The Royal Canadian Legion La Verendrye Branch number 220 will be no more by the end of this year.

President Martin Gabbs says it was not an easy decision for them to make. He notes they sold their building ten years ago and because membership has been dwindling even more since then, they were forced to close down.

"We’ve tried to put out for membership, to get more members in but there’s just no interest in this area," notes Gabbs who has been a member of the legion for 35 years and has seen the group go from 50 to 60 people down to the 14 that it has now. 

"Over the years, membership has been dwindling because of members passing away, declining health and stuff like that so that’s why we decided this year to just kind of pack it in. None of us really want to do it but with nobody else taking over, that’s why we decided to do it."

Gabbs says it was not an easy decision for them to make. He explains they made the decision to sell their building ten years ago and within recent years, started the discussion of potentially disbanding altogether.

"We had a special meeting to talk about it and everyone was in favour of closing it down."

Any of those members who are still interested in being part of a legion may go to another community but Gabbs specifies as a group, they are not amalgamating with another legion in the area. Gabbs says the legion’s last fundraiser is this year’s poppy campaign and he notes any money the legion has raised over the years has remained in the community.

He adds there will be no Remembrance Day service in Ste. Anne this year because the church is not available Sunday morning.