The Museum & Archives of Vernon (MAV), in partnership with the Vernon Branch of the Okanagan Historical Society (OHS), is pleased to welcome historian Kelsey Lonie as the next speaker in the Hometown Histories speaker series. The presentation will take place on Saturday, July 11, 2026, at 1:00 PM at the Vernon Museum (3009 32nd Avenue).
Kelsey Lonie (BEd, MA History) was raised on a cattle ranch in Southern Saskatchewan, an environment that fostered her lifelong interest in prairie history and the women who helped shape it. After nearly a decade as a classroom educator, she now serves as the Regimental Historian for the Royal Regina Rifles and as Executive Director and Chief Historian of RUSI Regina. She also sits on the Board of Directors for the Organization of Military Museums of Canada (OMMC) and serves as editor of its quarterly Bulletin. This presentation highlights her second published book.
Lonie will be presenting on her new work, A Vacation for Victory: An Illustrated History of the Women’s Land Army in Canada, which explores the experiences of women and girls mobilized for agricultural labour during the First and Second World Wars.
During both conflicts, women across Canada were called upon to support food production on farms, in orchards, and in fields. As men served overseas, members of the Women’s Land Army planted, picked, and packed essential crops to sustain the nation. While Ontario saw large recruitment numbers, British Columbia’s program developed more gradually before expanding significantly with the arrival of women from Saskatchewan and Alberta—many drawn by a mix of patriotism, opportunity, and adventure. One participant even travelled from as far as Dartmouth, Nova Scotia to work in British Columbia.
In British Columbia, many of these efforts were closely connected to agricultural regions across the Okanagan Valley, where seasonal labour shortages made women’s contributions especially significant to wartime food production.
Drawing on letters, newspapers, interviews, hundreds of photographs and works of art, and her own family history, Lonie restores visibility to the women whose labour supported Canada’s wartime food systems. The publication includes several photographs sourced from the Museum & Archives of Vernon.
“We are pleased to see materials from the MAV collection included in this publication,” says Gwyneth Evans, Archives Manager. “It’s always rewarding to see our archival photographs helping bring historical research to life for wider audiences.”
Copies of A Vacation for Victory will be available for purchase directly from the author following the presentation for $40. Payment may be made by cash, card, or e-transfer.
Established in 2024, the Hometown Histories speaker series continues to bring engaging, locally relevant historical topics to the Vernon community, fostering a deeper appreciation of the region’s past.
Tickets for the talk are $10 and can be purchased at:
https://greatervernonmuseum.square.site/product/speaker-series-with-kelsey-lonie/M47IQCPKNBQBYXN4IZTKODBY?cp=true&sa=true&sbp=false&q=false.
Proceeds support both the Museum & Archives of Vernon and the Vernon Branch of the Okanagan Historical Society.
