Monthly Donor Puts History in the Hands of Youth

Name: Kent Robinson
Home: Moncton, NB
Occupation: Lawyer
Donation: Monthly
Since: 2009

A family history of military service and a keen desire to give back — these factors motivate Kent Robinson to give a little something every month to the Canadian War Museum.

Giving back to his community is a priority for Mr. Robinson and his wife, Brenda, who also volunteers with many organizations. Numerous visits to Ottawa introduced Mr. Robinson to the Canadian War Museum, where he saw first-hand the importance of preserving history.

Mr. Robinson’s family has a record of military service: his father was a Second World War petty officer in the Canadian Navy, and his uncle was a decorated colonel with the American-Canadian special forces unit known as the “Devil’s Brigade.” His uncle was killed in action at Anzio, Italy, in 1943. Their sacrifices, and the sacrifices of other Canadians, shouldn’t be forgotten, Mr. Robinson says.

“That’s why I give to the Canadian War Museum, so young Canadians appreciate the profound effect their sacrifices had on building our nation.”

Mr. Robinson’s steady and reliable donations support the Museum’s Supply Line program, which loans First World War educational kits to participating schools. The kits contain authentic and reproduction First World War artifacts — such as barbed wire, shrapnel bullets and uniforms — as well as lesson plans, detailed artifact descriptions and photographs.

Through hands-on exploration, students are able to connect with history in a vivid, personal way and achieve a deeper understanding of what Canadian soldiers experienced. To date, 360 schools across the country have participated in the program.

When asked about the ease of making monthly donations, Mr. Robinson laughs. “It’s painless,” the lawyer says of his monthly contribution. “I don’t have to think about it, it comes right out of my bank account.”

Monthly giving is a great way to help preserve and share Canada’s history. Choose to support either the War Museum or the Museum of History. You can modify or stop your monthly donations at any time, and get one annual tax receipt. Contact Kim Strydonck at 819-776-8640 or kim.strydonck@historymuseum.ca.