Each child in attendance was given a small Union Jack which he or she held in his hand and repeated slowly after Reverend Vipond: 'I....... promise and vow that so long as I live in or near Streetsville, I will never disfigure or otherwise dishonour this memorial, but will revere it and care for it as the token of my remembrance that true men laid down their lives for me.'

Short addresses were presented by Major-General Lessard, Brigadier H.S. Cooper, lt-colonel T.L. Kennedy, M.P.P. Sam Charters, M.P. and Reeve C.H. Falconer. It is not recorded, but it has been reliably reported that after the ceremony the Veterans adjourned to a suitable location and reminisced about days gone by.

On December 20, 1928, the Streetsville Overseas Veterans Club became Branch 139 of the Canadian Legion of the British Empire Service League with the following charter members:
Capt. Rev. Frank Vipond / W.C. Arch / Wm. H. Davis / J.W. Buckingham / Lt. Rev. W.T. McCree / C.D. Evans / H.F. Staley / W.J. Tracey / Capt. D.V. Reed / George Coyne / G.F. Thompson / Fred Elderfield / Lt. J.W. Drennan / A. Hammond / B.L. Drennan / A. Hammond / B.L. Drennan / R.T. Epps / C.R. Evans / Fred Haddon.

Records of the early years are very sketchy, but minutes are available of most of the meetings from 1933 on. In the early years meetings were held in Church's Hall above the printing plant of the Review. The Legion's principal function during the depression was to strive to obtain for the Veterans an opportunity for employment if any were available. Some welfare work was done but the extreme difficulty experienced in raising money curtailed their efforts in this regard. In October 1934 it was decided that if the Branch was to survive, suitable clubrooms of their own must be obtained. A committee was formed to study the matter and reported back the following month that materials for a suitable building could be obtained for $600.00. Although this seems an insignificant sum now, it must have appeared very large in the heart of the depression. Lesser men might have given up at this point but not these determined Veterans of World War I. By April 1935, Branch finds totaled $80.00, and half of this was used to establish a building fund.

During the balance of 1935 efforts were made to obtain property for a building site, and for a time it was thought that they would be able to obtain a lot being used for a sawmill at the corner of William and Ontario Streets. When this proved unobtainable, their attention was directed to a small lot on Church Street and plans were finalized to proceed with a building 30 ft. by 65 ft. at this location.

On May 23, 1936, the last meeting was held at Church's Hall and the new building committee consisting of Bill Arch, Fred Elderfield and Len Pope was formed. Work parties were to be held each Tuesday and Thursday to build the new hall. On July 21, 1936, the Regular Meeting was held in the new building, which was to become affectionately known as "The Dugout". The fact that the new club had new quarters of their own inspired the members to bring more Veterans into the Club and the fall of 1936 saw a large increase in membership. On December 16, 1936, the Dugout was officially opened by a public dance when a capacity crowd enjoyed the music of the Harmony Orchestra.

By January 21, 1937, expenditures on the building were completed and the mortgage had been raised to $850.00 with Mrs. Fred Elderfield as mortgager. Although there is little mention of it in the records of the Club an event still brings chuckles from the OLD SWEATS. The big stag held in the Dugout when the entertainment was reportedly so exotic that it had a detrimental effect on the domestic life of some of those who attended. Even now incoming entertainment chairmen are cautioned on this point with the result that Branch social functions never quite measure up to the big bash of the thirties. 

In 1954 the Ladies Auxiliary to branch 139 was formed and has played an active and valuable roll in Legion activities from then until now.

In 1960 the Legion gained Royal accent and became The Royal Canadian Legion. The Legion is proud of the facilities it has to offer Veterans, their spouses, sons, daughters, other family and citizens of the community who support the Aims and Objects of The Royal Canadian Legion. Clubrooms on the ground floor are spacious and equipped with billiards, darts and other games. The second floor is available to the public on a rental basis when not being used for Legion activities.

In 1980 S.O.V.C. purchased the lot adjoining our present location to add horseshoe pits and a picnic area. In 2003 an outside patio deck was added to the north side of the building for the pleasure of our members. In August 2006, the pavilion housing the Field Artillery Gun Carriage was completed facing Church Street on our adjacent lot opposite the Branch Cenotaph which was erected in 2002. Wrought iron railings were added in September 2007. 

In the fall of 2012, an M113A armoured personnel carrier was placed on a prepared pad just north of the Field Artillery Gun Carriage shed.

Through the years that the Streetsville Overseas Veterans Club has been in existence it has helped many Veterans and their dependents to obtain pensions, benefits and medical assistance to which they were entitled. It has also helped in a material way those if their comrades who are in less fortunate circumstances. The legion today focuses their charitable efforts and money towards youth and seniors’ activities and causes in our community through the Poppy Trust Fund, Bingo, and Nevada Funds with our primary responsibility being to the Veterans who we will always remember.

The Streetsville Overseas Veterans Club proudly sponsors the Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps Battery 105, the Royal Canadian Air Cadet Corps 800 Black Forest Squadron, and the Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps 186 Haida. We also help fund the Navy League Cadet Corps 139 Revenge.
Originally submitted in 1985 by Mac Hunter - Past President

Updated 2007 by Benjamin R.C. Pearce - Life Member / Secretary

Updated 2024 by Dan Oad – Public Relations Officer