former vice-president pocketed more than $25,000 from Chase the Ace draws<\/a>.<\/p>\nHayden said staff have been doing their best to get fundraising back to normal by hosting other events but losing the licence was a big blow. <\/p>\n
\u201cChase the Ace was our big money-maker. Every Friday we’d have the draw and when we lost that, that was a lot of our income,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Plan to get back on track<\/p>\n
The branch, which has about 350 members, was closed for about three months last year when the province\u2019s gaming authority investigated the Chase the Ace draws.<\/p>\n
Hayden said a board that was put in place by the Nova Scotia\/Nunavut Command to oversee the operations of the branch when it reopened has left staff and members out of the loop about their future.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNone of us has been able to do our jobs since they came and took over,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
Since it reopened, the branch hasn\u2019t held monthly meetings in which members are updated and vote on operations, she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"Gwen](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1767897432_613_default.jpg\")
Gwen Hayden, the Vimy branch’s secretary, said they never got a fair chance to get the legion back on track after it was closed last year. (Sebastian Asprey\/CBC)<\/p>\n
The executive team presented a business plan to Nova Scotia\/Nunavut Command for how the branch would raise more money going forward, Hayden said<\/p>\n
She said inititally the plan was ignored but they were able to present it to Command staff at a meeting Wednesday night. <\/p>\n
The meeting left members of the executive team more optimistic the legion might stay open but no promises were made, Hayden said. <\/p>\n
Some members of the legion have retained a lawyer who has sent a letter to Nova Scotia\/Nunavut Command stating legal action will be taken if the branch is closed.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf a unilateral decision has been made to shut down this branch, that has been decided without appropriate investigation, consultation, warning or other tenet of procedural fairness,\u201d the letter said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018Legions are the heart of any community\u2019<\/p>\n
Nova Scotia\/Nunavut Command declined an interview request.<\/p>\n
In an email, executive director Carrie Hogan said they appreciate the members and volunteers of the branch.<\/p>\n
\u201cVimy Branch 27 has a proud and longstanding history of service,\u201d Hogan said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Leslie Coyle has directly benefited from the legion\u2019s service.\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"Leslie](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1767897433_483_default.jpg\")
Legion member Leslie Coyle said there’s been a ‘veil of secrecy’ around the branch’s future since it reopened last year. (Sebastian Asprey\/CBC)<\/p>\n
Coyle, who has been going to the legion for 30 years, said members supported her when she was involved in a car accident several years ago.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLegions are the heart of any community and the people are what makes it the best,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
She said the actions of former executives shouldn\u2019t punish all the veterans and non-serving members who rely on the legion for a source of community and support.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’ve had a couple of, sort of, bad eggs,\u201d Coyle said. “But I feel that one bad egg doesn’t spoil the bunch.\u201d<\/p>\n
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![\"Text](\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/a\/assets\/texttospeech.svg\")
<\/p>\n