A volunteer who has spent 17 years as an unpaid full-time chef and caterer at the Royal Canadian Legion in Langford is getting a new state-of-the-art kitchen. And those who know chef Belinda LeBlanc could not think of someone more deserving.
B次元官网网址淏ee will do anything at any time for anybody and this is why she deserves it,B次元官网网址� said Norm Scott, president of the legion. B次元官网网址淪he can only achieve further and better for the legion itself, and give more opportunities for clients to come in and be partners of our branch.B次元官网网址�
Kitchen work is hot and sweaty and you need to be meticulously organized, which is why itB次元官网网址檚 often compared to military work. LeBlanc has spent an insurmountable amount of her personal time overseeing a tough environment in a small space B次元官网网址� around 500 square feet B次元官网网址� staying on top of orders made from scratch for upwards of 200 people on any given day.
The new kitchen, part of the larger renovations at the legion, is approximately 1,810 square feet and better equipped to handle consistently big crowds, said LeBlanc.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檇 have to turn events down. There was also no air conditioning in this part of the building,B次元官网网址� said LeBlanc.
B次元官网网址淣ow, itB次元官网网址檚 a full top-of-the-line commercial kitchen. We used to just run around in circles and I would know when to zig and Valerie zagged. The majority of the renovations were the electrical, the plumbing and my kitchen. I used to share the beer fridge to store food with the bartenders and now I have my own walk-in fridge and freezer, they have theirs. ItB次元官网网址檚 absolutely amazing.B次元官网网址�
READ MORE: VIDEO: Inside the renovated Langford Royal Canadian Legion
Coming from a B次元官网网址渓egion family,B次元官网网址�, the organization has served as a foundational place for LeBlanc. Her dad was in the military and her parents were long-time legion members. She remembers being B次元官网网址渄ragged to help set up tablesB次元官网网址� at a young age.
LeBlanc eventually did military administrative work and married a military man who built Bailey Bridges.
The legion has always been like a second home that she can count on no matter where she lives.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 the camaraderie. ItB次元官网网址檚 giving back to the community, itB次元官网网址檚 a lot of seniors, military members. No matter where you go across Canada, you run into somebody. You just pop into the local legion and chances are youB次元官网网址檙e going to meet somebody you knew in the military or whoB次元官网网址檚 in the military.B次元官网网址�
When LeBlanc moved to the community in 1996, she volunteered as a way of getting to know people and eventually took over from B次元官网网址淢aB次元官网网址� (Marge Lewis) when she retired.
The legion is mostly run by volunteers and the only people paid are the bar staff and the secretary, said LeBlanc, who is now retired.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 here pretty much 24/7 because we are open seven days a week. [Before], IB次元官网网址檇 come from my government job downtown and get off the bus and work here. On weekends, IB次元官网网址檓 definitely here all the time. I do all the shopping, organizing the volunteers, all the prep. ItB次元官网网址檚 a full-time job all on its own and I donB次元官网网址檛 know how I did it while working at the same time.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚 like to be busy. One of our past presidents made an award called the Busy Bee Award B次元官网网址� it was made for me in recognition of my work,B次元官网网址� she said.
LeBlanc is also secretary for the annual Poppy Campaign.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e crazy busy B次元官网网址� we donB次元官网网址檛 have a Friday or Saturday open from now until Christmas. We offer competitive prices and we try to make it affordable for people who canB次元官网网址檛 afford places like Bear Mountain, but still offer them a nice renovated venue so they can have an affordable wedding, celebration of life or anniversary parties.B次元官网网址�
LeBlanc has a lot to look forward to in the next few months. The legionB次元官网网址檚 grand re-opening will feature a gala dinner dance on Oct. 13, plus an open house with activities and a barbecue on Oct. 14.
Plus, LeBlanc has a three-year-old grandson on the way in the next couple of weeks.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檒l have to take a little break there, but IB次元官网网址檒l always be back,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 enjoy every single minute of it.B次元官网网址�
