The Niagara-on-the-Lake Kinsmen Club is the latest in a group of institutions and government groups to lend its support to the Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum in its mission to double its space, with a $25,000 donation.
“The Kinsmen club is thrilled to support the museum with this donation, spread over five years,” club president Ray Hobbs said in a media release.
“We have been deeply involved in serving this community since 1970, and the museum also plays an invaluable role here, preserving our local history, our stories and our Canadian identity.”
Museum CEO Sarah Kaufman said the club’s contribution brings the institution closer to realizing its planned expansion.
“We are truly grateful to the Kinsmen for their ongoing support,” she said. “For 130 years, the museum has depended on community involvement, and that’s exactly what has made this museum so important, not only for Niagara-on-the-Lake, but also for the nation.”
This is the latest funding announcement for the museum’s $10-million expansion project, which will nearly double its size to 18,000 square feet.
This fall, the museum secured $2 million in funds from the Government of Canada, $150,000 in funds from the Royal Bank of Canada for a new elevator and received a $100,000 donation from the NOTL Rotary Club.
The NOTL Kinsmen Club was founded in 1970 with Ed McCarthy as its first president and Monty Slingerland as its first treasurer.
The club is known for community events such as the annual Kinsmen car show, the Easter egg hunt, and cleanups along Highway 55 and the Bob Howse Trail.
It has also refurbished its King Street home, the Kinsmen Scout Hall, for use by Boy Scouts, Girl Guides and the Maple Leaf Montessori School. The club says the hall now serves as a venue for its own events and an affordable rental space for local groups.
Over the decades, the Kinsmen have supported projects at the Virgil Centennial and Credit Union arenas, the NOTL Community Centre, the Niagara-on-the-Lake Public Library and, more recently, the Upper Canada Heritage Trail.
Hobbs said the Kinsmen’s long-standing presence in communities across Canada reflects a commitment to public service.
“This is a truly Canadian service organization,” he said. “And as a descendant of immigrants and world war veterans, I couldn’t be more pleased that the club is supporting this wonderful museum, celebrating our diverse culture, and telling our Canadian stories.”
