80Th Anniversary
Car Show 2025
Kinsmen Assist with $6,000 for Library Snack Stop
On May 1st the Kinsmen Club of Stratford was happy to drop off a donation to the Stratford Library to assist the Library Snack Stop Program. For 12 consecutive months, the Stratford Kinsmen Club will be donating $500 monthly to the Library’s Nutrition Program. In making the presentation Kin Doug Young stated “The Stratford Kinsmen know the monthly donation will be wisely and efficiently utilized to help families, young students and individuals.”
At the April 11 Kinsmen meeting Shauna Coustache, Public Service Supervisor for the Stratford Public Library gave Kinsmen a presentation on the new Library Snack Stop Outreach Program it started in September 2023. Shauna noted children were coming in to eat lunch, and some had no lunch at all. Being situated near to the Stratford Intermediate School, library staff could see first hand the need of the greater community and those of our children and established a food program.
In keeping with best practices established at other libraries, Snack Stop was started. The Library sees about 5-10 children at lunch, there’s another little flurry after school, and a steady trickle all day. Safe to say the Snack Stop has at least 60 visits from children a week. The cost is $600 to $800 per month to keep shelves stocked with the majority of cash funding by private donation. Shauna noted they do not scrutinize the users some are homeless, some are school age, some elderly but approximately 40% are students’
Chartered in 1945, the Kinsmen Club of Stratford was one of the most recognized service clubs in the city and at one time had over 75 active members. Major fund-raising and service projects over the past 65 plus years have included Arena Booth, Canada Day and Santa Claus parades, Canada Day fireworks, Stratford Blues and Ribfest, high school bursaries and Cystic Fibrosis to name a few.
Most recently the Kinsmen have made financial donations to the Stratford Hospital Foundation, Wellspring for Cancer, Rotary Aquabox, Connections Centre and gym equipment for a new outdoor facility by the skate park.
The Stratford Kinsmen will be hosting a couple of events in the next four months where if you would like to support them with a free will donation there will be a donation bucket available. All proceeds received from these events are used in the community. On Sunday, June 9th and September 1st from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. it is the ever popular Classic Car show on Lakeside Drive at the Lake free to all Car Buff viewers with over 200 classics and a 50/50 Draw.
Then on Monday, July 1st the Canada Day Fireworks celebration at the SERC Park between Matilda and Foreman St. Kinsmen have been hosting the fireworks for over 30 years. Come early to get a good spot, bring a lawn chair or blanket. The food vendors will be starting at 7:30 PM. The Canada Day Concert begins at 8 PM with the Fireworks at dusk.
Kin Canada, “Only In Canada EH!” is Canada’s largest all-Canadian service organization, made up of Canadian men and women who gather together in clubs to volunteer their time for the purposes of bettering their communities by performing ‘hands-on’ service work, raising funds for important community projects and having fun.
Kinsmen Make Connection Donation
On April 2nd the Kinsmen Club of Stratford keeping in mind its motto of “Serving the community’s greatest need” dropped by the Connections Centre to give a $6,000.00 boost to the centre in the form of 12 monthly $500.00 gift cards for use at Walmart to assist in purchasing supplies for the centres participants.
The Connection Centre opened in December of 2021. Its primary funder is the United Way, and it is operated and staffed by the Canadian Mental Health Association Huron Perth. The Connection Centre’s community partners include the City of Stratford, Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance, Perth District Health Unit and Local Community Food Centre, as well as many local businesses and churches. To date, the Connection Centre has welcomed more than 500 unique individuals. Some of those folks have become regulars others have received support and moved on from our service. The Centre see’s on average 25 people per day, and as many as 40 on its busiest days. Many of the participants it supports are sleeping rough others are accessing emergency shelter, are precariously housed, or are otherwise vulnerable. The supports provided are client-centred and depend on the needs and goals of the individual.
The application of the monthly $500.00 gift cards donated by the Stratford Kinsmen will vary from month to month. Sara noted “the Centre may need tarps and water bottles one month, laundry soap and shampoo the next – this is largely dependent on what our kind community donates throughout the year. What’s for certain is this monthly donation will always directly benefit the participants of our program. We are extraordinarily grateful for Kinsmen’s generosity”.
The Stratford Kinsmen will be hosting three events in the next four months where if you would like to support them with a free will donation there will be a donation bucket available. All proceeds received from these events are used in the community. Saturday, May 4th from 9:00 a.m. to Noon the annual Bottle Drive, proceeds to Cystic Fibrosis. Kinsmen will be happy to receive your empty beer, wine and liquor bottles at the drop off location at Strickland’s Toyota, 945 Erie St. Then on Sunday, June 9th from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. it is the ever popular Classic Car show on Lakeside Drive at the Lake free to all Car Buff viewers with over 200 classics and a 50/50 Draw.
Then on Monday, July 1st the Canada Day Fireworks celebration at the SERC Park between Matilda and Foreman St. Kinsmen have been hosting the fireworks for over 30 years. Come early to get a good spot bring a lawn chair or blanket. The food vendors will be starting at 7:30 PM. The Canada Day, Concert begins at 8 PM with the Fireworks at dusk.
Chartered in 1945, the Kinsmen Club of Stratford was one of the most recognized service clubs in the city and at one time had over 75 active members. Major fund-raising and service projects over the past 65 plus years have included Arena Booth, Canada Day and Santa Claus parades, Canada Day fireworks, Stratford Blues and Ribfest, Camp Tanner, high school bursaries and Cystic Fibrosis fo name a few..
Kin Canada, “Only In Canada EH!” is Canada’s largest all-Canadian service organization, made up of Canadian men and women who gather together in clubs to volunteer their time for the purposes of bettering their communities by performing ‘hands-on’ service work, raising funds for important community projects and having fun.
Big cheque little cheque Donation
In Mid May the Kinsmen Club of Stratford keeping in mind its motto of “Serving the communities greatest need” dropped by the United Way office and met up Ryan from the United Way and Stephanie from L’ARCHE to give them both a $1,000.00 boost to their campaigns. Pictured (L to R) are Ryan Erb, Executive Director, Huron Perth United Way and Stephanie Calma, Executive Director L’ARCHE Stratford and Kin President, Trevor Exner,
If you would like more information on the Kinsmen Club of Stratford or would like to come out to a meeting just contact us at www.stratfordkinsmen.ca
Chartered in 1945, the Kinsmen Club of Stratford was one of the most recognized service clubs in the city and at one time had over 75 active members. Major fund-raising and service projects over the past 40 years have included Arena Booth, Canada Day and Santa Claus parades, July 1st fireworks, Stratford Blues and Ribfest, Camp Tanner, high school bursaries and Cystic Fibrosis.
Kin Canada, Only In Canada EH! Canada’s largest all-Canadian service organization, is made up of Canadian men and women who gather together in clubs to volunteer their time for the purposes of bettering their communities by performing ‘hands-on’ service work, raising funds for important community projects and having fun.
Kin Raise the Flag in Stratford
What It Is..
Kin Canada, Canada’s largest all-Canadian service organization, made up of Canadian men and women gathered together in clubs for the purposes of bettering their communities by performing ‘hands-on’ service work, raising funds for important community projects and having fun.
Membership..
More than 7,600 members belong to 570 Kinsmen, Kinette and Kin clubs from coast to coast. Kinsmen clubs are made up of Kinsmen while Kinette clubs are made up of Kinettes. Kin clubs have a mixed membership of Kinsmen and Kinettes. Our association was founded on Feb 20, 1920 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and there are no clubs outside of Canada. There are a number of Kin Kids clubs for children in various areas of the country.
Stratford Club
Chartered in 1945, the Kinsmen Club of Stratford is one of the most recognized service clubs in the city and at one time had over 75 active members. Current membership is at 14 members. Major fund-raising and service projects include Arena Booth, Canada Day fireworks, Father’s Day Car Show, Labour Day Car Show, Spring Bottle Drive and Fall Bottle Drive.
