Strathmore Legion breaks fundraising record for military families

Andrea Roberts

Times Contributor

 

Since its conception in 2006, the Strathmore Legion’s fundraising event Shoot for the Troops has helped to raise about $20,000 for the Calgary Military Family Resource Centre, but this year exceeded expectations with a record-breaking high.
The local Legion was able to raise $5,503.75 for the centre this year, nearly doubling the amount raised last year.
“It was the biggest one yet since we have been running Shoot for the Troops,” said Jenny Schumann, the Legion President who helped to create the event. “To think we started this in our little Legion and we are proud that we started this.”
This year’s event brought out people from Southern B.C. and High Prairie to compete in the dart throwing. According to Schumann it has inspired Legions from Drumheller and Winnipeg to start their own Shoot for the Troops fundraising events. The Legion presented the cheque to the centre on June 8.
The Calgary Military Family Resource Centre is thankful for the record donation.
“We really appreciate the support of the Strathmore Legion and all those that competed in the tournament,” said Carla Tremblay, one of the Calgary MFRC board of directors. “It was a record-setting donation and we are extremely pleased to have it.”
Tremblay who is also a retired captain and a military wife explains that the money will go on to help the centre to continue supporting military personal and their families in the area that runs from the United States border to Red Deer.
One of their main goals is to try to maintain a strong military family as Calgary no longer has a base.
They try to achieve this sense of community through workshops and programs. A children’s program is one of the programs that the centre runs with the hopes that the children can meet with others who have something in common with them.
There is also a workshop that helps personnel and their families prepare for the separation of deployment, and a mental health workshop that helps prepare families for the changes that will happen when their family member returns to civilian life.
“Someone said war doesn’t end on the battlefield and we really see it in the MFRC,” she said. “When a parent goes away – regardless of whether they come back – changes have occurred in the time they are away.”
Next year will be the 10th annual Shoot for the Troops, and Schumann is excited that it will be bigger than this year’s event.