Volunteering

The theme of the 7th Victory Loan campaign, which opened in October 1944, was "Invest in Victory." There were nine campaigns in total, and together they raised roughly $12 billion.

The donation from the Eyford family is the equivalent of roughly $47 in 2012 values, a generous gift from a rural community.

Encouragement to invest in support of the war was everywhere in wartime Canada, like on this ink blotter from an insurance company in Guelph, Ontario.

One imperative of wartime Canada was that nothing should be wasted - so housewives were encouraged to save fats and bones which yielded glycerine, an essential component of explosives.

Air raid drills and blackouts were a common feature of life in Canada during the Second World War - as this sign posted in a British Columbia hotel indicates.

These Christmas cards were sold to raise money for the Wings for Britain Benevolent Fund, which supported the widows and families of airmen who had been killed in action.

The Better Business Bureau encouraged patrons to consult professionals before spending their war savings and victory bonds. This "Before you invest - investigate" motto was especially meant to protect from racketeers and swindle schemes.

This pamphlet presents an appeal by Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King for increased fundraising efforts on behalf of the people of Canada. Anticipating an increase in wartime demands in the following months, King explains the importance of "total war" and the critical role played by people on the home front.

Part of a larger series, this booklet detailed the necessary steps in protecting small businesses from a potential air raid. Of particular importance was the various ways in which windows could be protected - either through improvised shades or the use of blackout paint.

Communities often relied on blackout techniques to conceal residential areas from enemy airmen. This booklet educated civilians on the regulations and procedures associated with preparing one's house both inside and out.