A piece of history has been given a second life in a small eastern Ontario community, thanks to the efforts of a 16-year-old. “The Legion gives a lot to the community, and I wanted to give back to the Legion in my way,” said Sarah Guigue. The teen spent her summer restoring a five-foot-tall cast-iron Royal Canadian Legion sign that had deteriorated after more than two decades of exposure to the elements. The sign originally belonged to Legion Branch 9 in Kingston before the branch closed in the early 2000s and made its way to Sharbot Lake. “We were fortunate enough to acquire the sign at that point in time. Unfortunately, over the years we really didn’t have a place for it, and we stored it in the backyard. It was leaning up against the fence and unfortunately it continued to deteriorate,” said Bill Wilson with the legion. With support and a little funding from the local Legion, Guigue spent two months carefully removing old paint and restoring the sign. “The condition was really in rough shape,” said Guigue. “The paint was all chipped, the back of the board it had originally was rotting. So, I had to chip off the original paint, and I had to prime it and then I went over it multiple times with the white, especially in the bronze.” The newly restored sign was officially unveiled Friday, just days before Remembrance Day and the day of the Legion’s annual dinner to honour veterans. “We’re very proud of it, we’re very proud of her,” said Wilson. “This community we support our veterans and it’s not just our veterans it’s a community gathering place.” The sign now stands outside the Legion, welcoming visitors and reflecting the organization’s connection to the community. “It’s pretty important when the public starts to get involved in stuff like that, which means a tremendous amount to veterans,” said veteran Bruce Phillips. In Sharbot Lake, remembrance is deeply rooted in the community. A painted veterans’ crosswalk at Garrett and Elizabeth streets pays tribute to those who served, while the local Legion acts as both a place to honour veterans and a gathering place for residents. “I love seeing it. It’s the first thing you see when you come up the hill. To me, it just symbolizes who we are,” said Connie McLelland, Legion President. For Guigue, the project was about more than restoring an old sign. It was an opportunity to help preserve a piece of history for future generations. “It’s important that we remember those who have fought in wars previous and current and who have served,” she said.
