To the Editor:

(Re: www.crestonvalleyadvance.ca/article/20100610/CRESTON0303/306109990/take-the-money-and-run)

This individual’s daughter was the recipient of a scholarship of $500. What he did not mention was this his daughter sent a letter to the Royal Canadian Legion stating she was unable to use this money in the coming school year as she was traveling to Thailand for 10 months on an exchange program.

One year later, this individual’s daughter sent a letter stating that she hoped that our offer was still good, and that she was now ready to start her post-secondary education. As a result of deferring her secondary education for another year, the Royal Canadian Legion was unable to award this scholarship to her as the Gaming, Policy and Enforcement Branch directs that gaming trust funds must be spent in the year they are collected; they cannot be carried over. Legion funds are not being used — they are gaming funds. This policy directive has been in place for many years; the high school is also aware of this policy.

This information was also reiterated in a reply to his letter, wherein the individual noted the promptness of our response but the answer was not what they had hoped for.

Branch 29 of the Royal Canadian Legion takes offence at the remark that we did not honour this scholarship, which is an unfair comment, as the branch members work very hard to raise trust funds in order to grant such scholarships from the gaming trust and have done so for many years.

Vern Hickson, President

Royal Canadian Legion