Kinsmen Club of Winnipeg wins philanthropy award

St. Boniface

West Broadway

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 01/11/2023 (1048 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Kinsmen Club of Winnipeg has been named one of the recipients of this year’s Manitoba Philanthropy Awards.

The St. Boniface-based organization, formed in 1924, will officially receive the accolade at the 25th annual Manitoba Philanthropy Awards on Wednesday, Nov. 15 at RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg. The Kinsmen came out on top in the outstanding foundation or philanthropic group category.

The club raises money across the city through a number of initiatives for a variety of causes, including its popular Kinsmen Jackpot Bingo, and its Kin Kar Raffle and Calendars for Kids drives. Projects which have benefited from its fundraising efforts include the Kinsmen Reh-Fit Centre, the Kinsmen Discovery Centre at the Assiniboine Zoo, Winnipeg Harvest, Operation Go Home (Winnipeg), and Easter Seals Manitoba.

The Kinsmen Club is also heavily involved with the West Broadway-based Agape Table — a charitable, non-profit organization established and maintained to help feed Winnipeg’s vulnerable population. In fact, Agape nominated the Kinsmen for the philanthropy award.

Kinsmen Club of Winnipeg president Christian Tardi said he’s grateful the organization has been acknowledged for its contributions in the community. In light of the club’s centenary next year, he hopes it will continue to make a difference for many years to come.

“Of course, as a service-based organization, we don’t do it to be recognized, but we’re grateful for the acknowledgment. We have a wonderful partnership with Agape Table,” Tardi said, noting the club has worked with Agape Table for years.

Calling the upcoming 100th anniversary an “unbelievable milestone,” Tardi said finding volunteers can be challenging in the modern era, “but we’ve stayed strong and have a wonderful, committed group that has served in a monumental way.”

Historically, local club members have also lent a helping hand to causes beyond the city’s borders, too. Notably, the Kinsmen Club of Winnipeg was involved with a national project in the 1940s called Milk for Britain, when national members sent more than 50-million quarts of powdered milk during the Second World War, Tardi said.

Other winners of the 2023 Manitoba Philanthropy Awards include Walter and Maria Schroeder — outstanding philanthropist; Stephanie Levene — outstanding professional fundraiser; Transolutions Truck Centres — outstanding corporate philanthropist; Ron Helwer — outstanding volunteer fundraiser; and Keira Davlut — outstanding youth fundraiser.

For more info, visit mbphilanthropyawards.ca, where you can also find tickets for the Nov. 15 awards ceremony.