The Waterdown Museum of Hope, a five-day exhibit displaying artifacts from the First and Second World Wars and more, opened last night (June 6) at the Waterdown Legion to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
Students from Waterdown District High School’s (WDHS) Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity course run the event every semester with the help of the course’s teacher Rob Flosman. Students are encouraged to explore the history of their own families and tell the stories of grandparents and great-grandparents who served throughout Canada’s history.
Flosman emphasized how the project is about more than just learning history.
“It’s a game-changer,” Flosman said. “It brings families together, it gets grandparents talking to their grandkids. The pride in [the students'] eyes when they get to share their family’s history, it makes them so excited. That’s learning at its best.”
Artifacts from the First World War, Second World War, the Cold War, Civil War and more are on display throughout the Legion hall. Attendees at the opening explored medals, bullets, shrapnel, uniforms, letters, photos, personal items, gas masks, a motorcycle and more, with students standing by to provide more info on each item and to tell the story of the soldier who had used it.
Canadian veterans visited the museum on opening night, including Bob Thomas, a retired Canadian Forces Veteran and an active member of the Royal Canadian Legion, who had a display dedicated to him.
“For young people who might not have an interest in history, this is an opportunity to learn,” Flosman said. “Even if it isn’t about their own family, it can be exciting. We have an exhibit with Bob Thomas’s motorcycle, and for the kids who loved motorcycles, that hooked them up.
"Having them talk to vets, a lot of students don’t get the opportunity, but we had a veteran who was wounded in Afghanistan and when he sat around the table and told his story, they were enraptured by it.”
Thomas spoke at the event, thanking the students and Flosman for setting the museum up year after year, and the attendees from the community for supporting it.
“We’re so fortunate in this community to have a dedicated teacher like Rob Flosman,” Thomas said. “As well as the students, the stars, who worked so hard to make this happen. We’re so happy to be part of this and to be able to display our history.”
Students at the museum praised their teacher for his work to make the exhibits happen every semester, and several named Flosman as the reason for their interest in history.
Flosman, who started the Museum of Hope in 2013, was proud to see that this semester featured the largest number of displays in the project’s history and thanked the students for making it happen.
“The students are tremendous,” Flosman said. “This is the best they can be. They’ve dressed up, they’ve practised, and I want the community to come out and see the youth at their best. I want to show the community what kids today are really like, and they’ll leave very impressed and blown away.”
The Museum of Hope will be open from June 8-10 and June 14, with the final day concluding with the Red Friday community event in Waterdown to thank veterans, military personnel and first responders.
