Next Meeting: 10 June 2010 at 1930 hours. Sir Arthur Currie Legion 266 Metcalfe St West, Strathroy, On. 

Bust of Sir Arthur located in Currie Hall, Royal Military College, Kingston On

Mural of General Sir Arthur Currie erected in reading garden of Strathroy Library.

21st May a mural featuring Sir Arthur Currie was unveiled by Mayor Mel Veale and artist Francis Martin. Here is a link to some pictures taken at the time

 WW1 Day at Fanshawe Pioneer Village

Each year local highschool history classes are invited to Fanshawe Pioneer Village to experience some of the things that happened during WW1. Trenches are dug and occupied, students are drilled and put through obstacle courses, equipment and uniforms are explained and displayed and other things that have to do with the Great War are discussed.

This group was asked to attend and explain our project to the students. Brian, Sarge and Sir Carboard spent a wonderful day with these bright lively people and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Hopefully when they get home they will have some memory of Sir Arthur Currie

Regular Meeting 13 May 2010

Members met at the Sir Arthur Currie Legion and discussed what we learned and earned from the Memorial Dinner. Generally it was felt that while we did not make a lot of money, we certainly raised awareness of the project as it made local news casts and papers. Attendees from as far away as Victoria, Kingston, Toronto, etc gave it a national place.

As a result of the dinner, an invitation to attend on MP Bev Shipley was accepted and members of the exectutive will be attending his office in Strathroy on the 20th of May to discuss funding and grant applications.

Plans were confirmed for attendance at Turkey Fest and 150th Strathroy Celebrations with a booth at each event to be staffed. 

Sarge was to explore obtaining buttons and other "hand outs" for these events.  

Next Meeting 13 May 2010 at 1930 Hours at Sir Arthur Currie Legion

Regular Meeting 23 March 2010

The committee met at the Caradoc Community Centre with the caterer and the manager of the Centre to work out the details of the dinner. In attendence also was a representative of the local Army Cadet Corp whose cadets will be the servers for the dinner. Very productive time held in setting up the dinner and the decorations, displays, etc.

If folks attending the dinner wish to have their picture taken with Currie, please bring a camera and we'll have someone to help you with that.
Plans for the music were finalized and a fine pianist from St Thomas will be playing music during dinner and leading a short sing-along.

Flyers were distributed for display in local businesses, Legions etc.The area is to be blitzed this week.
Tim Clause and John will be meeting to work out the details of the menu and agenda for the meeting.

Next Meeting is 6 April 2010 at 1930 hrs in the Sir Arthur Currie Legion.

Regular Meeting 1 March 2010

Legion Blazers full of medals, Sir Cardboard, and the rest of the committee attended a meeting of Town council to present some history and the details of the project to town council. Approval in principal was passed and we are an officially recognized project.

After making the presentation to council, we moved to a room next door to the council chambers and continued with our regular meeting. Minutes were passed, treasurer's report indicated more funds coming in and ticket sales on the move for the Currie Memorial dinner. RSVP's have been received from most of the head table invitees. Music is still being worked on.

Applications for grants have been sent to Moffat & Powell and Rogers Cable. Bill for Cardboard Pop-up of Currie was presented and the full size pop up introduced to the group. Posters advertising the dinner were ordered.
Maria is making contact with the Royal Canadian Legion to make sure our project brochures get added to the delegates kit at the national convention.

Meeting adjourned about 2100 hours.

Next meeting will be 23 March at 1930 hours at Sir Arthur Currie Legion.

Regular meeting 11 Feb 2010

Brian reported on discussions with Libro for sponsorship of the Currie Dinner. Tim brought us up to date on plans for the dinner and provided tickets that Clause had printed. Tickets are available from Andrew, Tim, Sarge, Brian, John, Maria, Ed and John F. They can also be purchased on line on the website under the Currie Dinner section by Paypal or Credit card.  A discussion was held on advertising through Easy 101 a radio station that caters to seniors and their tastes in music. 

John reported that a Middlesex Historical Trail sign is to be erected at Currie's boyhood home in the next month or so and that Andrew, Bill and he had worked on wording for the sign and pictures. 

The cardboard pop-up Currie has been ordered and should be available shortley. This was supplied at no charge by the manufacturer Poptech Ltd and their very kind president David Minister. 

A $1000 donation was reported by Maria from a Legion couple. We told her to express our deep gratitude. 

Andrew advised that a special show on Currie would follow the musem's current show. Also a mural on Currie's time in Strathroy will grace the reading garden this summer. 

Discussions were held on the presentation to Council on the 1st of March. All members are urged to attend at 7:00 PM at the council chambers in the town hall. Our meeting for March will follow immediately after our presentation in an adjoining room.  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Regular Meeting 14 January 2010

A good turn out for the first meeting of 2010 and a lot of good work done.

After the minutes and treasurer's report were passed, we discussed approaching museums, because they had simular interests, as a place to put our brochure holders. John and Brian had prepared a list and made a motion that $100 for holders be set. This was passed. Holders will be placed in a number of museums locally. If  you want one for yours, please get in touch.

Invitations for the head table guests at the dinner have been produced and will be delivered in the next month. A band has still not been found and anyone who has connections in this area is encouraged to call John or Tim.

A report on the organizations and companies applied to for grants was given. The Trillium Fund and Jackman Fund are being approached and applications have been made to them.

Next Meeting is the 11th of February at 1930 hours at Sir Arthur Currie Legion

We will be making a presentation to Strathroy Caradoc Town council on the 1st of March 2010 at 7:00 PM. All members are urgently requested to appear at the Town hall for that presentation in support of the project. Please put this on your calendar now!

Regular Meeting 10 December 2009

Tim explains plans for Currie Dinner

Again the Sir Arthur Currie Legion hosted the meeting at the Legion facilities. After reading  and adoption of the minutes, and being encouraged by the treasurer's report, we had Tim report on the Currie Dinner project. A date has been set of the 1st of May 2010 and a venue of the Mount Brydges community hall chosen. The affair promises to be spectacular as a military band is being invited to perform and military personel will be in full dress uniform. Participants are going to be invited to appear in period dress. (Think Brian in a kilt---hmmn) The mayor of Strathroy, local MP and MPP, Reeves of Middlesex County and Adelaide Metcalfe a descendant of Currie, Legion 116 Representative, Strathroy Caradoc Museum, etc will be asked to grace the head table in additon to the dinner chairman and guest speaker, Tim Cook.  Beside the illustrious head table, music of the represented military regiments will be played as well as period music. (Long way to Tipperary etc). Other interesting things will take place and Tim's leadership is greatly appreciated. Tickets should be available after the New Year and members of the committee will be contacting locations where we can sell them and seeking volunteers for this end.

Fund Raising for Grass Roots Organizations
Chairman Brian reported on he and Vice Chairman John attending a seminar on fund raising. Many interesting ideas and techniques were reviewed. An offer from a Fund Raiser at Elgin Memorial Hospital in St Thomas to lead a fund raising meeting will be explored and further details will follow on when and where this will take place. Certainly good information that anyone involved in fund raising for community projects, could use.

Envelopes, Stationary, Brochures
Treasurer John has done a great job of getting stationary printed for our mail needs. If you are in need of a supply please contact him. Brochures are also available for fund raising and information purposes and can be picked up from Brianna at the Strathroy Caroadoc Museum. Some of these will be distributed to local museums and libraries and Vice Chairman John will be looking into the logistics of doing this.

Fund Raising

Applications for grants are presently being made to foundations, corporate bodies and
other funding sources. Our Aviva Community Fund contest was not successful in moving us to the next level of the competition. However, we did raise awareness of the project and some donations have been received as a result.

Next meeting will be the 14th of January at 1930 hours at Sir Arthur Currie Legion #116.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fund receives publicity from Aviva Community Fund Competition
Click to hear news story on myFM Strathroy

Regular Meeting 12 November 2009

The Sir Arthur Currie Legion #116 again hosted the committee. Minutes were read and approved, and the treasurers report approved. John advised that donations continue to come in, some from as far away as Kingston and Uxbridge, in addition to those from the Strathroy area. The fund is growing slowly.

Sarge and Brian at Strathroy Remembrance Day Service

A supply of brochures is available at The Strathroy Museum for those who wish to make calls on businesses for donations. An instruction sheet is available from Sarge and he should be contacted john.sargeant@sympatico.ca before starting out as we wish to avoid double-dipping anyone.

Voting continues on the Aviva Community Fund Project, with us in competition with larger financial and community organizations that can summon hundreds of membes to the cause. We talked of getting the high school to help out and approaches are being made in this respect. It is important, Sarge advised, to keep voting and commenting, as it may get us through to the finals.

We are working on putting up a Paypal link on the website so donations can be made by Paypal or credit card. This should be in place shortly.

Andrew, Brian and John will be attending a fund raising seminar put on by the Trillium Foundation.

Plans continue to be put in place for the Mess Dinner. Tim is confirming Tim Cook as guest speaker and a venue other than the high school has been located due to Cook not being available on a Friday night.

Sarge and Andrew made a tag-team presentation to the Probus Club. We want to thank them for their donation to the cause.

A newsrelease was issued to newspapers, radio and TV stations. However only the local media picked it up.

Discussions were held on potential donors and further work will be done in this regard.
Bill has supplied some photos of Remembrance Day in Strathroy and of the meeting. Click here to view. 

The next meeting will be held on the 10th of December at 19:30 hours. All are invited and needed.

Age Dispatch Tuesday October 27th 2009

News Release on myFM

               PRESS RELEASE – For immediate release

Strathroy to Erect Statue of General Sir Arthur Currie

Canada’s Greatest General Recognized by his Home Town

STRATHROY – 9 October 2009 — Plans are underway to erect a statue of Canada ’s WW1 General Sir Arthur Currie, in his hometown of Strathroy Ontario . A steering committee known as The General Sir Arthur Currie Memorial Project, has been formed and fund raising is underway. While the details of the statue have not been agreed upon, designs like the Valiants statue of Currie and one based on the attached photo, have been considered.

 The Municipality of Strathroy-Caradoc and the Sir Arthur Currie Branch #116 of the Royal Canadian Legion have donated funds in support of the campaign. WW1 interest groups and the London Garrison Community Counsel have also taken an interest in the project.  The Strathroy & District Historical Society and The Royal Canadian Legion #116 have also endorsed the project. Plans for fund raising include a unique WW1 Mess fundraising dinner with re-enactors, presentations, and music contemporary to the period. The event is planned for next spring, with tickets available for sale after the New Year.  

While Currie is one of the main personalities sculpted in bronze at the Valiant’s Memorial near Parliament Hill in Ottawa , he has never been memorialized in his home town, beyond naming a history class room and the local legion in his honor. “A formal tribute to Currie in Strathroy is long overdue,” says Community Development Manager Andrew Meyer . “A memorial to the great WW1 General would increase awareness and recognition for Currie and his achievements, and contribute to a greater sense of community pride”. With Strathroy’s close proximity to Hwy 402, Meyer also recognizes the role Currie could play in attracting some of the thousands of commuters that travel this main route across Southwestern Ontario each day. “Efforts to recognize Currie and associate his legacy with our community could also contribute to an enhanced level of tourism activity“. These are all key points that the steering committee intend to build on in their effort to leverage funds to achieve their goal of building recognition for Currie in his hometown.

Learn more about the memorial project and General Sir Arthur Currie at http://curriememorialproject.tripod.com. Donations can be addressed to The General Sir Arthur Currie Memorial Project, 266 Metcalfe St West , Strathroy Ontario N7G 1N3 .

(I won't repeat the background information as it is a summary of what is on this web site)

.

9 October 2009 Regular Meeting