A Great Year at the Legion

by Hattie Dyck

   Jeff Thurber, Maitland, strongly believes in the work of the Royal Canadian Legion wherever one is located and he has proven during his presidency of the Hants North branch of the Legion that with the help of a great team of supporters it is possible to accomplish what could have seemed impossible at the beginning.

   The Hants North branch is one of the smallest branches in Nova Scotia running from Walton to Maitland and from Noel to Kennetcook, yet it accomplishes many small projects in addition to the major project of the monument to the Harvie family of North Noel Road. This memorable and beautiful project was dedicated to the family on October 6th,2024.

   There’s no doubt this seemed like a daunting project when it began in 2023 at the Remembrance Day Service, but Mr. Thurber and his army of supporters knew it was a piece of history that had to be preserved for the world and a tribute to Richard and Sarah Harvie who sent eight children overseas in World War II and only six came home. The six that came back home were Avard, Ernest, Ervin, Edmund, Victor and Garnet. The two killed overseas were Marvin and Burrel.

   Although it was a major undertaking, the communities raised close to $30,000 and it happened much faster than even an optimist like the President could have hoped for. In addition to the Memorial, the Legion community raised funds to assist boxer Mr. Wyatt Sanford of Kennetcook to go to the Olympics in Paris in 2024 and return with a bronze medal. It was the first medal in Boxing won by Canada in 28 years.

   I asked Mr. Thurber why he is so passionate about the Legion and he said it is a thank you to his father Raymond for offering his life when he joined the Army in WWII.

   A native of Freeport and a well known Naturalist, the President 

believes great things for communities large and small can be done when people join together. He has two more big projects in the offing; one is on May 17th when he will be sworn in as Deputy Zone Commander for Zone 14 which includes Noel to

Dartmouth. The second is to have some nearby land around the Legion at Noel made into a beautiful park with benches, flowers and all the beauty that nature provides.

   Just one more project on his bucket list to unfold in the near future.