Our History

THE KINETTE CLUB OF EDMONTON CELEBRATED 75 YEARS IN JUNE 2014

THE EVOLUTION OF KINETTES

In the thirties, the wives of the Kinsmen began to get together to form social groups. The names of these groups varied from Kinsmen Ladies’ Club, Kinsmen Wives to Kinsmenettes. The Kinsmen Ladies’ Club of Hamilton was formed in 1932, and was the first to function as a properly organized Club. However, it was not long before they became involved in community service. This combination of fellowship and service was going to prove itself in the near future. The Second World War fostered the service aspect of these Clubs. Women on the home front undertook projects such as: Milk for Britain; food parcels for the fighting forces overseas and; collecting 22 million magazines for the Merchant Navy out of Halifax.

The next few years came to see the formation of more Clubs with different names. In 1939, Miriam Sheridam coined the name KINETTES for the Ottawa Club. Although other Clubs may have used the name Kinettes, the Ottawa Club has been given credit as being the original Kinette Club in Canada.

The service work done by the Kinettes during the War gave them a dedication to a common cause. Official recognition was given to the Kinettes in the National By-Laws of the Association in 1942, when Kinettes were duly certified as an auxiliary organization. Growth and development came as Kinettes gained in experience and, with that, a responsibility to the Club and the organization as a whole on a National basis. The first, and only, National Convener of Kinettes was Marg Roscoe of the Kinette Club of Edmonton.

Kin Magazine started to reserve a section for Kinettes. Since there were eight Districts, there were eight Reporters who provided pictures and write-ups to our then Kinette National Editor. The roster of Past National Editors dates back to 1948-49 when Dawn Freeland and Kaye Turner of Fort Erie shared the office. As time passed, the responsibility of the National Editor grew from Editor to a li-aison with the Kinsmen. In order to recognize the broader range of duties, the Editor’s title became National Kinette Co-ordinator in 1969-70. Joan Sharp of Regina Wheat City Kinettes was the first. For the same reason, the name Kinette Reporter was changed to Kinette Co-ordinator at the District and Zone levels. In order to accommodate the ideas of Kinettes, the Kinsmen made provisions for Ki-nette Clubs at National and District Conventions. Business pertaining to Kinettes was handled at this time. Since the business coming from the Clubs through to District was so great, the Kinettes began having Spring Conferences. The business and workload was broken down and thus more efficient.

At National Convention in Moncton, New Brunswick in 1983, Kinettes were able to vote on the Kinette resolutions for the first time, at National Convention at a joint Kinsmen-Kinette business session. Ki-nettes also became officially recognized as Associate members of the Kinsmen Association. At the 1988 National Convention in Calgary, Kinettes achieved full partner status within the Association. In 1990 at National Convention in Thunder Bay, Ont., a Kinette National President was elected for the first time in Kin history, Catherine Newham of Portage La Prairie, Manitoba. In 1995 District Kinette Coordinators became District Governors.