Kincardine Legion welcomes in the new year at annual levee

A good crowd welcomed in the new year at the annual levee hosted by the Kincardine Legion, Thursday afternoon.
President Maureen Couture said the weather was still bitterly cold and windy, but there was not as much snow this year as there was last year.
Larry Bailey, Zone C-1 commander, brought greetings from the 13 branches and six ladies' auxiliaries in the Zone.
"We wish you a happy and prosperous 2015," he said. "I hope your New Year's resolutions last longer than mine did."
Kincardine mayor Anne Eadie congratulated the Legion, on behalf of the the Municipality of Kincardine and its council, for hosting such a wonderful event to usher in the new year.
"Thanks to the Legion for all the hard work you do, all year long," she said. "This is typical of a lot of people in this community. Volunteers devote a lot of their time and effort to make good things happen."
She said the New Year is a special time, an opportunity to look at a fresh, new, unmarked calendar and see all the hope it offers.
"It's a chance to do some things differently," she said, "a time for new ideas, new experiences."
Eadie urged people not to make New Year's resolutions, which just get broken, but to focus on a mantra, such as "I will have more experiences travelling," or "I will be more positive," or "I will enjoy the new year."
"I'm going to try that this year," she said. "Rather than make resolutions and then break them, I'm going to 'Enjoy the new year'."
She wished all the wonderful volunteers and everyone in the municipality, a great year in 2015.
Couture thanked bartender Eric Visser, the lunch committee of John and Mary Farrell and Frank and Kelly Alden, and wine co-ordinator Robert Grey, for their hard work in organizing the levee.
"We had a wonderful New Year's Eve dance last night," she said, "so a great big thank you to all who helped with that too."
Rev. Jim Weir, Legion chaplain, said the levee is a wonderful time to gather at the start of the new year, and he offered a blessing for 2015.
Toasts were raised to our fallen comrades, to our veterans and to Queen Elizabeth II.
Couture added that a thank you card has been received from the family of Nathan Cirillo, the soldier killed in Ottawa back in October, 2014, in appreciation of the Book of Remembrance signed by the people of Kincardine.
Following the toasts, the crowd enjoyed a delicious lunch.