Legion Branches Raise Over $143,000 For Families Affected By Wainwright Tragedy

Royal Canadian Legion branches across Alberta, the Northwest Territories, and Nova Scotia have raised $143,575 to support military personnel and families affected by the October 17 tragedy at CFB Wainwright, with more than $10,000 already spent assisting those in need.

Bruce Marriott, District Commander with the Royal Canadian Legion, who oversees several branches in the region, provided the fundraising update, explaining that contributions have come from branches within the Alberta-Northwest Territories Command, along with participating Legion branches in Nova Scotia.

According to Marriott, $10,407.41 has already been paid toward expenses and needs of affected families since the tragedy, providing assistance as they deal with the difficult circumstances.

The Vermilion Royal Canadian Legion Branch 11 has contributed $5,000 to the relief effort, forwarding the funds to the Alberta-Northwest Territories Command headquarters in Calgary.

The financial assistance is intended to help families with immediate needs arising from the tragedy, including expenses associated with travel, accommodations, and meals, while ensuring support remains available as circumstances evolve.

In addition to the fundraising efforts by individual branches, the Royal Canadian Legion’s Dominion Executive Council has approved a national commitment of up to $250,000 through the Poppy Trust Fund to provide further assistance to those affected.

In a statement to Legion members, Dominion President Sharon McKeown announced that an initial $100,000 would be disbursed to the Together We Stand Foundation, a not-for-profit organization working with the Canadian Armed Forces’ Royal Canadian Chaplain Service, which remains in contact with affected families across the country.

According to McKeown, the foundation will ensure that 100 per cent of the funding provided goes directly toward supporting those impacted. Additional payments of $50,000 will be made as needed, with the national commitment focusing on emerging and longer-term requirements, including mental health and caregiver support.

McKeown noted that while immediate needs were being addressed through the Alberta-Northwest Territories Command, some military personnel had sustained severe injuries and more than two dozen remained hospitalized at the time of her statement. Ongoing treatment and assistance for the injured and their families are expected to be necessary.

The Legion will continue monitoring the needs of those affected and working with military representatives to ensure assistance is directed where it is most needed.

The combined efforts of local branches and the national organization reflect the Legion’s ongoing commitment to supporting military personnel and their families during times of hardship, offering both immediate financial relief and assistance throughout the longer recovery process.

In her statement, McKeown expressed the Legion’s continued support for those affected, saying, “Our thoughts remain with the injured, those who died, their comrades and their families.”

“We Will Remember Them.”