Welcome to Project Callsign.
Project Callsign was founded in 2018 by myself, Ron LaChapelle. It was originally supposed to be a micro brewery named Callsign Brewing Co. and the concept was very simple; build a stronger community between veterans and emergency services by brewing a branded beer and donating proceeds to an appropriate non-profit organization. However, as time passed, the idea evolved into something bigger than just donating proceeds.
Earlier, in 2017, after 10 years of service with the Canadian Forces Military Police, I decided to retire and move home to Peterborough, ON. It wasn’t long before I realized that transitioning to civilian life was not going to be easy without a support network. As a Veteran of Afghanistan in 2009 and Baghdad, Iraq in 2017, I needed a support network for my own personal Mental Health, just as much as the next person did. I sought out to find support in the local community and after some research, I decided to join the local legion. And, as it turns out, it happens to be one of our country’s best resources for veterans and emergency service personnel, yet it would seem, there is almost no membership amongst our younger generations. Early research into why revealed that most people associate the legion with veterans of WW2 and The Korean War when in truth, they have current bi-laws that are far more inclusive of the broader population. In addition to Canadian Forces and RCMP, the legion also welcomes the membership of its municipal and provincial police, its paramedics, and its firefighters - including volunteer members of emergency response services. The truth is, the legion is not just for veterans and members of the older generation, it’s for everyone. And, if nothing changes, then the traditions and legacy of the Royal Canadian Legion will not be carried on. This will, no doubt, come with an unquantifiable opportunity cost.
Research shows that Veterans and Emergency Service Personnel are disproportionately afflicted with negative mental health outcomes when compared to the greater population. The vision for Project Callsign is to organize a comfortable and fun atmosphere for veterans and emergency service personnel to attend regularly, thereby cultivating a stronger network. My hope for Project Callsign is to have a positive impact on the mental health of our growing community and breathe new life into a long-standing Canadian institution.
