COLD LAKE —Eight decades of service, remembrance and community were celebrated Saturday night as Royal Canadian Legion Branch #211 marked its 80th anniversary in Cold Lake.

The milestone comes during an especially significant year for the organization, with The Royal Canadian Legion celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2026.

Legion members and friends gathered at the Cold Lake branch Saturday for an evening recognizing both anniversaries and, more importantly, the generations of people who have kept the local Legion going for 80 years.

Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul MLA Scott Cyr attended the celebration as a member of Branch #211 and in his provincial role as Alberta’s Military Liaison.

“The Legion is more than a building or an organization,” Cyr said. “It is a community built by generations of people who believe in remembrance, service and looking after one another.”

80 years of service in a military community

Branch #211 has a particularly strong connection to the Canadian Armed Forces because of Cold Lake’s longstanding relationship with 4 Wing.

Over the decades, the branch has provided a gathering place for veterans, serving military members, their families and the broader Cold Lake community.

Cyr said that connection helps bridge generations of military service, bringing together those who previously served with those currently wearing the uniform.

“That tradition of service is very much alive at Branch #211,” Cyr said. “It provides an important connection between those who have served, those who continue to serve and the wider community that stands behind them.”

Saturday’s celebration included a meal, music and an opportunity for members and friends to reconnect.

Cyr recognized Branch President Todd Rorke, the executive, members and volunteers who organized the anniversary celebration and continue to support the branch throughout the year.

He also acknowledged the past presidents, executives, members and volunteers who built the organization over its eight decades.

An 80th anniversary, Cyr said, isn’t simply about how long a branch has existed. It’s about the people who kept showing up and eventually handed that responsibility to the next generation.

Legion marks 100 years across Canada

The local milestone coincides with the Royal Canadian Legion’s centennial year.

The organization is marking 100 years in 2026, recognizing a century of work supporting veterans and their families, promoting remembrance and serving communities across Canada.

For Cyr, celebrating that national milestone at his own branch carried additional meaning.

“In my role as Alberta’s Military Liaison, I have the privilege of meeting Legion members and veterans across our province and hearing directly about the work being done in their communities,” he said. “Being able to come home and celebrate this milestone with my own Branch made the evening especially meaningful.”

Cyr congratulated Branch #211 and thanked everyone who has contributed to its first 80 years.

“Thank you to everyone, past and present, who has been part of Branch #211, volunteered their time and helped ensure that service, remembrance and fellowship continue for those who follow,” he said.

“Lest We Forget.”