BY ORLANDO DELANO
Special to the News
Don Bryant celebrated his 90th birthday last month. The man who has been well known in our community, especially in the seniors’ circles, was the president of the Royal Canadian Legion 169 (now 293) for several terms, and was an active member of the organization for many decades. He followed the steps of his father Harry Bryant, also a member and first president of Legion Br. 169.
“My dad, who came to Canada from England with my mother at the beginning of the century, went to the front line during the First World War, and so did my two older brothers who went to the Second World War,” he said. “I was too young to be drafted to go overseas in 1939,” he adds.
Don Bryant has been recognized and applauded by many for his involvement in the community, along with his Legion peers, by providing financial support to the seniors and their causes. As president of Legion 169, this organization presented regular donations, (from fund raising activities, bingo games, the Poppy Funds, etc.) to residents and tenants of seniors homes for their comfort, enjoyment and well-being, as well as to other non-profit groups such as Meals on Wheels.
“The donations are for the comfort of seniors to be used for items normally not covered by the operational budgets. This is part of our mandate,” he states. The presentations of these funds are made at the Legion’s regular meetings. Also, for many decades members of his organization, through their visiting committees, have paid regular visits to veterans staying in the hospital, or living in long-term care homes, as well as shut-ins.
Born in Port Alberni before the Great Depression during the late part of the 1920s, Bryant reminisces about the many changes he has seen in our community since then. “I was born on Adelaide Street in Alberni and attended Alberni Elementary School on Burke and Elizabeth, past the train tracks,” he comments.
“Actually, Johnston Road was the only way to get to town from Victoria in those days, and at the bottom of that road, turning left and crossing the bridge, was the way to get south to Port Alberni.” He also adds that among other many changes and events seen in his lifetime are the amalgamation of the two cities, Alberni and Port Alberni; the Tsunami of 1964; the construction of many roads, buildings and places of interest such as the Harbour Quay; the City Halls; the pulp mill; the hospital and Legion buildings, the Capitol Theatre, which was built on the land owned by his grandmother (who also owned a boarding house), etc.
Bryant began working in a logging camp as a young man and later he worked for the Ministry of Highways, a job he kept for more than 40 years, driving trucks, graders and other types of road improvement machinery. He was part of the crew that built the highway to Ucluelet and Tofino.
“Before the construction of that road people used to go to those communities by boat,” he noted.
In addition to his work and involvement with the Legion, as a young man, Bryant joined the Rescue Squad organization as a volunteer, membership he kept for almost 42 years. He also became an amateur boxer and practiced the sport by training in the basement of the old Athletic Hall.
He is the father of three daughters, all living in Port Alberni; four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. His youngest daughter, Linda Biamonte, who is also a Legion member, says: “My father has been a man who has always put his family first. A great provider for the family!”
Last November Don lost his wife Shirley, to whom he was married for 53 years. She was also a longtime member of the Royal Canadian Legion 169 and a volunteer for the Ladies Auxiliary.
Bryant, a dedicated and proud legionnaire, now a member of the organization for life, has received medals for service as a distinguished volunteer, President, Vice-President. Along with daughter Linda, he still keeps active at some fundraising activities at the Legion Hall, including the popular “Meat Draw” on Saturdays and by attending the Remembrance Day ceremonies every Nov. 11.
He closes this interview by saying: “I have enjoyed being part of and working for the Legion all these years and especially helping others in the community.”