Annual General Meeting

Installation of new RCL 005 comrades

During the last general meeting of The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 005 held on 16 February 2013 it was not a surprise that for the most part a positive and promising story could be laid out. The President and the various committees presented reports of growth and dynamism. We are very content to still be on the right track and more on this will              un-doubtfully be found in the upcoming minutes of the meeting.

For this moment I wish to donate a bit more attention to another event which took place during this general meeting. It had been some time ago since new RCL 005 members were installed in the required manner. Our President thought that it was about high time that this old and prescribed tradition would once again be restored and that turned out to be a good decision.

The newer members who happened to be present took place in the middle of the hall where they were to be flanked by the banners. With all other RCL 005 members as their witnesses our Past President read the prescribed texts from the RCL by-laws. In this manner everyone could once again hear what exactly is expected from a RCL 005 member and what the deeper meaning is behind the Royal Canadian Legion. Our seven newer members consequently made the promise to comply in the spirit of the Royal Canadian Legion. Congratulations followed.

Shortly after this a similar brief ceremony was once again done by which our new First Secretary, was separately installed. Following this procedure she officially became part of the current Board.

As I wrote earlier, a ceremony which, according to the rules of the Royal Canadian Legion, is prescribed, but which we have let slid to the background in the past period. In the manner as it was carried out last Saturday it turned out to be a tasteful combination between that which is prescribed and a sense of sober realism. Therefore in a manner in which no one should feel uncomfortable.

To our great content branch 005, this past year has welcomed quite a large number of new members. Many of them, but also members who go back a few years, have not yet officially been installed. Taking into account the relaxed, yet solemn manner in which this was conducted last Saturday there should be no obstacles for the relevant members to have themselves officially installed as a member of RCL 005.

Philip van Leeuwen                                                                                      (Sgt-at-Arms)