The Kin Canada organization is about to celebrate its 100th birthday, after a century of supporting local organizations and fundraisers.

Kin Canada was originally founded on in Hamilton Ontario by Harold Rogers on February 20th, 1920. Rogers fought in the first world war, and developed an important feeling that would lead to his founding of the Kin Club.

Leighton Krahn, a member of the Kinsmen Club of Kerrobert, explains.

“When he came back from World War 1, he was missing the camaraderie of his fellow soldiers, and formed the organization, basically as a social group, but wanted to do something to give back to society as well, and found a way to do that, and still be socially conscious. He formed it to meet his social needs, and I think it still stands as that today.”

Kin Clubs across the country primarily focus on helping the communities their based in. The Kinsmen Club of Kerrobert recently held a pancake supper to help raise money for Telemiracle. The Club also held a “Rockin for the Rescue” concert last month, where local musicians played their music for an hour each, to help raise money for first responders in the area.

Krahn commented on the impact a Kin Club can have on the community, using himself and Kerrobert as an example.

“The people that I’ve met, both locally and in the large organization have formed relationships that are meaningful to me, and also given me resources around the province and the country where if I need a hand with something, or if I need knowledge on something, there’s just people everywhere as a resource, but also as a friend. So that sense of connection and camaraderie is something that keeps people around; the feeling like their doing something meaningful, and something good together with these people. That’s what retains membership.”

The Kinsmen Club of Kerrobert asked the Mayor to officially declare next Thursday as Kin Canada Day. They will also be raising a special 100th Anniversary Kin Canada flag.