The Wallaceburg Kinsmen Club celebrated a major milestone on Wednesday night, as they announced $1 million has been raised at the Wallaceburg Hometown Bingo Hall since 2004.
Sheldon Parsons, a long-time Kinsmen member in Wallaceburg, told the Sydenham Current he feels a lot of pride in the community and the club.
“I’m proud that we were able to do something that not a lot of communities have been able to do across the province,” he said.
“We’ve been challenged from the get go and almost every year. As we move through this project it has always been a challenge, but the club always came to the challenge and the community always came up to the challenge.”
Parsons says it is hard to quantify how many people have been impacted by the money raised at the bingo hall. He said many community groups have utilized the funds in multiple ways.
“It’s impossible, so much is indirect,” he said.
“For instance the Lend a Hand breakfast programs. How many kids go to school hungry… because of the breakfast program, because they are able to raise monies, they can provide good school nutrition programs for the kids, who get there sometimes with nothing in their belly.”
Parsons added: “You can’t really put it into words, you can’t put any matrix around it, or numbers around it… you just know good things are being done.”
The Kinsmen held a celebration event at the Kinsmen Community Centre on Wednesday, January 24.
A “symbolic” $1 million cheque presentation was held with Chatham-Kent Mayor Randy Hope, Wallaceburg Coun. Jeff Wesley and Kyle Charlton, president of the Wallaceburg Kinsmen.
“Today we get to celebrate that hard work of those that wanted to build the facility and create the opportunity for the community,” Mayor Hope said.
“The victory is over $1 million that has been contributed to the community and I think that’s a positive step, knowing the dedication that was there, the vision they created.”
Wesley thanked the numerous volunteers in attendance on Wednesday for their years of dedication.
“If you look around, not only at this facility, but you look at the organizations and services that you have helped fund in this community and beyond. It is because of all of you that Wallaceburg and area is such a great place to live, work and play,” he said.
Kinsmen members from Sarnia, Tilbury and Dresden were in attendance, along with regional representatves for Kin Canada. Letters of congratulations were also read from Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MP Bev Shipley and MPP Monte McNaughton.
Charlton said the Kinsmen saw an opportunity to expand in 2009 by purchasing the former Canadian Tire property on Dufferin Avenue.
He said through personal contributions from three Kinsmen members, the Community Futures program and throuhg financial support from all three levels of government, the Kinsmen were able to make the Wallaceburg Kinsmen Community Centre a reality.
Charlton added the Wallaceburg Kinsmen wanted to specifically thank Sandra and Eric Johnston for their “complete involvement” from the very beginning.
The Kinsmen originally started running bingo’s back in 2004, when the smoking bylaw changes forced the closure of the private bingo halls in Wallaceburg, Parsons said.
They ran bingo’s for a number of years at a rented facility on Arnold Street, before renovating their current home on Dufferin Avenue, he added.
The Kinsmen also announced $250 donations to all 12 community groups who currently run bingo’s at the hall, including:
– Christ the King Catholic School
– Kinsmen Community Services
– Lend a Hand Meals
– Wallaceburg Sea Cadets
– Red Devils Lacrosse
– Selkirk History Faire
– Tartan Booster Club
– Wallaceburg and District Historical Society
– Knights of Pythias
– Wallaceburg Rotary Club
– Wallaceburg Senior Citizens
– Wallaceburg Kinsmen Club
Parsons said they are always looking for new groups to come on board and join them.
“There is always room for new groups to come in and run bingo’s,” he said.
“If they would like to talk to us, is they’d like to talk to the Hometown Bingo Association, we’d be glad to speak to them. It’s a good way for groups and organizations to get into a safe and reliable way to raise monies. You can’t make a lot of money at bake sales and car washes, but running bingo’s is an excellent way and a reliable way to raise monies for their particular program.”
For more details, visit: www.wallaceburghometownbingo.ca
