Some members of the Friends may have known, but many did not; the Friends celebrated its 35th Anniversary in 2022. The Letters Patent (LP) were signed on July 14, 1987, and the LP were registered on October 21, 1987. In the early years after incorporation, the Friends initially raised $2M for the renovation of the existing War Museum on Sussex Drive. When it became apparent that the Sussex Drive location, regardless of improvements, was inadequate for a world class museum, a new location was eventually identified at the LeBreton Flats. The new museum had a $100M price tag and the fundraising requirement was set at $15M, a substantial amount. The Friends initiated Passing the Torch, a national fundraising campaign under the leadership of Dr. Jack Granatstein, Gen. (Ret'd) Paul Manson, the late Hon. Barney Danson and supported by countless volunteers and donors. The Passing the Torch fundraising campaign exceeded its target and raised $16M. Without the vision, commitment and hard work of all those initial Friends and their supporters, 1 Vimy Place may not have become a reality. Over the past 26 years, the Friends have been a significant contributor to the Canadian War Museum, donating over $1.64M; a figure our members, donors and volunteers should be very proud of. |