The Royal Canadian Legion in Callander recently received a grant from the province’s Trillium Foundation for $117,300, and the money will be used to keep its kitchen cooking.
Specifically, the funds will help renovate and upgrade the kitchen and allow the Legion to purchase some new equipment. Things are getting a little “tired” in the back of house, Legion president Marc Picard noted, and the funds will help spruce things up and allow for some improved appliances.
The sink is set for replacement, some of the counter tops, and the cupboards as well. As for new equipment, a convection oven is on the way, an industrial six-burner barbeque is coming, and a deep fryer will soon be sizzling away. The equipment is coming from Trans Canada Supplies in North Bay— “they’re really good to us there,” Picard said.
He also mentioned the dining room is getting an upgrade as well. New chairs are coming, as are some new tables, and once those arrive, “it’s going to look like a different place” Picard said. The appliances will take a little longer to arrive, because with the Trillium funding, a recipient will receive a portion upfront, and once that is spent, and the correct reports are submitted, the rest of the grant is doled out. Once that money comes in, it’s time to get that barbeque.
Cooking and food service is an integral part of the Legion’s operations, “we run our kitchen and venue facilities year-round,” Picard said. The Legion uses the kitchen and dining room “multiple times a week for lunches and dinners for veterans and seniors and members of the local and surrounding communities”
Plus, there are the rentals, as many people use the space for wedding receptions, stag and doe parties, and other events. Through all of these, the kitchen is put to work, and since most of the appliances have been there since the building opened 33 years ago, some upgraded gear is more than welcome.
See: Royal Canadian Legion Callander to upgrade facilities for 75th anniversary
Vic Fedeli announced the Legion was successful with their application on April 20, and “we’re extremely thankful to minister Fedeli and to the Trillium Foundation,” Picard said. “They continue to support our legion and that helps us to continue to support our veterans and our community.”
Picard also expressed thanks to his team and the volunteers who helped put the grant application together this past December. The Legion is “very fortunate to have a fantastic team that works really hard to make sure this stuff happens,” Picard said.
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
