Coffee Hour meetings provide an important year-round social space for veterans to remember

Veterans gather at the Tillsonburg Legion for a biweekly coffee hour meeting to share stories and check in with one another. There's plenty of laughter, but continued service, mutual support and understanding are also integral aspects of every meeting. (Robin Krafft Photo)

Robin Krafft, Post Correspondent

Tillsonburg and area veterans gather for a coffee hour meeting every other Thursday at the Royal Canadian Legion Varnavair Branch 153.

The meetings involve a few announcements, updates, and requests for volunteers, but the primary function of the gathering is to socialize, check in, and talk about their latest adventures.

"We reminisce and share stories, but it's also a buddy check," said Bob Rischel. "We know who comes a lot. We're not trying to pry, but you know, a lot of us are a little older."

At the Oct. 22 meeting, Legion President Tom Brown asked for volunteers to assist with placing the poppy drape over the anti-aircraft gun every morning for the duration of the poppy drive and removing it each evening. Hands went up.

There were a few comments from the group from those who contributed to the drape, some who sewed, crocheted or knitted.

"You knitted?" one member teased another.

The response was: "Well, there may have been a few beers involved," followed by general laughter from the group.

There is always camaraderie and humour, but there’s commitment and service, too.

“During Remembrance week a few of us also visit a few of the senior homes to reminisce with some of the veterans,” Brown said. ‘They are very pleased to see us and have a chat.”

The group also meets at the Legion and carpools to London twice a year to visit and share a meal with the veterans at the Parkwood Institute.

"It's great to see how happy they are when we come," Rischel said. "They often say that every day is the same, rinse and repeat, ‘and then you guys come.’ They want to hear stories. It's a beautiful facility."

Rischel and his wife, Louise, also a veteran, try to attend every meeting. They moved from Kitchener to Straffordville in 2019. Louise often brings homemade baked goods to the meetings, in addition to treats from the Legion kitchen staff.

The Coffee Hour was initiated by Legion President Tom Brown, Claude Bolduc, and Darrell Ball, when the pandemic restrictions were lifted a few years ago.

Ball started as a Cadet in 1969, at 12 years of age, later becoming a Cadet Commanding Officer in 1976.

"I was Primary Reserve at the same time; that was allowed back then," Ball said. "The Cadet Corps was my life, and I enjoyed it all. I have 20 years of service with the Air Cadets."

Originally intended to be a way to reconnect with fellow veterans, they posted flyers up around town and attendance grew quickly. A month after the Coffee Hour started, Don Mulholland came up with the idea for the red veteran t-shirts.

"Three or four of us got it going," Ball said. "It was a great support. Now we're one of the biggest coffee hours in Southwestern Ontario. It gives us connection, we can talk. It's the one room where everyone understands."