Kinsmen in Liverpool celebrate 75 years of service

The Kinsmen Club of Liverpool is celebrating a major milestone.

There won’t be fanfare to mark the 75th anniversary due to COVID-19. Instead, the group hopes residents will take a few moments to reflect on what 75 years of service means to the community.

The club was chartered on Nov. 7, 1945 by the Kinsmen Club of Halifax. It was the 131st club in the association. In turn, Liverpool chartered Kinsmen clubs in Bridgewater, Shelburne and Digby.

The list of accomplishments in the past 75 years is extensive and includes the following highlights.

In 1960, Kinsmen started the first Christmas food boxes and still work on this project under the leadership of The Salvation Army. They spearheaded the drive for the former Queens Memorial Arena in 1967 and donated $22,000 to this project.

Since 1967 to present day, they have sponsored the Privateer Air Cadet Squadron. They also once purchased a car for the local VON.

They have also given large donations to renovations at Queens General Hospital ($15,000 in 1987-89 and $10,000 in 2012-2017) and Queens Place Emera Centre ($25,000 in 2011-2016).

The group also gives annual bursaries: one at Liverpool Regional High and one at North Queens Community School.

Over the years, Liverpool Kinsmen have been a fixture at local festivals and events including manning the phones at the Queens County Community Telethon that was once conducted by the local cable TV station, selling fish and chips at the Queens County Fair, selling the best home fries this side of Montreal at Privateer Days, and working at the Hospital Hustle in various capacities since Day 1.

Bingo has been one of their major fundraisers. It used to be played in a community hall but for the past 30 years has

been broadcast on TV.

Kinsmen’s national body is Kin Canada, which is a Canadian service organization made up of volunteers who serve their specific community’s greatest need through hosting and sponsoring events and community service projects.

The Liverpool Kinsmen also needs volunteers. If you are interested, call Brian at 902-350-0249 or Gary at 902354-5530.

CONTRIBUTED Current members of the Kinsmen Club of Liverpool. Front, Clive Saunders, past secretary; Gary Levy, life member/secretary; Ricky Whynot, past president; and Craig Sim, vice-president. Middle: Chad Bourgeois, registrar; Chris Folk, risk management; and Tim White, past president. In back: Earl Lawrence, King chair; and Brian Godfrey, president/treasurer. Missing from the photo is Bruce Wentzell.