Three members of the Sarnia Legion Branch 62's Executive Committee, including Acting President John Surins, have resigned during an ongoing investigation surrounding suspended president Ron Realesmith.
Realesmith was removed from the role in early October pending the results of an Article Three complaint filed against him.
In a social media post Wednesday, Surins said during the last few weeks, Branch 62 has been in turmoil.
"There are two opposing sides at a time we should be united as one team. When a small group of people goes after a respected veteran and community leader like Les Jones and prompts him to resign his Life Membership with the Legion, you know there is a major problem," said Surins.
Surins claimed there's been some infighting since the latest Catch the Ace fundraiser, which generated millions of dollars, half of it being donated back to the community.
"Maybe some of you have experienced this in your own families," he said. "I did some research and found two Legion branches, Hepworth Shallow Lake and Gravenhurst, that were experiencing a similar situation: us versus them attitudes. Both of their executives resigned en masse."
When this happened, Surins noted the Ontario Command Executive said “This Executive has built this Legion back to what it is. They have been very successful with their community supporters and fundraising. Fiscally, they are responsible and are just tired because of a few naysayers and there is something wrong at every turn.”
In the lengthy post, Surins asked why the treatment of the Sarnia Legion has been different.
He said when he, Realesmith and Jones became executive members of Branch 62 over 10 years ago, the membership was declining.
Since then, he said they've worked hard to increase membership, foster community relations and fix the Front Street building.
"Instead of praising our hard work and initiatives, Ontario Command seems to be favouring the naysayers of Branch 62, a small group who led the Sarnia Legion’s earlier demise," he said. "Provincial Command suspended our President during our busiest time of the year leading into Remembrance Day, as well as Branch 62’s 100th anniversary."
Surins claims Jones' resignation was due, in part, to "rude, offensive and condescending comments made by the Provincial Command's Executive Director and the 1st Vice President."
"(Jones) and I are disgusted with this small group of backward thinkers. It’s deplorable behavior," said Surins. "Article threes, or formal complaints, have been levied against Sarnia Legion President, me, and Comrade Paul Grech, another veteran. All the complaints are petty, filled with fabrications, exaggerations and hearsay. I wonder what the Provincial Command’s agenda is and who is driving it?"
The Provincial Command said Cathy McBride has stepped up to the position of Branch President.
Surins expressed his displeasure with the move.
Meanwhile, a candlelight vigil will be held at the Sarnia Cenotaph on November 10, beginning at 7 p.m.
On November 11, those participating in the parade to the cenotaph will meet at the Sarnia Legion Branch 62 on Front Street at 9:30 a.m.
The service at the cenotaph will begin at 11 a.m.
