Branch 495 Royal Canadian Legion, often known simply as the Beachville
Legion, has reached an important milestone in its history.
At a recent dinner commemorating the 50th anniversary and Remembrance
Day as well, the pride members have in their Legion was evident. And
so they should be proud.!
Veterans, returning home from World War II, continued to serve their country and their community by banding together.
It was an important organization 50 years ago and it still is today,
half a century later.
It is a way of assuring that those who gave their lives are never
forgotten. It is also a vehicle for ensuring that the sacrifices made
by men and women of Canada and its allies are not forgotten and were not
made in vain. As long as the memories are kept alive, hopefully mankind
will work together to see that the horrors of war are not repeated.
Beachville Legion is a remarkable one. A comparatively small Legion
Branch, with about 200 members, it has its own, well kept building in
Beachville. That building is a bee-hive of activity. Breakfasts,
lunches and dinners are often served there; sports events are held;
special occasions are celebrated and it is made available to members of
the community who need a meeting place.
However, the building would be nothing without the people. And the
people are great! Hard working to raise funds for their various
projects, enjoying an obvious camaraderie and always, always concerned
about veterans and their community, this Branch is a credit to both the
Legion itself and the community it serves.
The anniversary dinner was a great success. Some of the founding
members were there to receive the accolades they so well deserved. And
when all veterans were asked to stand, the appreciation of the audience
was obvious. Another bonus was the fact that there are younger people
as well in that Legion, people who have pledged to carry on the work and
the memories.
Beachville Legion also has a very smart colour party. Perhaps, more than
anything else, the pride, the sharpness and he honour the members
obviously felt in carrying those colours for the ceremonial parts of the
evening, is a sign of a very good future for this organization with such
an impressive past and active present.'
Y.H.M.
Branch 495, Royal Canadian Legion, usually referred to as the Beachville
Legion is observing half a century of service.
Cecil Nadalin, of Beachville, Well remembers the formation of the
Beachville Legion 50 years ago. He recalls that when World War II
started the population of Beachville was approximately 550. That small
village saw 82 of its residents go off to war. Of the 82, smiles
Nadalin, 32, including himself were in the Navy. In fact, seven of the
eight members of the Nadalin family enlisted.
He has never forgotten that the Beachville Patriotic Society, which
encompassed every area serviced by the school, not only gave a watch to
every man and woman who enlisted, but continually sent parcels to them.
Nadalin continues,"When the war was finished, we thought we would like a Legion for Beachville so started having meetings in our homes" We raffled a car, held some bingos,
canvassed the Village and school area for donations."
The group received its charter in 1948 at a meeting held in the United
Church. In the early 1950s the Legion Branch purchased a lot from Mr.
and Mrs, John Lowes, who had had the misfortune of losing their home to
a fire. Nadalin said the house had been a full two storey house and the
walls were still standing.
Showing the type of industrious co-operation that is a trademark of this
Branch, the members pulled the walls down themselves. "I remember,"
says Nadalin, "Bill Clark from Clark's Sand and Gravel loaded it and
trucked it away. Then he excavated a 50' by 70' basement and the fill
was used to level up the parking lot. There was also a lot of fill
trucked in later". Members poured the footings, concrete piers and
basement floor, then contracted for the finished floor. Jack Wallace
laid the blocks in the foundation walls.
"All the contractors did the work for us for nothing" explains Nadalin.
"All they charged us for was the material. The rest was their donation
to the Branch."
Next, the Legion purchased an Armco Steel building from the Guelph
Company. Lowe's Transport delivered the 40' x 62' x 8' building to the
Beachville site free o f charge Nadalin says the members had built two
40' wood beams, placed them on the piers and walls, installed joists and
built the sub floor. Then they poured 10" x 12" concrete beams on all
exterior walls and installed anchor bolts to fasten the angle to.
The members than erected the Armco building piece by piece. "We used
a block and tackle. We had no crane" he recalls.
Concrete slabs were poured as stair landings and over the boiler room.
Wooden stairs were built and door and windows were installed by the
members.
A heat contractor installed the hot water system; a plumbing contractor
installed the fixtures in the wash room; and an electric contractor
wired the building. "Again, all those contractors used us good".
Nadalin says the people of Beachville and area have always treated them
very well. "And we have always tried to have a Legion that is a credit
to them".
Nadalin reports with pride that when the official opening of the Legion
was held in the late 50s, the mortgage was burned the same night. He
stresses, "This was all with a lot of help from our Veterans Kin Club."
In the early 70s a 16' x 60' block building was added on to the north
side of the building. The Legion contracted for the framing of the
building but members finished the interior themselves and had the
parking lot paved.
Nadalin was in the navy for three years. He was discharged for medical
reasons.
Now retired from his position as building superintendent with Ellis Don
Contractors, he maintains his membership in the Legion he helped found
50 years ago.
How did it happen? "A bunch of us just got together and got talking.
We decided we wanted a Branch in Beachville."
His wife Anna, who he met after the war, is also a naval veteran and a
member of Branch 495.
Nadalin says he sees the Legion as an organization "that just tries to
help veterans and people who need help. We sponsor as lot of sports and
that is good too."
He says the first president of the Beachville Legion was Cecil Todd, a
World War I veteran. "In fact six of our 24 past presidents were
returned men." Nadalin is the only one of the original executive left
today and he has been made a Life Member.
Bob Sivyer, a past president as well as past Zone Commander and
currently District Veterans Services Chairman echoes the comments made
by Nadalin about the Legion and the support is receives. Sivyer became
involved with the Legion some 15 years ago, mainly because his dad Don
Sivyer is a disabled veteran. "I saw what the Legion had done for him
and I wanted to pay back some of that as well as be part of it" he
notes. Why did he choose Beachville Legion? Sivyer, who lives in
Salford, answers, "I was looking for a small, friendly, rural branch."
He has never regretted his decision. He likes the way people work
together and get projects accomplished".
Nadalin and Sivyer cite the day the cenotaph was laid as a perfect
example of how members work together. A large slab of field stone was
cut into half, inverted and placed on a marble base. "There must have
been thirty people working there that day. The cenotaph, which is in
front of the front entrance, facing west, was laid in 1986.
Last year the kitchen was renovated with no labour costs at all.
Both men are optimistic about the future of the Beachville Legion.
Nadalin says, "The younger generation is taking, over pretty well. I am convinced
it will carry on with the sons and daughters of veterans as well as social
members."
Sivyer is also confident, "It will certainly be there as long as there are any
veterans left. The observance of Remembrance Day as well as the sports and youth
programs will carry us on for a long time." Sivyer's wife Pat, is also an active
member of the Legion and a supporter of his work there.
Both Nadalin and Sivyer feel that one of the secrets of the success of the
Beachville Branch is the amount of labour done by the members. "Volunteer labour, that's what makes that Club click."
Nadalin has one closing thought: "I was talking to a fellow member the other day and he said that anyone who doesn't have fun at the Beachville Legion - well it's his own fault. And I agree with him. It's a good place to be."
Reproduced with permission from The Ingersoll Times and Yvonne Holmes Mott.
The editorial and article appeared in the Dec. 2, 1998 issue.