As legions across the country are facing falling membership, one Maritime legion is hoping to attract more members by offering video games to patrons.
For the last several months, branch number four in Fredericton has been gathering games and equipment needed to make its very own video game room, or game bunker.
The branch is the first in Canada to have a game bunker, and so far about $4,000 has been invested in the gaming equipment.
The legion partnered with American charity Operation Supply Drop, which supplies gaming equipment to veterans and troops under deployment.
“Apparently when they were in Afghanistan, they played video games over there,” says Fredericton legion first vice president Tony Quackenbush. “We're hoping maybe this will attract them, and they will come and hopefully play here.”
The Chaplin at Fredericton Legion branch number 4 says she's no expert when it comes to video games, but she has a good idea about who may be more keen to pick it up.
“Very little, I played some when my son was at home,” says Fredericton Legion Chaplin Lisa Greenwood. “We know that video games are hugely popular amongst the 20 to 40 or more age group.”
The age demographic of 20 to 40 is exactly the age the Fredericton legion, and others, are trying to attract.
“We need the veterans to come out and make it happen because not many of us are game literate, so for the ones who come, we're looking for them to set up their own thing because they'll know what they want,” says Greenwood.
The Legion also hopes that new members will also find other things at the legion to keep them there.
“Were hoping this game bunker will let them know that we're really trying, and that we're opening this spot for them,” says Greenwood.
The game bunker will debut on Remembrance Day.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Nick Moore
