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By Katherine Dedyna, Times Colonist
When Kieran Wilson looks up at the large gilt-framed colour portrait of legendary wartime leader Winston Churchill, "sometimes he'll smile at me," says the 14-year-old Fairfield resident, who does his homework under his hero's determined gaze.
The portrait, dropped off at his home by a Mr. and Mrs. Holliday, is one of about 50 pieces of Churchilliana, from replica dishware from Churchill's house at Chartwell to first-edition books, to come his way in the year since Kieran made news as the youngest member of the International Churchill Centre of Canada. (Ditto for the U.K. and U.S affiliates of the Churchill centre.)
"I assumed people would send me letters, but I never expected such a great collection," he says, happily decked out in navy blazer and tie on a school holiday.
Since then, strangers have continued to entrust him with their esteemed items. Just this month, Peter Dawson of Duncan decided to give him a 1943 letter, signed by Churchill's wife Clementine, that he received when he was Kieran's age for contributing to Britain's Red Cross Aid to Russia Fund.
"My concern all along has been that the letter should fall into the hands of someone who would value the item and take care of it," says Dawson, adding he could have auctioned it off.
Read the entire story here at The Victoria Times Colonist
For more information, visit www.churchillvictoria.com
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