Kinsmen Club of Belleville

Left to right: Life Member Kin Bruce Airhart; Cheryl Whiteman, Executive Director Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Hastings and Prince Edward Counties; Ashley Thomson, Case Worker; Kin Matt Sinclair.

Left to right: Life Member Kin Jim Spicer, Hal Rogers Fellow; Richard Howe, Deputy Commissioner, Belleville Minor Football; James Hurst, Commissioner, Belleville Minor Football.

Left to right: Life Member Kin Jim Spicer, Hal Rogers Fellow; Sean Thompson, National President, Kin Canada.

Foreground left to right: Hon. Kin Heather Sinclair; Christine Burelle, Executive Director, Bridging the Gap; Patricia Myhill, Program Manager, Bridging the Gap; background: Life Member Kin Bruce Airhart.

Belleville (July 29, 2010) - Imagine having the opportunity to change the face of your community; the chance to strengthen it, and enhance your neighbour’s quality of life. Through diligent and unwavering commitment to their community, the Belleville Kinsmen do just that.

Chartered in 1934, the Belleville Kinsmen Club has been raising money for local and national charities for the past 75 years solely through the voluntary efforts of its members and the local community.

Locally, the club raises money through personal donations, lotteries, Kinsmen TV Bingo, Cystic Fibrosis Toll Road, Canada Day Parking Operations, barbeques, auctions and several other small fundraising projects. As a registered charity, the Belleville Kinsmen and other Kin Canada Clubs raise money to support causes, charities and organizations.

Kin Canada was founded by Hal Rogers in 1920 after serving in the First World War. Kin Canada makes up the Association of Kinsmen, Kinette and Kin clubs nationally, with the mission of enriching their communities through service while embracing national pride, positive values, personal development and lasting friendships. In fact, Kin Clubs across Canada have raised more than $1 billion for Canadian communities since the club’s foundation and more than $38 million for the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation since 1964.

“We are extremely proud of the work we do and the positive impact we make on our community,” says Bruce Airhart, president, Belleville Kinsmen. “Now, more than ever, every dollar we give back to the community makes a difference.”

The 11 member strong club continued to make a difference July 12 at their inaugural Celebration of Service Gala held at Earl and Angelo’s Steak and Seafood Restaurant, where the club announced over $14,000 worth of donations being made to local organizations. The following organizations each received $1,000:

Erin Conners was also awarded the Hal Rogers Endowment Fund Bursary of $500 at the gala, and the club’s own Life Member Kin Jim Spicer was awarded the prestigious Hal Rogers Fellow for demonstrating the high ideals to which founder Hal Rogers was committed.

“As most of the money we raise is brought in from community members, we feel it is extremely important to support local charities and organizations,” adds Matthew Sinclair, treasurer, Belleville Kinsmen. “This allows contributors to see the direct impact of their donation.”

The $14,000 donated July 12 is only a small part of the overall contributions made by the Belleville club. The club’s 2009-2010 local and national donations totaled nearly $45,000, with donations going to the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, bursaries for local students on their way to post secondary education, Kin Canada Foundation, Operation Come Home, the sponsorship of a local Belleville and District Girls Minor Hockey team, Christmas Sharing, Quinte Adopt a Child and various donation to families to assist with non-covered health care costs, to name a few.

The club has a long history of giving to the community, such as building the Kinsmen Community Centre, which is visited by 12,000 people a year and features a pool, community centre and playground. The club turned ownership of the centre over to the city of Belleville this past January.

“It was a difficult decision to make,” says Mr.Airhart. “We knew that we no longer possessed the human resources to maintain the centre and that letting it go would allow us to continue to positively impact the community’s greatest needs.”

Some of the club’s other major service work includes, an amazing $350,000 donation to the Quinte Sports Centre/Wally Dever Arena “Let’s Get on With It” campaign; the building of a games room at the Hastings County Children’s Aid Society; sponsoring several youth sports teams with the Belleville Minor Hockey
and Belleville Minor Soccer Leagues; $25,000 worth of donations to the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation over the past ten years; providing hot beverages during the Belleville WinterFest, and donations to the Royal Canadian Legion Poppy Fund, Wreath to Lay, on Remembrance Day.

“There are many benefits to becoming a member,” says Mr. Airhart. “Along with a sense of pride and fulfillment, camaraderie, and fun, there are personal and leadership skills development opportunities available at all levels.”

Ultimately the most important reason members join the Kinsmen is so they can help their community. “We need people who want to make a difference in their community,” adds Mr. Sinclair.

Kinsmen Club of Belleville

District 6 - Zone 1

Media Advisory

Belleville Kinsmen Serve Their Community's Greatest Need!

Club Raises $45,000 for service