2008 — Fall
Annual Christmas Open House
COME ONE, COME ALL to our Annual Christmas Open House on Sunday,
December 14, 2008. 2 p.m. until 4 p.m.
Kick off the Christmas Season sharing time with your friends and
family at the Museum. Come and see the new exhibits and how the
staff have been busy decking the halls.
So mark it on your Calendars and we hope to see you there.
Cannon Rededication
When The Elgin Military Museum opened in 1982, Canron Iron
Foundry built a half scale replica 32 pounder cannon for the
Museum. It has always had a place of honour at our entrance. In the
last few years weather and age have taken its toll and the carriage
really needed replacing. We had to dismantle the cannon for the
safety of everyone coming to see the Museum.
Thanks to some volunteers from the St. Thomas Senior's Centre a
new carriage was built and on April 20th we had an official
rededication and open house here at the Museum.
The Museum Must Be Photogenic
The Elgin Military Museum, has had a few photo op's this last
year Roger's Cable invited our Executive Director, Ian Raven to
their studio for an interview that was aired in November, and then
early in December Mark Cosens came to the Museum and did a live
interview while touring the Museum.
One morning Ian heard a knock at the Museum door and looked out
to see a St. Thomas Police cruiser in the parking lot. As it turned
out, it was Jim Ziegler with a crew from the French CBC network,
who were doing a documentary on the HMCS St. Thomas When they
arrived in the City, they stopped the first police cruiser they saw
to ask directions to the Museum, and it turned out to be Ziggy's
car. They had come to the City to get shots of the City as well as
the ship's bell and other artifacts in the collection.
A crew from CTV's W5 were in St. Thomas doing a news piece on
the economic situation and the impact on our city and came to the
Museum for information on Jumbo and the city in general.
Summer Students
This summer we were fortunate to have three summer students
Charles McMillan, Katlyn Muller, and Michelle Witchurch. These
three young people really worked hard and accomplished many things.
They painted rooms, and set up exhibits, the three of them did a
great job in doing exhibits for the WWI room after the John McCrae
Exhibit was done. They also organized an Open
House and BBQ at the Museum during the summer. If you missed it you
missed a good time.
The students also helped the staff get more caught up in
cataloguing, photographing artifacts and countless other things.
You name it, if it needed doing they would get it done. They did so
many things that the list could easily fill this entire
newsletter.
Remembrance Week Was a Busy Time at the Museum
Remembrance week this year was a very busy time for the staff
and volunteers at the Museum. The week of November 11th there were
tours booked every evening for Brownies, Girl Guides, Cubs and
Scouts as well as tours during regular business hours. The staff
and volunteers also visited schools, nursing homes and of course
laid wreaths at the Cenotaph's in Port Stanley and St. Thomas.
Myrtle Street Public school visited the museum on Remembrance
Day for a tour and got some hands on with Mr. Neal. And as I
mentioned before Mr. Raven was interviewed on Roger's Cable that
was aired Remembrance Week. Busy Busy!
Come an Meet Our Co-Op Student
In September the Museum was approached by St. Joseph High School
to see if we would be interested in having a Co-Op Student to help
us out in the morning hours at the Museum. Jim Thompson now comes
in every morning to help us out and find out what Museum work is
really like. He has been helping the staff by inputting our data
base information from the old Elgin Regiment Nominal Rolls,
assisting us with setting up exhibits and tours as well as anything
that comes along. Jim will be at our Open House on December 14th so
make it a point to meet this remarkable young man when you stop by
our annual Christmas social.
Another Book Launch
On October 18th the Museum hosted a book launch for Age
Shall Not Weary Them by Jim McCallum, published by the Elgin
County Branch, OGS about men from East Elgin who made the supreme
sacrifice in World War One. It is available at the Museum at a cost
of $25.00.
Call or email the Museum today and reserve your copy!
(519) 633-7641
emm@execulink.com
Remember - Museum Members get a 20% discount !
What's New with the Duncombe House Heritage Center? Drop In and See!
SMS Scharmhorst
WWI German commerce raider sunk in the Falkland
New Acquisitions for the Museum
The Museum has been fortunate enough to receive three model
ships, made by an exceptionally talented craftsman, Mr. Ron White
from Tillsonburg. All were handcrafted from plans (not kits), and
are true works of art that must be seen to be appreciated. The
three ships are HMS Ark Royal, (whose 'obsolete' Swordfish aircraft
launched the torpedoes that crippled Bismarck-an attack that was
carried out without loss), HMS Lion, Vice Adm. Beatty's Flagship,
at the battle of Jutland in 1916 and SMS Scharnhorst, the First
World War German commerce raider sunk in the Falkland, December 8,
1914.
Every piece of the models has been hand done. They are a must
see when you come to visit the Museum.
Is It Time to Renew Your Membership?
Members are reminded that the time is here to renew your
membership - only $20.00. And that $20.00 can save you even more -
20% off flags and books (save $5 on Jeff's new book ), free
admission, and more. Be smart - save your money by buying a
membership today !
Thank You, Walker Transport!
The Museum staff are constantly on the lookout for bargains.
This summer the Museum acquired some new display stands from Doon
Heritage Crossroads in Kitchener at a price we couldn't refuse.
All we needed was a truck (a big truck - a really big truck) to
bring the new stands back.
Our thanks to Walker Transport and Jim Ziegler for all of their
assistance. They truly are a company with a great sense of
community spirit - and pretty talented drivers, too!
Support of Donors Still Critical
While we are continuing to calculate the increased costs to the
museum by the acquisition of the Duncombe House Heritage Centre, we
are trying to keep expenses to a minimum. As time passes and more
permanent display areas emerge these costs will become known. It is
hoped that the temporary displays will draw in more spectators to
the museum through 2009, so tell (and bring) your friends.
While the new space is not yet generating much income, it is
generating expenses that are taxing our meagre reserves to the
limit. Insurance costs went up by 50% adding coverage to the new
space, not to mention the cost of utilities.
The McCrae exhibit was a great draw to increase visitors this
summer and we had many positive comments, not just about the McCrae
Exhibit but about the Museum in general. To keep up the good work
we need to have the resources.
As we expand more space will be given to some military displays.
A larger Hall of Honour is in the planning stages now. If you feel
strongly about anything else feel free to write us a BIG cheque and
have the area named after you. Or, if you are modest, just write
the cheque - and we won't tell anybody . . .. the bottom line is
that bottom lines should be black, not 'red', and we need some of
your 'green', if that is to be so.