanks to already being in good financial shape “with funds for a rainy day,” as well as making use of national legion and government assistance.

And now, with indoor events once again allowed—with public health measures in place—Cutbush says that it’s nice to see Branch 5’s calendar filling up again. “Everyone was missing out on the social atmosphere,” he says.

For information on upcoming events at Branch 5, follow them on Facebook. That’s also where the Waverley Park Remembrance Day ceremony will be streamed.