Goderich Signal Star, 2017-06-21, Page 4646 Signal Star • Wednesday, June 21, 2017
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GODERICH
1827-2017
Kinsmen celebrate 70 years
Courtesy of Ryan McCllnehey
The Kinsmen Club of Goderich would like to
congratulate the Town of Goderich on their
190 year anniversary! We are very proud to
be a part of this great community. As we
recognize Canada's 150th, Ontario's 150th
and Goderich's 190th, this year the Goderich
Kinsmen also celebrate our own club's 70th
anniversary since being chartered on May
15th, 1947.
Kinsmen Clubs started after World War One,
when the Founder of the Association, Harold
"Hal" Rogers was looking for fellowship
and comradery like he had experienced
in the military during the war. The first
Kinsmen meeting took place in Hamilton on
February 20th, 1920. Hal was just 21 years
old at this time, and for decades, Kinsmen
was known as "Canada's Young Man's
Service Club", since you could only hold
office in a Kinsmen Club until you reached
age 40. This age limit no longer exists but
in years past many Kinsmen who gained
experience in finances, project management,
public speaking and conducting business
meetings left Kinsmen before they turned
40 and went on to be politicians, business
owners, and perhaps join other service clubs
such as Rotary, Lions and Optimist Clubs.
Kin Canada remains the nation's largest all -
Canadian service club organization.
The Goderich Kinsmen Club didn't form for
almost 30 years after the birth of Kinsmen,
but perhaps the timing of recent end of World
War Two was no coincidence to the growth of
Kinsmen in that era just as in 1920. Founder
Hal's father, "Pop" Rogers was present at the
Charter Meeting of the Goderich Kinsmen
as he lived in Bayfield during the summer
months. One of the most significant projects
of Kinsmen and Kinettes was the Milk for
Britain Campaign during World War Two,
which was so well known at that time that
Kinsmen and Kinette Clubs were forming
all over Canada. The Goderich Kinette Club
was formed only one year later in .1948.
In their first year, the Goderich Kinsmen
raised enough money to build a 14 cubicle
nursery connecting to the Alexandra
Marine and General Hospital. After lengthy
negotiations with the Ontario Department
of Health, the Kinsmen were advised the
Hospital was not suitable for the addition,
and were advised to invest the money
elsewhere in the community. In 1950. the
Kinsmen purchased their existing property
on Raglan Street between South and Keays
Streets, and with some additional funding
from their August Mardi Gras Carnival, the
Kinsmen built their first playground. The
prizes awarded in the Carnival draw that year
were a car, one ton of coal, and a tricycle.
The Kinsmen were involved in the `40s
and `50s with bicycle safety programs,
organizing bicycle safety programs and
training school boys to form a bicycle traffic
patrol. The Kinsmen Carnival was an annual
event through the '40s and '50s. Kinsmen
rejuvenated Octogenarian Club and Park
in 1949 (club started in 1924) and held an
annual picnic for area residents 80 or older.
In 1951, Hal Rogers made a visit to the
annual picnic. The club also helped fund the
building of the Goderich Memorial Arena,
sponsored the Goderich Trade Fair through
the '50s and '60s, sponsored the new Clinton
Kinsmen Club, and opened a wading pool
and added new equipment in the Kinsmen
Park in '57. By 1962, the Kinsmen had
invested $40,000 in the park over 15 years,
as well as supported the hospital with a
walk-in cooler and a donation towards a new
hospital wing. 8 year member Bill Kirkey
won the District Kinsman of the Year award
for 1963-64. In 1963, Kinsmen Clubs across
Canada joined together to partner with Cystic
Fibrosis Canada in the fight for a cure to CF.
In 1964, the Trade Fair had perhaps ran its
course and a new Hobby Fair was started in
'65 as a replacement, and a combined Trade
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and Hobby Fair continued in 1966 but was
later evolved into the Kinsmen Carnival. and
then Kinsmen Summerfest.
1967, Canada's Centennial, was a year much
like this one. The Kinsmen sponsored a
beard growing contest, the July lst Parade,
and Club President Dr. Jim Peters worked
hard to form what is now the Goderich
Laketown Band under the direction of
Charles Kalbfleisch. Since 1969 or prior, the
Kinsmen and Kinettes haveeitherorganized
the Santa Claus Parade, or arranged for Mr.
and Mrs. Claus to conclude the parade by
trailering the sleigh and reindeer through
town. In 1970, Kinsmen and Kinette Clubs
were now 50 years old across Canada, and in
1972 Goderich Kinsmen were 25. In 1973,
the Kinsmen Beer Tent was allowed for the
first time while the Summerfest Committee
sponsored the Art Mart. In 1974, . the
Kinsmen Carnival were added to the Beer
Tent in support of the Goderich Summerfest.
In 1975, the Kin Karnival was a standalone
festival of . the Kinsmen's along with the
Beer Tent.
The Goderich Kinsmen was nearing 30 years
and began a "building fund". The current
Kinsmen Centre building was a major 2 year
$50,000 project and officially opened on
April 25. 1977. The mortgage was paid off
in 1982. Annual events through the `70s and
`80s were Summerfest, Ski-a-thons, Bike-a-
thons, Kinsmen Stags (now Social Gaming
and Buffet nights), and the Terry Fox Run.
In 1983, the Kinsmen made a $10,000
donation to purchase a new Olympia cleaning
machine, replacing the tractor and towed
cleaning implement. In 1992, the Kinsmen
Club partnered with the Menesetung Bridge
Association and began a new project, which
is now the Annual Kinsmen TV Auction.
In 2001, the Kinsmen was a sponsor of the
dialysis unit at the hospital, and shortly
thereafter began sponsoring the Maitland
Recreation Centre, our largest commitment
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to date at $150,000 over several years. As
part of our sponsorship. a second Olympia
was sponsored with the opening of the
Maitland Recreation Centre in 2004. In
2003, the Kinsmen Playground was
completely cleared and rebuilt with modern
accessible equipment. In 2005, the Kinsmen
assisted with the Maitland Valley Medical
Centre project. Most recently, the club has
contributed toward updates to the dialysis
unit at the hospital, and a third Olympia
was sponsored in 2016 to replace the one
purchased in '83.
All these activities are the fundraising and
service work the Kinsmen enjoy doing in
our community. We also spend a great deal
of time educating our members on how to
run projects, manage finances, work together
as a team, and enjoy a lot of fellowship
along the way. We could not have made it
to where we are today without the assistance
and support of our families, the Kinette
Club, numerous volunteers, and the support
of local businesses and the community. The
Goderich Kinsmen Club has been a bustling
concern now for 70 years. For over 67
years the Glen Phillips Memorial Kinsmen
Park has been a haven for children to enjoy
spring, summer and fall outdoors with their
parents. Kinsmen and Kinettes across
Canada have now raised over $40 million to
research, control and a cure Cystic Fibrosis.
As Kin Canada nears its 100th Anniversary
in 2020, our club has not forgotten our
roots. Each year, we meet around February
20th to enjoy a club breakfast social and to
celebrate our history. If you are looking for
a challenging and rewarding way to help
your community, make friends and have fun,
please consider joining Kinsmen or Kinettes.
"Serving the Community's Greatest Need."
We can be reached at 519-524-7307, or
goderichkinsmenC hurontel.on.ca.
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