Arnprior’s Royal Canadian Legion Branch174 marked a remarkable double milestone on April 5th, celebrating both the Legion’s national 100th anniversary and the 100th birthday of longtime member Leonard Spinks.
Family, friends, Legion members, and community representatives gathered at the Daniel Street North branch to honour a man whose life reflects a century of service, resilience, and dedication.
Now housebound, some behind-the-scenes maneuvering assured an old fashioned salute earlier- as volunteers from the Arnprior Fire Service drove the ladder truck past Leonard’s Vancourtland Street doorstep, as residents tipped to the event ahead of time waved and shouted greetings.
Later that afternoon a gathering at the Legion featured stories, laughter, and heartfelt tributes as speakers highlighted his commitment to supporting fellow veterans and strengthening the community.
Branch 174 continues its centennial celebrations throughout 2026; the Legion being formally established by Act of Parliament on July 17th, 1926, having been spurred by a Unity Conference led by the Great War Veterans’ Association, that drew a number of competing organizations under the Legion Banner as the “the Canadian Legion of the British Empire Service League”.
It was formally proclaimed the Royal Canadian Legion by Queen Elizabeth in 1961.
By Rick Stow
