The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 10 Strathmore has recently announced that their Canadian Emergency Business Account (CEBA) loan has been repaid.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, like many businesses, the Legion was forced to close.

While being shut down, the expenses that come with maintaining a 100+ year-old building did not end.

“When COVID started, the Legion's opportunities to generate revenue stopped. However, bills such as insurance, heat, and electricity kept coming in, and when you're trying to maintain a building the size of the Legion, it becomes quite a burden,” said Donovan Arnaud, President of the Strathmore Legion.

The Government of Canada gave the branch a $40,000 loan.

The loan was taken out by Arnaud's predecessor, twice removed, and his administration team to address the ongoing financial burden on the branch.

Once the Legion reopened, they were faced with the dilemma of how to repay the money.

On January 18, the Legion repaid the loan with help from within their Executive. 

"Thankfully, with the commitment of the Executive and the help of many, the Legion was able to repay $30,000, thereby receiving a $10,000 forgiveness.” The Legion said in a media statement.

Arnaud says that it has been a great relief to have the loan paid off on time.

“It is like an elephant off our back. We can now move on fiscally,” Arnaud said.

The Legion thanks the community at large and the generosity of their members for all their contributions to help them pay back their CEBA loan to the Federal Government.

“To all the community members, veterans, and the many members of the Legion who were very supportive of our branch during this entire period, I just want to say well done and a great thank you. We would not have been able to do anything without you."

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