Brantford, Ontario is a city that thrives very hard to make a community that offers a variety of events and activities for its residents for all ages. To ensure that the city is all it can be, Brantford has many service clubs including The Kinsmen Club of Brantford, Kiwanis Club of Brantford, Kiwanis Club of Grand River, Rotary Club of Brantford, Brantford Lions Club, North Brantford Lions Club and Rotary Club of Brantford Sunrise. There are many excellent member benefits to those generous enough to give their time to many of these great organizations.

The first Kinsmen Club also known as Kin Canada, was started in 1920 by Hal Rogers and, since then, has expanded into 529 clubs of more than 7,400 members. The clubs are coast to coast and consist of Kinette clubs, which are mostly female members and Kin clubs, which are mostly male members. The clubs are non-profit organizations that promote values and pride in the area as well as services and a sense of fellowship. Membership is available to anyone interested.

The Kinsmen Club has many fund-raising projects, which have raised up to $15 million in a year. The club then determines how the funds will be dispersed and to which groups. The Kinsmen Club has been supporting the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation since 1964 and is one of the largest CF fundraisers in the country.

The Kinsmen Club also feature a "Write to the Troops" program, where people can write to Canadian troops that are serving abroad. This program is available to groups, schools and other organizations.

Kin Canada Bursaries, is a program that helps to provide financial help to eligible individuals interested in higher education. This program is also known as the Hal Rogers Endowment Fund, in memory of resident Hal Rogers. Hal Rogers, throughout his life until his death at age 95, believed very highly in the importance of education and learning. Each year 1000 bursaries are awarded to students based on their knowledge of Canada, community involvement and financial need. To be eligible, the recipient must be a landed immigrant or citizen of Canada, a full time student at an educational institute for the next school year and show excellent citizen qualities and ideals.

The Kin Canada Foundation was started in 2005 as a charitable organization that's federally chartered and incorporated. Its purpose is to help Kin Canada (Kinsmen Clubs) in meeting the greatest needs of the community. This foundation works hand in hand with the Kinsmen Club to help develop and raise money for many programs that will help members throughout Canada. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has been only one of many charities that the Kin Canada Foundation has promoted through the years.

Since 1977, the Kinsmen and Kinettes have been sponsoring a telethon called the Telemiracle as a way to benefit the Kinsmen Foundation. It's broadcast on the affiliates of CTV. The Telemiracle goes on for 20 hours and has raised a lot of money since it started. It now averages over $3 million dollars per year, although in 2007 it set a record high of over $5 million. When it first started, the Telemiracle hosted international performers but now uses Canadian performers. The Telemiracle is broadcast on the first Saturday in March at 9 p.m. local time.

The Rotary Club of Brantford and Brantford Sunrise makes it their goal to ensure the greatest services and ethics are provided by their organizations and businesses. One of their major events is their Lobsterfest. Along with the Lions Club of Brantford, these organizations offer programs and helpful services the make the lives of the residents better and more unified.

The Kiwanis Club of Brantford and Grand River is a worldwide organization that started in Michigan and expanded into Canada in 1916. Their purpose is to help improve the community by the many community service volunteer programs in the area. They strive to install the Golden Rule way of life into the residents to promote a better way of life for everyone there.

Copyright (c) 2009 Wes Fernley