A Call to Remember

I'm currently involved in a production of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman (I'm one of the 'techie' guys) and I have to tell you it's been a great experience. Today was the high point of the process so far. There's a step in the process called "polishing" in which an person who has not been a part of the production is invited to make observations, comments, offer advice, and in a word, help to "polish" the performance. Today I was thrilled to watch as R.H. Thomson, a great Canadian actor, held our polishing workshop at Guelph Little Theatre. It was one of the best learning experiences I've ever had, watching as Thomson worked and reworked scenes with the members of our cast.

As great as it was to sit in on this experience, it's not the workshop I want to tell you about. it's what he had to say after the workshop I want to share with you.

April 2007 marks the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. The monument to this event will be rededicated this year in France as part of the ceremonies marking the anniversary. To acknowledge the event here in Canada R.H.Thomson has initiated "The Words from Vimy Project." Full details are available at the projects web site, but in a nutshell what they are seeking to do is hold a virtual role call of the Canadians that fought in that battle, many of whom lie buried on that very site.

To do this the project is seeking to contact the families of all the men who fought at Vimy Ridge. With the family's permission, pictures, letters, personal thoughts and reflections, and comments by the surviving relatives will be collected and digitized to create a narrative of the Battle of Vimy Ridge using the words of young men who were there. This archive will allow Canadians to not just remember that so many young men gave their lives in April 1917, but to connect individually with many of the 97,000 Canadians who took part.

So if you are the relative of someone who fought at Vimy Ridge, or know someone who is, I ask you on behalf of the project (with R.H.Thomson's permission) to contact the project and discuss with them having your relative's memories added to the archive. You can link to either this blog or the project itself.

Help create a lasting and very personal memorial to these brave young men.

It should be noted that this is not RH Thomson's first foray into the virtual world. Click on this link to read an article on his involvement with Canada's Virtual War Memorial.