An important project was recently completed at the Prince Albert Legion Branch #2 ahead of the 100th Anniversary of the Royal Canadian Legion.
Ahead of the anniversary on July 17 Legion member Tammy Francis spent several days painting and restoring the Legion crest at the top of the building.
“I’ve been planning to do this for about 3 years, but I couldn’t get any scaffolding or lifts or anything up there,” Francis explained. “It’s not like I’m going to climb a ladder to do it.”
She said that it came together when Rob Uhlik offered the scaffolding from his son Darcy Uhlik to help reach the heights of the crest.
“Rob offered it and came and put it up and took it down, which is awesome. It was there, we had to get it done (and) it needed to be done, especially this year with the100th anniversary,” Francis said.
When she started the project on June 12 a man came by who helped to build the crest with his father. Unfortunately Francis did not get his name but he said that he helped his father sandblast and paint the crest 40 years ago.
“I wish he’d come back,” Francis said. “It’s been over 40 years up there and never been worked on.”
The before picture of the restoration of the Legion crest at the Prince Albert Legion Branch, which was recently completed by member Tammy Francis.
Francis said the project took about 20 hours to complete before she finished it on June 18 and clear coated it to help the crest endure another 40 years or more.
“There was things up there that nobody knew should have been up there,” Francis said.
“It’s very time-consuming and tedious, I guess, but it was good.”
Francis said that completing the project made her feel great.
“I’m glad it’s done because it was a lot of hours, but I think it bodes well that we have members that care enough about the Legion to help out and get it done,” she said.
In the 20 hours to complete the project Francis occasionally fought weather conditions.
“There was some rain and some wind,” Francis said.
Tammy Francis worked on completing the painting and restoration of the Legion crest at the Prince Albert Legion Branch on Saturday, June 13.
Francis also had a delegation to Prince Albert City Council about painting a crosswalk for the 100th anniversary which was passed by council on June 22.
Francis said that it was fortuitous timing that the project could be completed before the Legion’s official 100th anniversary on July 17.
“It was good timing. I just thank everybody for helping out so that we could get it done in time,” Francis said.
