The Ladies' Auxiliary at the Steinbach Legion will celebrate its 70th anniversary this coming Saturday. Spokesperson Christie Borkowsky says the auxiliary has stayed true to its charter over all those years.

"The Ladies' Auxiliary was formed to help out with assisting the needs of the veterans, helping out in their communities and quite often, it's also helping out with health care in the communities as well."

She notes in addition to its service to veterans and the community, the Legion Ladies' Auxiliary became a second family for these women.

"It was an opportunity to get together, share in some laughter as they were working, but also just as another opportunity to have a chance to talk and, maybe, discuss some of the issues that their families had after returning from service."

Borkowsky says the organization reached its peak membership during the 1980's with about 35 members but is still very active today. She adds the organization has

Bethesda director of nursing Pat Porter with extended care patient Sophie Dyback receiving a lap blanket from Auxiliary President Jean Curtis in 1985. A total of 15 lap blankets were knitted and donated by members of the Steinbach Legion Ladies Auxiliary given countless hours of volunteer service over the past seven decades.

"When I read through the minutes from the early years when they got organized, they were catering special events, anniversaries, weddings, receptions, things like that, holding teas and other special events. There were simple things like making sandwiches for some community functions and that sort of thing. So, the ladies, over the years, especially early on, they put in an incredible amount of time doing whatever they could really, to help out."

At one time they canvassed door-to-door for the March of Dimes. For many years, the Auxiliary assisted with the Legion Poppy Campaign by visiting every business along Main Street to offer poppies to owners and their employees. In recent years, donations have gone to the local soup kitchen, Bethesda Hospital Foundation, Helping Hands and the United Appeal program. The Auxiliary has sponsored a child through World Vision for nearly 20 years, provided bursaries to students in their first year of university or college and sponsored a trophy for the top first year Cadet of the local Stoneybrook Cadet Squadron #307.

Borkowsky says the anniversary dinner on Saturday is intended to bring together former members along with family, friends and the public to reminisce and renew friendships. The actual 70th anniversary of the auxiliary is December 9th, but Borkowsky says they scheduled the dinner in late October in the hopes of having better weather.