Renovations are in store for the Swift Current Legion after receiving a grant from the Saskatchewan Veterans Service Club Support Program. 

In the window for the first intake period of the year, the Swift Current Legion branch 56’s application for a little over $14,000 was granted to the local organization. 

Vice President for the Swift Current Legion and building co-chair, Rodger Ruf, stated that the funding is a great asset in keeping the legion running smoothly. 

“It always means a lot and helps us keep the building looking good,” he explained. 

Administered by the Royal Canadian Legion Saskatchewan Command, the Saskatchewan Veterans Service Club Support Program was introduced in 2019-20 and provides grants for repairs and upgrades, special events, operations, programs and activities. 

Clubs can receive a maximum amount of $30,000, which has been raised from the $25,000 that was available last year. 

Ruf explained that renovations for the grant money have already been determined such as new slanted roofs over both doors of the building, and the soffit and facia being redone in metal. 

Swift Current MLA, Everett Hindley, said that the last year of the program was a major success for legions across the province. 

“This is the second time that our local legion here, branch number 56, has been able to apply for funding and be successful,” he explained. “They received some funding last year in last year's allocation.  

“There were about 97 projects in the 21/22 budget cycle across the province that received funding, and in this year's provincial budget 2223, there's $1.5 million set aside for this, for legions across the province and other Veterans Support service clubs to apply for dollars.” 

Ruf added that the local branch will be applying for more funding during the second intake of the program, which has an application deadline of August 31, 2022.