Despite a rough few years financially the Jasper Royal Canadian Legion has made it its goal to continue supporting the community.
In the last year, the legion has offered up its space free of charge to 20 organizations, adding up to $108,468 worth of donated space.
鈥淭he legion has always been a community organization,鈥� Ken Kuzminski, president of the local branch, said in a press release. 鈥淥ver the past year this community has really embraced the Jasper legion and they now see it as their legion.鈥�
Kuzminski added that one of the largest beneficiaries of the Jasper legion鈥檚 free space has been the Habitat for the Arts, a non-profit arts organization鈥攖hat until recently was homeless as it waited for the completion of its new home in the long overdue Jasper Library and Cultural Centre.
Habitat used a portion of the legion鈥檚 space鈥攚here 脡cole Desrochers once lived鈥攆or youth art classes. Over the course of two and a half years, Kuzminski said the arts group saved more than $40,000 in rental fees by partnering with the legion.
Other beneficiaries of the legion鈥檚 space this year include the Jasper Pride Festival Society, the Jasper chapter of the Association Canadienne-Fran莽aise de l鈥橝lberta, Jasper Minor Hockey, the Jasper Food Bank, Community Outreach Services and the Jasper Heritage Rodeo Association.
鈥淭he Jasper legion prides itself on its facility and is proud to share it with the community,鈥� wrote Kuzminski.
As well as hosting fundraisers and events for other organizations, it is also home to Veteran Adventures, an organization that provides free recreational equipment to veterans visiting Jasper National Park. The organization began in 2015 and has since acquired three kayaks, life jackets, fishing equipment, as well as tents, sleeping bags and camping equipment. All of the equipment is stored at the legion free of charge.
Kayla Byrne [email protected]
