MACCAN – The Maccan Legion will likely disband tomorrow evening.
That’s the opinion of legion member Ruth Dwyer.
“A lot of people have petered away,” said Dwyer, counting herself in that number.
“There’s been a lot of issues,” she said.
The woman’s heard the Maccan branch has about 35 members left. But she expects the president and the treasurer will be stepping down at the meeting, which begins at 7 p.m.
“(They’re) tired of trying to do it themselves.”
Dwyer said the group never recovered after a dispute in 2006 over advocating the use of medical cannabis oil.
“It’s been downhill ever since,” she said.
The member expressed regret over how things have turned out.
“We have nothing here (in Maccan),” she said. The legion was the only place the community could gather. Although the building will still exist as a nominal community centre, “it’ll never work that way.”
She doesn’t think the community will come together to manage the facility. She doesn’t even expect a large turn out tomorrow to decide the legion’s fate.
President Steven Theal confirmed he’s stepping down.
“It’s pretty useless,” said Theal.
“A legion can’t be run by two people.”
The president said he was very disappointed by the failure of the branch. His father was the president for 14 years. He cited lack of interest and lack of volunteers as two of the principle problems.
“I just can’t do it anymore.”
Theal said the Dominion Command President is coming up from Halifax for the proceedings.
Donald White is the treasurer for one more day. He’s resigning at the gathering.
“There’s nobody showing for meetings,” said White.
They never managed to attract young people. When you have a meeting and everyone has grey hair, it’s just a matter of time, he said.
There’s a procedure for closing a branch, though, so the meeting will go on.
“I am discouraged,” said Dwyer. But she doesn’t feel she has the right to say a lot. Her attendance has been irregular. She doesn’t think the legion can be saved.
“The only way is (just) people get involved…I don’t think there’s going to be enough interest.”
esparling@amherstdaily.com
