Lloydminster’s Kinsmen and Kinettes gathered at the Kinsmen Hall to commemorate 100 years of service.
Mayor Gerald Aalbers and members of the club raised the Kinsmen flag at sunrise (7:30 a.m.) on Thursday along with clubs across the country to celebrate the anniversary.
“Every service group is important and it’s great to celebrate the Kinsmen, Kinettes and Kin group for 100 years in Canada,” says Aalbers. “They add so much value to our community and so many other groups that continue to add value to our community just like the Kinsmen and Kinettes. Any chance we get to celebrate their achievements it’s a wonderful thing.”
Kin Canada was founded in 1920 by Harold “Hal” Rogers in Hamilton, Ontario. Rogers had recently returned from World War I and wanted to serve his community. He tried to join the Rotary Club but at that time only one person from the same career was allowed to join. Both Rogers and his father were plumbers and his father was already a member of Rotary. Instead, Rogers started his own service organization.
“We have about 400 clubs across Canada, 78 in Saskatchewan and we just keep growing,” says Zone Deputy Governor Michelle Miller.
The Lloydminster chapter of the Kinsmen started 92 years ago while the Kinettes was rechartered in the city around 2004. Miller says the organization continues to be active in the community and has been out this week for Kin Kindness Week.
“We’ve been taking doughnuts to the emergency room, the RCMP station. Last night, the girls were at the mall handing out tea and putting up some positive stickers in the change rooms.”
The local Kin group keeps busy throughout the year holding fundraisers, handing out donations and scholarships and building parks in the community. They also run the annual Glow Run to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Canada which is a long-running partnership and has raised more than $40 million in the past 50 years.
The group also recently held a fundraiser steak night in support of the Telemiracle Foundation. The foundation’s 44th Annual Telethon is scheduled for March 7 and 8 in Regina with members from all over the province lending a helping hand.
“We’re involved. When people need help and they come to us we typically try to help.”