Nutana Legion to host Pokemon Go meetup today

The Pokemon Go craze at times appears to be taking over the world, and this Sunday it will take over Nutana Royal Canadian Legion Branch.

The legion is hosting a meetup for players of the game looking to catch those elusive monsters with the mobile gaming app.

"We want to promote the legion and what we do for society and for our soldiers, and it's an indirect way of getting that message out," John Davis, first vice-president of the branch, said during an interview on CBC Radio's Saskatoon Morning.

Davis and the legion's museum curator Ryleigh Carr worked together to develop the idea. They hope it will help raise the profile of the Nutana branch among people who wouldn't normally visit.

"The legion is community-based, and this is kind of a way we can kind of give back by getting our venue out there and showing that we're part of the community," said Carr.

The legion happens to already be a "Pokemon stop" where players can restock in the game and there are other significant virtual in-game locations nearby. Carr said there will be plenty of charging stations on hand to keep players' phone batteries going as well.

While the goal is to drum up interest in the legion, for Carr and Davis, the focus of Sunday's event is making sure players have a good time.

"We're not going to be in [players] faces because it's going to be a fun day, but we're going to show that we're responsible and it's a safe place to be," said Davis.

The Pokemon Go meetup gets underway at the branch 12 p.m. C.S.T on Sunday.