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The range of support provided by the Royal Canadian Legion is substantial. Depending on their circumstances, aid applicants can get help in buying dental and medical aids, such as dentures, orthotic devices, and wheelchairs. If they are in dire straits, the Legion will help in any way it can. “We might buy him food for his fridge, or put oil in his house’s tank for winter,” says Einarson. “If they’ve got a broken window or leaky roof, we fix it.”

As a long-time service officer, Einarson has learned a great deal about Veterans Affairs benefits. This makes him an excellent starting point for serving members and veterans seeking help from the federal government’s military assistance programs. “All it takes is a phone call,” he says. “We then do whatever we can.”

Such assistance continues even if the applicant passes away during the process. “My most satisfying case was helping an ex-sailor who had asbestosis, and was applying for a pension,” Einarson says. “Even though he died, we were able to get his widow a nice settlement cheque from the government, which really made a difference to her circumstances.”

For the volunteer branch service officers across Canada, and the command officers above them, making a tangible difference to the lives of Canada’s military and their families is what keeps them on the job. This is why the Legion’s annual poppy campaign is so important: the millions of dollars that Canadians donate each year is passed on to to keep individuals and their families fed, clothed, housed and medically supported. It is demonstration that the Royal Canadian Legion is fulfilling its mission in communities nationwide.

“We’re here to serve our members and their families,” says Einarson. “That’s why being a branch service officer is such a rewarding position, and why I keep doing it.”

This story was produced by Postmedia’s advertising department on behalf of Royal Canadian Legion for commercial purposes. Postmedia’s editorial departments had no involvement in the creation of this content.