From District 8 Kin

Contents 1 Classes of Membership; The Family of Kin 2 Kin Structure 3 On a National Level 4 What Kin Can Do For You 5 Awards Programs 6 Conventions and Conferences 7 Why Join? 8 National Projects

[edit] Classes of Membership; The Family of Kin

• ACTIVE MEMBER: Must be age 19 or older, of good character and community standing and must reside or practice their vocation or profession within the territorial limits of their club. Should not be a member of another service organization.

• HONORARY MEMBER: Elected for a period of one year in recognition of some distinguished task performed for the community or club. Any person can be elected to this category and may be re-elected from year to year. This person does not pay dues, but is entitled to all the privileges of any active member except holding office and voting.

• LIFE MEMBERS: The Life Membership category recognizes outstanding contributions to Kin. A potential Life Member has to meet certain criteria, including the length of time served in Kin, to qualify for the honour, and the club proposing the honour must apply to the national headquarters to obtain permission to confer the honour. Life Members are greatly respected for their dedication and knowledge.

• K-40 / K-ETTE: Is there life after you've done it all? You bet! Many clubs have a K-ette or K-40 Club, which is an auxiliary club composed of club alumni who would generally have reached the age of 40 when the association still maintained an upper age limit for active members. Those members may meet once a month and / or attend the clubs' general meetings. Their expertise in the field is often called upon for either advice or as helping hands at functions. With the removal of the upper age limit there is a possibility of less activity in these clubs.

• ASSOCIATE MEMBERS: are members of the National Association. They are individuals who may not wish to attend regular meetings, but may wish to help on a project if they are able and maintain an association with their local club. They pay an annual fee to Kin Canada, however are not entitled to the same rights and privileges as an Active Member.
  
  

[edit] Kin Structure

CLUB: The executive is elected for a one-year term. The Kin year runs from July 1 to June 30th. Club elections are held between April 1 and May 15 of each Kin year, and every active member and active life member is eligible for office after their first year (except for the position of President). The Club executive consists of:

• President: The person who runs the meetings and oversees all Club activities
• Past President: The person who ran the meetings last year
• Membership Director: Makes the club's name known in the community in various ways and promotes membership recruitment and development programs, makes new members, guests welcome
• Vice President: Helps the President, acts as his alternate in the event the President is unable to discharge his duties, and potentially trains to be the next president
• Secretary: Records the minutes of the meetings and reads the mail
• Treasurer: Tells us how much we have in the bank, pay the bills, keeps accurate records of the financial business of the club.
• Bulletin Editor: Publishes the club news bulletin once a month, or however often the club dictates
• Director: Head various committees and act as liaison between the executive and the membership
• Registrar: Keeps track of the members' participation in the club
• Fellowship Director: makes sure we all have a good time in Kin
• Green Director: makes sure we all trying to find green initiatives to help keep our environment clean

The club executive typically meets before a regular meeting to prepare the program for general meetings, once or twice a month and to deal with the club's administrivia. You are encouraged to attend an executive meeting at any time, as that is where much of the business is done and therefore the best place to understand how you club is run.

MEETINGS: There are typically two general meetings per month from September to June. In Orangeville these meetings are held on the first and third Thursdays of the month. In Orangeville, like most clubs, there are no regular meetings during July and August.

ZONE: Generally comprised of one elected Kinsmen and one elected Kinette District Deputy Governor, who act as liaison between the clubs within their Zone and the District Council. When dual these people work together to provide information to both their clubs and the rest of the District on how things are running. In addition these people chair Fall and Spring Zone meetings and are members of the District Council. Each Zone has a set of By-Laws, which are specific to the clubs operating within a particular Zone.

• Zone A Clubs are in: Englehart, Kapuskasing, Kirkland Lake, Porcupine and Timmins.
• Zone B Algoma Rainbow Clubs are in: Elliot Lake, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, Walden and Valley East.
• Zone C Clubs are in: Lindsay, Peterborough, Bobcaygeon, Port Hope, Minden and Brighton.
• Zone D Halton-Peel Clubs are in: Acton, Brampton-Bramalea, Erin Mills, Georgetown, Milton, Mississauga and Streetsville.
• Zone H Mid-Ontario Clubs are in: Barrie, Bolton, Keswick, Newmarket, North Bay, Orangeville, Orillia, Parry Sound and Sutton.
• Zone I Durham Clubs are in: Ajax, Bowmanville, Oshawa, Pickering, Stouffville and Uxbridge.

DISTRICT: Comprised of one elected District Governor, who acts as the chief administrative officer of the District and assist in member and project information, chair District Convention, and are members of the District Council, which implements District By-Laws. They are responsible for the running of the District's business. The Governor is assisted by a Secretary, Treasuer and two Service Directors. The position of Association Director was created at National Convention in 1997. The Association Director represents his or her District on the National Board of Directors. The Association has eight Districts.

• District 1 Our founding District located in Southern Ontario.
  
• District 2 Manitoba and Western Ontario.
  
• District 3 Saskatchewan.
  
• District 4 Alberta.
  
• District 5 British Columbia.
  
• District 6 Eastern Ontario and Quebec.
  
• District 7 PEI, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and New Foundland
  
• District 8 Central South and Nothern Ontario
  

NATIONAL: Comprised of the elected National President, National Vice President and National Past President and thw eight Association Directors. These individuals make up the National Board of Directors, that sets Association strategy along with the Executive Director who is an ex-officio (non-voting) member of the Board. Check out our National Kin Canada web site

[edit] On a National Level

We support public awareness projects such as "Raise the Flag Day", Celebrate Canada in the Capitals and other events celebrating the Canadian experience. The Association maintains a National Disaster Fund to assist in the event of emergencies in Canadian communities. In 1987 $10,000 was sent to assist the Edmonton area when the Tornado hit; in the spring of 1997 "Kin Ride to Low Tide" was set up to help the Manitoba Flood Victims; and in January 1998 we saw the inception of "Operation Thaw" to assist with the cleanup from the ice storms in Ontario and Quebec. In 1949 the Association set up a Cancer Scholarship Fund to help train doctors in treating this dreaded disease. The Hal Rogers Endowment Fund, renamed the Kinsmen & Kinette Bursary in 1999, awards $1,000.00 bursaries each year to students who are registered in a post-secondary program. This was established to assist young people in higher education.

[edit] What Kin Can Do For You

Becoming a Kinsmen or Kinette is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy fellowship with other men and women. In addition you will enjoy personal growth and will develop valuable business contacts. There is no feeling in the world like that of giving to others.

Kin is a valuable vehicle for personal development to anyone who is interested in it. We participate in public speaking contests, learn valuable skills by chairing fundraising and manpower projects. If members choose, they may hold office on a local, zone, district or national level. The opportunities are endless and are there for the taking!

Kin can add many things to you and your family's lives. One of the greatest things that this organization will teach you is that you need to take care of your family, then your work, and then finally Kin, or other volunteer work, in that order. As a member you are required to attend Club meetings to the best of your ability. In the event you miss a meeting, there are several ways to make up your attendance. Clubs have special provisions in their by-laws and house rules regarding allowances for work, special circumstances, and transfers.

[edit] Awards Programs

• MAPLE LEAF OF DISTINCTION AWARD: This award is for members in their first two years in Kin. To become eligible, you must earn points by doing a number of things, such as attend social functions, travel to other clubs' meetings, speak at a meeting, work on a project, write an article for the bulletin, etc. The purpose of this award is to encourage new members to become involved in club activities early and often.
• FOUNDERS AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT: This program is designed currently to challenge members of more than 24 months to be active in Kin. Participation in this program is more than an award - it is a meaningful experience. A member may enroll anytime after the first year of Kin, and the program monitors involvement over a three-year period.
• GOLDEN GEM AWARD: This award recognizes any Kin who sponsors three new members within a 12-month period.

There are many other awards in Kin, some which must be competed for (for example the Public Speaking Award), and some which evolve from participation (Kin Member of the Year Award, etc.). We encourage our members to strive for awards as another way to become involved. Like life, the more you put into it, the more you receive. National Awards Program 2010

[edit] Conventions and Conferences

NATIONAL: Our National Convention is held in August in a different location (typically alternating between east, west and central) each year. Kin from across Canada attend. It is a great way to meet Kin from other provinces and it is a lot of fun. This is where the policies and procedures for the whole Association are ratified.

DISTRICT: Canada is divided into 8 Districts. We are District 8, which includes South Central and Northern Ontario. Each District has a convention or conference every year. District 8 typically holds its conference in June of each Kin year. In District 8 there is a rotation system to ensure that each zone gets a chance to host the District Convention. Bids are held at the Zone level to determine which Club in the zone will host District Convention.

ZONE: Each District is divided into Zones. For example: District 8, Zone Mid-Ontario is comprised of clubs from Orangeville, Bolton, Newmarket, Keswick, Sutton, Barrie, Orillia, Bracebridge, and North bay.

Once a year meetings are held to deal with the business of the Zone. They are called Spring Zone Conferences. The various club Presidents give reports as to what and how their clubs are doing, by-laws might be changed, public speaking takes place and Zone Awards are given. These are mini conventions hosted by a club in the Zone and usually have a theme that a social event revolves around.

FALL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE: FLC is a personal development and fellowship weekend. It is usually held in October. In District 8 there is a rotation system to ensure that each zone gets a chance to host FLC. Bids are held at the Zone level to determine which Club in the zone will host FLC. Check out District 8's Fall Leadership conference

[edit] Why Join?

When you were a kid it was great to have a place to meet new friends and discover new horizons. It can be the same now. Join a Kinsmen, Kinette or Kin club and become part of a dynamic organization filled with people just like you.

Help your community.

Kinsmen, Kinette and Kin clubs are the country s largest all Canadian service groups, made up of active community volunteers. Members work together to serve the community s greatest need by promoting service, fellowship, family values and national pride. They support Cystic Fibrosis research and fund local projects, like playgrounds and ice rinks, across the country. So, if you d like to give something back to your community, the club is the perfect answer.

Develop personally.

It s very satisfying to be a member of the club. You ll be proud of the work you do for others and pleased with the personal benefits that result. You may become a better leader, or more of a team player. You ll find yourself more relaxed in dealing with groups; your presentation skills will improve and you ll become a better public speaker. Plus you ll have a chance to network with people from a wide variety of businesses.

Make life-long friendships.

Kinsmen, Kinette and Kin club members come from all walks of life, so you ll enjoy being part of a youthful and spirited group. And like most members, you ll make lifetime friendships that extend far beyond the club itself.

Have a whole lot of fun.

Although Kinsmen dates back more than 85 years, there's nothing old-fashioned about the meetings. They re lively, interesting and fun. Fundraising events get you into the community and they're always rewarding and entertaining. So join the club today, and brighten the horizon - for yourself and your community.

[edit] National Projects

• Kin Canada raises on average $1 million for the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, making Kin the largest single fundraising organization for CF research in the world. Since 1964, Kinsmen and Kinettes have donated more than $33 million towards CF research.
• In 2002, Kinsmen and Kinettes donated more than $73,000 to the Hay West project. This project brought hay from Central and Eastern Canada to western farmers whose fields were suffering from drought conditions. Kinsmen and Kinettes in Alberta also assisted with a benefit concert to raise funds and awareness to the plight of farmers in Western Canada.
• August 2003 saw devastating fires rip through British Columbia leaving many homeless or living in shelters. In less than a day, Kin pledged more than $50,000 and 30,000 pounds of beef to help feed firefighters and those in shelters.
• In 2003, BBQ Canada, an initiative of Kinsmen and Kinettes, supported the ailing beef industry in Canada. On Labour Day, Kin clubs and groups across the country, hosted free barbecues to show the world that Canadian beef is safe and that they support the Canadian Beef Industry. This one-day event set a new Guinness Book of World Records by serving more than 280,000 individuals a beef product.