MP Van Kesteren announces $55,000 fund for Heritage Days

Today, Dave Van Kesteren, Member of Parliament for Chatham-Kent-Essex, on behalf of the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, announced funding for Chatham-Kent’s Heritage Days to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of the Thames during the War of 1812.

With this support Heritage Days will host a weekend full of activities from October 4-5, 2013 which include an education day for local school children to attend, military and costumed re-enactments as well as an authentic officer’s ball.

“We are proud to invest in these activities, which will highlight our area as a backdrop to one of the more important battles of the War of 1812,” said Van Kesteren. “This will provide an opportunity to learn more about the heroes who defended our land in the Fight for Canada.”

“The programs and projects leading up to and including the 200th anniversary re-enactment of the Battle of the Thames on October 5 this year, in which Tecumseh among others gave their lives for their people, comprise the largest public/tourist event in the history of Chatham-Kent,” said Mark Dickerson, President of Heritage Days. “Simply put none of this would be possible without these major grants from the Government of Canada which are giving area residents, First Nations communities and all Canadians an opportunity to realize how events near Thamesville 200 years ago shaped our past, and our present.”

The Government of Canada has provided $55,000 through the 1812 Secretariat Fund and $60,900 through the Building Communities through Arts and Heritage fund, for a total of $115,900 to Heritage Days for the commemoration of the Battle of the Thames.