Veterans and community members came together to commemorate the 81st anniversary of D-Day at the Kingsville Military Museum on June 6. A procession led by a bagpiper made its way through the museum and ended outside for a ceremonial firing by a three-pounder military cannon.
The Allied landings in Normandy marked a turning point in the Second World War and the Kingsville Military Museum is attempting to make its own turning point by officially launching a campaign to raise $700,000 over the next 12 months.
The museum is bursting at the seams and has so much more to offer the public with what is currently in storage. Generous donors have helped the museum to reach 20 percent of its fundraising goal, but much more is needed so the physical space can expand by another 2,000 feet, to create interactive exhibits to engage youth, to hire a full-time curator and to ensure that the long-term operational expenses are met so that the rich local history can continue to be shared.
Military contribution titles for donors have been devised for the fundraising campaign: General for $10,0000+, Colonel for $50,000+, Captain for $25,000+, and Corporal for $10,000.
Tim Dobson, a volunteer with the Kingsville Military Museum, served as the Master of Ceremonies at the campaign launch. “We owe so much to the people who paid the ultimate sacrifice,” said Dobson. “Pound for pound, we have one of the best military museums around. But we’re looking to bring our museum to the next level, and we will need a lot of help to do that.”
Kingsville Mayor Dennis Rogers spoke at the launch and provided a commitment from the town of $10,000 annually for four years. “It shares our preserved history. Every item has a story and every story matters. We value what this museum does for our community,” said Rogers.
Essex Member of Parliament Chris Lewis was an attendee and planned on touring the museum with board members to gain a further understanding of the museum’s value and their future needs. “This museum is an absolute hidden gem. It celebrates so many folks and families,” Lewis said. “I really want to see the fundraising be a success and can serve as a conduit for funding that could come from the federal government.”
The museum has many ways for interested parties to make a donation and will issue charitable receipts for donations over $25. Cash donations are accepted at the museum itself, cheques can be made out to Kingsville Historical Park Inc. Box 404 Kingsville, ON N9Y 2Y4, by e-Transfer at info@kingsvillemili tarymuseum.ca, online by visiting Canadahelps.org search for Kingsville Historical Park Inc., or by visiting the Kingsville Military Museum page on GoFundMe.
Piper Pete Scorrar of the Sun Parlour Pipes and Drums led the procession for the commemoration of D-Day on June 6 in Kingsville.
SUN photo by Paul Forman
Pictured inside the Kingsville Military Museum at the fundraising launch are, from left, volunteer Tim Dobson, Acting Curator Bonnie Monminie, historian Bob Lynch and Essex MP Chris Lewis.
SUN photo by Paul Forman
