Melfort Kin members and Mayor Rick Lang raised Kin Canada's centennial flag at city hall Tuesday morning. (northeastNOW staff)

By Angie Rolheiser

100 years of Kin

100 years of service for Kin Canada

Feb 18, 2020 | 12:43 PM

After a century of supporting local organizations and fundraisers, Kin Canada is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

To commemorate the organization’s milestone, members of the Melfort Kinsmen and Kinettes, as well as Melfort’s mayor Rick Lang took part in a flag raising Tuesday morning at City Hall.

Lang told northeastNOW it was important for the city to recognize kin.

“There’s not too many groups that you can raise to that high of a standard as you do Kin, because they make our community a better place to live,” Lang said. “They offer so many benefits and we just appreciate their involvement with our city.”

Kin Canada Week is usually around the middle of February. Kin Canada was founded on February 20, 1920 by Harold Rogers in Hamilton, Ontario.

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Kin life member Trent Fedorychka said it’s hard to believe that the organization has been around for 100 years.

“The Kinsmen have been around for over 60 years now in Melfort and the Kinettes are about 50 years,” Fedorychka said. “We sure appreciate the support from the community in everything we do.”

Fedroychka has been involved with Kin in Melfort for over 20 years and in that time has been able to help with the building of the local rink, walking paths, and playgrounds among many other projects.

“For me personally, I have also been part of the Telemiracle organization as well so that has been a huge feather and I’m so thankful for that experience too,” he said.

Telemiracle 44 is coming up on March 7th and 8th in Regina. The annual telethon raises money so the Kinsmen foundation can provide special needs and medical equipment for Saskatchewan people.

The Melfort Kin groups have a busy month in the works with many fundraisers on the calendar according to Kinette President, Shannon Marshall.

“We just hosted out first lady’s mini fun-spiel with the help of the Melfort Curling Club and it was a very successful event raising around $2500,” Marshall said.

Coming up, the groups have a pancake breakfast this Saturday at TJ’s Pizza from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. for $7 a person.

They will also host the Chase the Ace supper at the Melfort Legion on February 27. Steak, potato, caesar salad and garlic bread is on the menu for $15 a plate. There will also be a pie auction with all funds raised going to Telemiracle 44.

The groups don’t necessarily have a goal in mind for the telethon this year.

“The number is not really what’s important. It is just the support that we get from our community and everything does add up no matter how much it is for the people of Saskatchewan,” Fedroychka said.

Melfort Kin will have over 30 volunteers heading to Regina for Telemiracle, many of whom will make up a portion of the overnight shift at the telethon.

The two groups are always looking to add to their roster of volunteers. The Melfort Kinsmen meet on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Melfort Ag Society while the Kinettes meet on the second Tuesday of each month at the Melfort Legion at 7 p.m.

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angie.rolheiser@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @Angie_Rolheiser