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Who We Are

We are a dynamic group of volunteers enriching our communities through service while embracing national pride, positive values, personal development and lasting friendships.

The Objective Of The Association

The Objects of the Association are to promote and direct service work through fellowship amongst its members, to the end that:

  1. They may enjoy personal development through Kin;
  2. They may be improved and educated in modern business and professional methods and ethics;
  3. The involvement of each in the enrichment of their community may be stimulated;
  4. A spirit of co-operation, tolerance, understanding and equality among all nations and peoples be fostered and that unity of thought and purpose throughout Canada be established toward this goal; and
  5. The Association’s constitutional authority be upheld.

Article Index

Sometime in 1932, the Kinsmen Club of Kingston came to Cornwall in order help being the process of forming a new club and on April 20th, 1933, with 15 men, the Kinsmen Club of Cornwall was chartered.

Charter President Cliff Beach soon had the Club involved in its first service project, Give a Man a Job, which resulted in over 1,200 hours of odd-job employment for those seeking employment. Since 1964, the Club has honored our first President by providing Cliff Beach Bursaries annually to local Secondary Schools.
 
1933FireThe Fire on August 7th, 1933, a Civic Holiday, which destroyed a large part of the Cornwall business district including the living quarters of 36 families, saw the Club taking responsibility for assisting those families in being resettled. Members of the Club manned the 24-hour Fire Relief Bureau, which was set up to appeal for funds, food, clothing, and furniture. This project resulted in every family being housed in living accommodations, at least equal to those before the Fire.
  
A Club project in 1935 was to start an annual Children's Christmas Party at the Palace Theater, for those children who would not, because of no fault of their own, enjoy Christmas. This continued for many years.

We joined with the Kiwanis and Lions Clubs in 1940 to stimulate the sale of War Saving Stamps and Certificates. In addition, in that year we again jointed with the Kiwanis Club to provide entertainment to troop trainees at the local military training camp in Cornwall.

From 1941 until 1945 the Association of Kinsmen Clubs joined in a project call, Milk for Britain campaign where 50 million quarts of milk were sent to Britain. We supported this campaign, raising and turning over $4,000.00 for this project.

1943 saw us provide a new car for the Children's Aid Society and in that year we again joined with the Kiwanis and Lions Clubs in a benefit hockey game in support of the Russian Relief Fund, where money and clothing were sent to Russia. In 44, we did this again.

In 1945, we undertook several projects. One project was to present to the newly incorporated City of CORNWALL with the Mayor's Chain of office. In addition, that year a Kinteen Club was sponsored, which provided dances for teenagers, where members were the chaperons. Moreover, in 1945 the Club joined with the Kiwanis, Lions and Legion to formalize the Cornwall Service Club Council.

In 1946, the Club fully supported the new Children's Ward addition at the Cornwall General Hospital.

Continuing to support the youth of our community, in 1951,  Elmer the Elephant was a school safety project. In addition, in that year the Kinsmen Little League Baseball started with several hundred boys taking part, this continued for many years.

 

 

 


KinsmenMusicFestivalIn keeping with the theme our youth, the Club started the First Kinsmen Music Festival in the school year 1954/55. This festival saw many thousands of children perform at it, from grade one through their school years. Many have gone on to professional status. In addition, in 2006 we celebrated our 52nd continuous, Kinsmen Music Festival.

 In the spring of 1958, the Club had eight wading pools constructed in various City parks. Those pools still exist for the summer of 2005. In keeping with our motto, Serving the Community's Greatest Need, the Club endorsed a four-bed ward at the J.S. MacDonald Hospital. In addition, $4,000.00 donated to the General Hospital Expansion Fund as well as $2,000.00 donated to the YMCA summer camp.

Moving into the 60's saw the Club fill a need by founding the Kinsmen School, currently known as the Kinsmen School/Vincent Massey school. This school provided special learning needs for challenged children in order for them to be reintroduced into society. There was no government program to meet these individuals needs.

These children would have to go into the regular school program or taught at home. The school expanded in 1966 and eventually became part of the Upper Canada School Board.

Cystic Fibrosis was made a National Kinsmen Service Project in 1965, to which the Kin across Canada have raised and donated over $30,000,000.00.

Moving into the 70's, the Club had a fundraising project called Kinsmen Lottery. The Kinsmen Club of Cornwall administered this lottery. It grew so fast and was about to go into the province of Manitoba when, the Ontario government took it over in late 73 and it became known as Wintario.

1974 saw the Club purchase the financially troubled YMCA property, pay off its debts and turn the building over to the City of Cornwall for $1.00. The City has since administered it, providing Day Care services (Kinette Day Care) for 27 years. Swimming programs, gymnasium and a weight room are other services.

The Cornwall Club, in 1989, hosted the National Kin Convention of Kinsmen and Kinette Clubs of Canada, which drew hundreds of members from across Canada. At that convention the medical breakthrough needed was announced, Researchers of this dreaded childhood disease, CF, had discovered the GENE, and now major steps can be taken to cure this disease. As a result of this discovery, a C F child's life expectancy has been extended into their 40's.


AquaticCentre

 

The Club, in 1999, pledged $110,000.00 towards the Millennium projects. One of those projects being the NEW AQUATIC CENTRE. With the help of this donation, the New Aquatic Centre is to open September of 2005. The pool tank in the Centre is the Kinsmen Pool.

 

 A $1,000.00 grant was provided for restoration and moved the Cornwall Street Railway electric engine to the front of Cornwall's Water Treatment plant.


In addition, in 74, the Kinsmen Club became the sponsor of the Kinsmen Minor Soccer Association. Over the year the league has expanded and now registers over 1,300 children. In 1991, funding began on a project that would create new soccer fields, washroom facilities and parking at the West End on Second Street near the Power Dam. In the fall of 2000 a fourth soccer field was build in partnership with KMSA, Ontario Power Generation, the City of Cornwall and the Kinsmen with the Club donating in excess of $25,000.00 to this project

  In 1975, an electronic scoreboard purchased at a cost of $75,000.00 for the Ed Lumley arena in the Civic Complex, and a grant of $6,000.00 was given to the Williamstown arena for dehumidification equipment. 

CornwallLibrary

 1977 saw the Club go on a fundraising campaign, with the goal of $90,000.00, to add a new wing the Library. This new wing, construct and opened in 78 was called the Kinsmen Wing. Since then, the Cornwall Public Library has moved into new facilities and within its new buildind at the renovated post office, there is a room that is known as the Kinsmen room.

 

In 1978 a Participark was constructed by the Club, in Lamoureux Park, it has since been replaced by the Rotary Gardens.

During January or Febraury of 1981 Mr. Frank OBiien of the Ministry of Community and Social Services approached the Kinsmen Club, because of its previous involuement with challenged children, and asked if it would be interested in sponsoring an Adult Group Home. This home would integrate Adults into the Community. The Club took on this challenge and appointed Directors to manage this Group Home. This home would be made up of five apartments located at 117 Sydney Street. These apartments needed to be renovated, cleaned, painted, decorated and furnished.

The tables, beds, dressers were assembled by the directors after they had painted and decorated. These Directors were A.D. MacMillan, Hal Sherwood, Ron Mulligan, Don Lemieux and Peter Morgan.

In 84, the Club took on the sponsorship of the Kinsmen Girls Softball League that continues to register over 200 girls each year.

In the 90's, besides the mentioned projects which are continuing, the Kinsmen Club has been involved in Youth Day at Worldfest, purchased $25,00.00 worth of surgical equipment for the Cornwall General Hospital and sponsored both the Cornwall Regional Spelling BEE and the Cornwall Winter Carnival.

1995 the Kinsmen Club, along with the Cornwall Parks and Recreation Department, start the annual Kinsmen Music Camp, which has divided into two camps because of numbers, in July and August.

Camp Kagama, a summer youth camp, needed to be repaired for the hundreds of youth visitors for the summer of 1996. It needed picnic tables, a new docks and general repairs were to be made on its buildings.

Both the Kinsmen and Kinette Clubs continue to meets annually, before the Camp opens, to make the needed repairs so that hundreds of children may enjoy this activity. This is an ongoing project for both Clubs.



Lori Dupuis.
In 1997, the Club took over the sponsorship of the Cornwall Kinsmen Girls Hockey. This league continues annually to register over 200 girls. It has developed the skills of many and has produced Olympian Lori Dupuis.

 

 

The disasters in 1977 of the Red River Flood saw Kinsmen from Cornwall go to Winnipeg, for a week to assist with the cleanup. Those Kinsmen jobs were too ripe out the interiors of three (3) houses, so that they it could be inspected, for reconstruction or demolation.

The Ice Storm of 98 saw the Club assist with a shelter outside of the City.

Little Rock Curling, in 1999, came about because of funding by the Club. Today over 50 youth are involved in what has become known as, Kinsmen Little Rock Curling. This activity continues to grow in our community.

MinorLacrosse

 In the millennium year 2000, the Club took on the sponsorship of the new Cornwall Kinsmen Minor Lacrosse League, which registered 200 children. Cornwall was a major lacrosse centre and our hopes are this sport be revived in Cornwall.



 

LiftOff

 

 In 2004, after a number of years of involvement, the Kinsmen Club became thetitle sponsor local hot air balloon festival and remained the title sponsor for 10 years.

 

 

 In 2005, the Kinsmen Club gave financial support of $100,000.00 to new Cornwall Community Hospital

In 2013, the Kinsmen Club partnered to help run the Bikers Against Brain Cancer fundraising event.

As a long time supporter of youth sports and programs, in 2014 the Kinsmen Club donated $10,000.00 to Cornwall Wildcats Football association to replace aging equipment and keep the children safe.

In 2015 the Kinsment Club became the title sponsor to Cornwall Waterfest.

 

 

 

 

Kin Fast Facts

Founded by Hal Rogers on Feb. 20, 1920, Kin Canada is the nation's largest all-Canadian service club organization. Kinsmen, Kinette and Kin clubs across the country work to better their communities, enhance the well-being of Canadians and improve the environment. The Association boasts a proud 93-year history dedicated to fostering life-long friendships while ‘Serving the Community’s Greatest Need.’

Membership: Around 6,500 members belong to approximately 480 Kinsmen, Kinette and Kin clubs across Canada. Kinsmen clubs are predominantly male, Kinette clubs are predominantly female and Kin clubs have a mixed membership of men and women.

More than $1 billion raised: Since our founding in 1920, Kin Canada clubs have donated more than $1 billion to Canadian causes, communities and individuals in need, as well as to disaster relief efforts beyond our borders. In the 2012/13 Kin Year, our members raised more than $20.5 million and spent over 300,000 hours (that's 34.7 years!) organizing and executing hundreds of fundraisers and service projects in their communities. Not content to simply write cheques, if there's work to be done, Kin Canada clubs do it!

National Charity: Kin Canada has been a partner in the fight against cystic fibrosis since 1964. During this time, Kin members have raised over $40 million in support of the work of Cystic Fibrosis Canada.

Become a Member

Interested in attending a meeting to see what we are all about or looking for more information on becoming a member, please contact us at info@cornwallkin.com

Volunteer

We could always use a helping hand. Interesting in volunteer for any of our fund raising projects, events or community services to make our community a better place, please contact us at info@cornwallkin.com.

Some Community Groups We Support

Community Support

Working together for over 80 years to serve the community’s greatest need....

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Join Us

There are many ways to get involved, you can become a member or volunteer at events or service projects.

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Contact Us

Are you looking for additional information or have any questions? We want to hear from you!

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