Saskatoon legion hall getting in on Pokémon craze

The Nutana Legion is set to become Pokémon central this weekend.
 
The legion branch is holding its first meet-up event for players of the hit Pokémon Go smartphone game on Sunday.
 
Vice-president John Davis said he hit on the idea during a visit to the Dundurn military base.
 
“When we got to the base all the soldiers had their phones out on their (lunch) break, and they’re all playing it,” he said.
 
Davis said it’s part of a push to get serving soldiers interested in coming to the Legion — as well as just generally bringing in a younger crowd.
 
“We also have a venue, and we need to stay current. And we still need to act as a business, even though we don’t like to say that. Not-for-profit, but we still need to survive so we can carry on doing what we do as a Legion,” he said, stressing that they remain committed as always to serving veterans and remembrance activities.
 
Davis said the Legion has bought a few lures from Nintendo — which will attract many of the digital creatures at the heart of the game to the area around the hall.
 
He said they hope to make the meet-ups a weekly event. If they really take off, he said there’s a good chance of a sweet reward for participants.
 
“When (Nintendo) sees patterns forming,such as meet-ups, then there is a big chance that a rare Pokémon will turn up,” he said.
 
Acknowledging stories that have hit the news of Pokémon Go players so absorbed in the game on their phones that they walk, or even drive, blindly into dangerous situations, Davis said Legion volunteers would be on hand to make sure someone with their eyes not glued to a screen is present to keep people safe.
 
The event runs from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Nutana Legion Hall on Sunday.