The Goderich Signal-Star, 1980-02-28, Page 64(Made 2
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Shortly after the end of the First World
War something, happened to Harold Allin
Rogers which today affects more than
18,000 people'.
He was rejected for membership in the
Rotary Club:
Not that Rotary had much choice in the
matter; young Hal wanted to belong to a
service club and chose the clubb his father
belonged to.
Bncause they were in the same line of
business, Rotary had to say "sorry".
It was A time for readjustment for' a
�_voung_man back in Hamilton after livin
with the companionship of other young
men serving, their country overseas, so
instead of feeling sorry for himself, he got
together with eleven other men over
dinner at the Namking Cafe.:
That night_ the Kinsmen glib _was hem
Today, there are more than 18,000 mem-
bers in 600 clubs across Canada, not to
mention Kinette, K-40 and K-Ette clubs.
J
JUNIOR CLERK
Hal Rogers was born in London, Ont., in
1899 and went to work as a junior clerk
with the Home Bank of Thondale, Ont. But
when his father, Charles Frederick Rogers
took over management of a plumbing and
heating supply business in Hamilton, Hal
joined the staff and prepared himself for a
sales career.
Two months later, with the First World
War in its second year, Rogers enlisted
and was added to the muster roll of the
Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders. Over-
-seas, he saw action wah the 54th Kootenay
Battalion. '
Corporal Rogers was gassed at Pasch-
endale but continued active duty until
wounded at Amiens Aug. 0, •19.18. He was
sent to England and returned home to
Canada in January 1919.
He wasted no time in resuming his sales
career bttt began to miss the company of _
men his own age. It was then his 'chance'
encounter with the Hamilton Rotary Club
took place. .
50 MEMBERS
"The first club projeet. in Hamilton was
welcpming young mentothe city,"Rogers
recalls.
.-Cltib-,members,made-co
comers in Hamilton industries, who were
told about the club and welcomed to the
city.
' A number of them joined the club but
we put no pressure on. them to do so. Our
- main -concern _was._ to_make..things_-easier_:.--
for them in a strange city."
The official charter date is Feb. 20, 1920.
In 1921, one of the new. Kinsmen moved to
Montreal' and a club was formed there.
That year, the first national convention —
of sorts — was held when the two clubs, met
in Hamilton.
The same sort- of process applied to
Toronto and Vancouver — by 1924, there
were four clubs.
Then Winnipeg in time for a national
convention 'in that city in 1926 when
Kinsmen voted to remain a . national
organization, adopt a constitution and
bylaws and fix the age for active member-
ship, at 40.
From then, the organization spread
across the country.
"Like myself, the founders of these new
clubs were ,seeking friendship and the
Percy Dawson, whose name appears
among -the 11 credited „with founding the
Kinsmen Club, took part „in a founder's
night at the -Hamilton club last year. The
club can boast being the birthplace of the
Kinsmen• movement. With the birthplace
banner are Dawson and Joe Canstantine,.
last year's president of ('lub No. 1. which
got its start at the Namking Cafe Feb. 20,
1920.
opportunity to take part in worthwhile
community endeavours with other service-
mindeill young men," Rogers -says.•.
By. 1927 there were 12 clubs. En 1928, four
clubs in .Saskatchewan called Eclectic
Clubs, whose aimsand objectives were
similar to the Kinsmen, joined the'associ-
ation. • „
By the�end of 1928, 'there were 24 clubs
In 1929, the clubs ,were formed into five
districts under • governors and .district
officers. By 1936, there were seven
districts. • • . -\ -..
In 1934, at the national convention in
-Victoria, o n , Cull timgl
tary was apprpved. Past National Pres-
ident S. H. (Bty) Bantick was named to
the post Jan. 1, 1935.
In 1939, the focus of the club's commun-
ity work shifted dramatically. Three
- eksafterwar-wasdeelar-edrhundreds-of
Kinsmen signed up and a war services
committee was formed.
ll
WAR EFFORT
The first mobile, dental clinic in the
British army was built and financed by
Kinsmen, Sixty-five' tons of magazines
were, shipped to the merchant marine.
Hostess houses were built for wives and
families of troops at Shilo, Man. and
Debert, N.S.
Throughout the war, Kinsmen war
savings stamps were sold at a peak rate of
$225,000 per week. °
A Milk -for -Britain fund raised close to $3
million, resulting in 50 million quarts of
milk being shipped to the children of Great
Britain and $106,000 was raised for food
parcels for Britain.
Kinsmen had come of age, the hard way.
From that time on, community and world
service were in the forefront of Kinsmen
activity.
' A cancer scholarship fund was set up in
• 1949. Then, major donations were made to
" flood -ravaged areas: Winnipeg in 1950;
Europe in 1952-53; Hurricane Hazel's path
in Southern Ontario in 1954; Frejus in 1960;
,and Hamburg in 1962.
Kinsmen involvement in disaster relief
continues to this day with major contribu-
tions in such areas as the Woodstock
tornado and the Dover -flood relief last
year.
MEDICAL RESEARCH
.HAL RO RS
... Founder
While each club is run as an independent
unit, with autonomy over financial and
administrative matters, the association as
a while has authority over how the clubs
may operate as outlined in the constitution
and bylaws.
Each club belongs to a zone. There are
currently as -few as four and as many as 15
clubs in the 73 zones.
Each zone is • governed by a district
deputy governor elected in the spring of
each year. Heappoints an executive to
help him carry out administrative and
executive duties within the zone.
Zonesmake up districts, each governed
by a district governor who is first elected a
vice -governor at district conventions or
special meetings.
There are eight districts determined by
'geographic areas.
The national president is elected at the,
national convention annually and is tradi-'
tionally the national vice-president from
the previous -year. He appoints up to four
directors and a national Kinette co-ordin-
ator.
The national president, national direct-
ors, vice-president and immediate past
president are members of the national
executive committee.
Each distrie't,governor plus'members of
'the national executive committee are
members of the national council which
meets three times a year,
In addition, the organization has become •
increasingly involved in medical research SAME OBJECTIVES -
funds — mental retardation, cystic fibrosis Des ite the complexity of the associ-
Byand others. - p p y
1945, when Kinsmen helped found the ation today compared .With 60 years ago,
World, Council of Young Men's Service Hal Rogers says he feels the aims, object -
Clubs now represented in 30 countries, the ivies and the spirit of the organization
association could boast150clubs across
Canada. In the nine years which followed,
the number of clubs had doubled to 300'in
1956 with 10:000 members.
By 1975, the .300th club was chartered
with 16,000 'members and in 1979, the 600
haven't changed. •
At th.e founding of theclub "we, as young.
men, dreamed dreams and with our
dreaming combined activity with fellow- ,
ship in building the organization the vision
of those years inspired.' .
-:ma
ark-ws-passed-with-amem•bership-of=---'- hrat
Tgh_..ala the years that have
17,348.•
I . °N. (Pete) Hanly became executive
°director in 1968, •
On Feb. -20m, 1979; the 50th anniversary
of the club's founding, the Kinsmen
National Institute on Mental Retardation
was officially opened,. in Toronto. More
than $400,000 had been raised by members
across the country for the facility.
Three'davcz Off thf, mark, .un Fen 23 of
this year. the association planned to open a
.new national headquarters, a three-storey,
14,000 square foot building on the outskirts
of. Cambridge, Ont. • •
ALEXANDER, . BANTER & MacEWAN
INSURANCE AGENCY LTD,
10 THE SQUARE,-
GODERICH
524-2177
GOOD MANAGEMENT .
Kinsmen tryto.run their organization
with simplicity and good management as
their goal.
followed, Kinsmen have characteristically
anal ambitiously anticipated the future'and.
have interpreted their kinsrnenship in a
sharing,and long -living fellowship and in a'
dedicated, continuing service to their
respective communities, their country,
and through the war years; to the
Commonwealth and to allnd.
hav
e inte
'As-we have grown from that small
group of :originals' at the charter night in
192u•. to a nation -wise organization of
young men and young women, so have we
nll developed and enlarged our vision, our
activity and, our service to others."
Mr. Rogers himself lives in retirement
in Toronto and stili enjoys participating in
national conventions, special :Kinsmen
events and community work.
WE'RE BOTH CELEBRATING!
1980 marks two m Iestones..o
ROTARY CLUB - 75
KINSMEN.CLUB ® 60
Congratulations -Kinsmen
Rotary Club of Goderich