CDDHS/DCMA Battlefields Tour 2013

On Saturday June 15, Canadian author Hugh Brewster, shown in the picture with his book on Dieppe, enthralled parents, students and guests at a fund-raising reception at the Dufferin County Museum and Archives. Hugh made a special presentation focusing on the Battlefields experience for Canadians in the 20th century.

All proceeds from the event go directly to supporting the travel costs of Dufferin veteran Cpl. John McMurray, Afghanistan, who will be joining 35 CDDHS students on Nov 2013 on the Battlefields Tour.

Please check out Hugh's extensive work at www.hughbrewster.com
 

Also at the event was a veteran of Juno Beach Mr. Ken Wallace and his wife. Ken was the founder of the DCMA "Lost Soldier Project" that inspired the CDDHS/DCMA Battlefields Partnership to commerate the 'lost' Dufferin veterans and also to honour them on the new War Memorial in 2010.

Some important information on prepaid credit cards and Euros. As many of you will be employed this summer (hopefully) and raising the money for your leisure activities on the trip, then these ideas could be very useful.

For the prepaid credit cards... They can take a month or two to receive so students should apply in the summer if they are going to use this option during the trip. Parents would have to order one, for those who are not 18. A prepaid credit card may work better than a debit card. It simply looks like a regular credit card and it can be loaded online from a bank account. You just simply transfer whatever you need or a parent can transfer funds onto the prepaid credit card. The card can be used anywhere that a credit card is accepted. If it is lost, a student pr parent can call the company (bank) and they will place a block on the card. The card never has interest charges because it is preloaded by the student or parent. Most banks charge a nominal fee for the card per year.

Be advised that most banks need to preorder Euros. Due to security issues and bank limits, banks cannot hold a great deal of foreign cash. Students should go into a branch a couple of weeks in advance to order their currency. One recommendation would be to use Euros for small purchases and use a prepaid credit card whenever possible so that students are not walking around with a lot of cash.

Urgent Reminder

All student participants MUST phone in their RSVP's to the DCMA for the May 5th Veteran's Reception - this is not a responsibility to leave to your veteran - this is YOUR responsibility.

Please get those numbers into the Museum at 1-877-941-7787 by May 1st.

Also, remember to see Mr. Bradford/M.r Guchardi for assistance in planning your presentation. The first session was held April 25th at lunch, in case you missed it.

 

There is less than a week to be ready for this very important date - are you ready for May 5th?

Please see Mr. Orford ASAP if you have any questions.

Two important changes for all Europe 2013 trip participants
 

1) There has been a change in itinerary - download the revised plan here    The trip will leave Nov 5 and return Nov 17

2) May 5 veterans reception change!!
"Please note the change requested by the DCMA - this is about the NUMBER of guests you can invite:"

From the DCMA.....

Regarding May 5,  I just wanted to clarify the numbers of persons that can be invited:

· we’ll accommodate all Veterans and they may bring two additional family members, which could possibly be 108 people

· as there are 36 students, we will need to limit it to one additional family member, which would be 72 people

Sorry to have to put limitations on numbers, but we’re already at 180 people and I haven’t factored in the teachers and other guests (MPP, MP, Warden, etc…) who will be attending

 

 

 

Travel Tips and More
 

Please take a few minutes to download and read these files. Please read Travel Tips PRIOR to the April 10 meeting.
 

Travel info on: Belgium, France and Germany.
 

 Alert - Wed April 10th Meeting @DCMA at 7pm

Please download the travel documents (will be posted Monday night) for the meeting & take some time to read the TRAVEL TIPS provided by Don Bogle from Brightspark. Don will be at the meeting to take your questions & give you the "6 month-out" update as far as the Tour company is concerned.

All being well, we should be out by 9pm!!
 

Pictures are now due and need to be submitted to Mr. Guchardi ASAP. Pictures must be of good quality ( no phone snapshots please ) and must be in a JPEG (.jpg) format only. Place pictures on a memory stick and bring to room 58 for transfer. Please include in the picture file the name of your veteran and your name if possible.
 

CDDHS/DCMA Battlefields Promo Video on You Tube!!

Attention everyone!! Watch our exciting 7 minute promotional video for the upcoming TV Series about our Tour entitled "Passing the Torch"

Feel free to share it around to promote our exciting tour this fall!

Also....don't forget to mark your calendars for the April 10th Meeting at the DCMA @ 7pm - all participants must attend . Please feel free to bring your April 30th deposit cheque of $850 (made out to CDDHS Battlefields Tour) that night and your $250 payment for the Veteran's Brick (made out to the Juno Beach Centre Association)

**** ALSO bring the Brick Donation form with all the correct details completed****