Our History
The Beginning — 1952
The Newcastle Kinsmen Club was founded in 1952 and later changed its name to the Miramichi Kinsmen Club. The 14 original founding members of the club were: Bud Palmer, Louis Legere, Murray Bolan, Brooke Young, William Bates, Jack Steeves, Lou Bursay, Edgar White, Willis Dickison, William Morrison, Cecil Stymiest, Lawrence Donahue, William Donahue and William Murray.
Brooke Young, Murray Bolan and Willis Dickison got together in 1952 to help establish a local Kinsmen Club here on the Miramichi. The three men approached other Miramichi men about setting up a club and 14 agreed to apply for a charter.
The late Judge Richard Miller, then president of the Moncton Kinsmen Club came to Newcastle and gave a presentation to our group on the role of Kinsmen. Later the Moncton Kinsmen Club became our sponsor for a charter. On May 4, 1952 the National Association presented the charter of the ‘Kinsmen Club of Newcastle’ and Brooke Young was elected the first president of the club
The first few years of existence were not easy years for the new club. From 1954-58 the club was nearly inactive, doing little fundraising and meeting rarely. During that time the National Association had strict membership and meeting requirements and these obligations were not being met. Rupert Kethro who joined in 1954 was instrumental in keeping the clubs charter active during these years. He forwarded meeting minutes to the appropriate officials, filled out the necessary paperwork and even paid the clubs dues to the Association.
When the members met, the meetings were held in the basement of the old United Church hall in Newcastle. The reasons for the near demise of the club were never revealed but Rupert Kethro refused to give in. He was asked by the other three remaining members to turn the charter in and fold the club. He at first said he would and then arranged for the Moncton Kinsmen Club to come to give a presentation on what Kin is about. They agreed and the remaining members were able to gather 10 other men to meet with the Moncton club at the skating and curling rink on George Street. After the meeting the new and old members decided to start a new and another meeting was scheduled at the Miramichi Hotel for September, 1958 with Hal Mann elected as the President and members were Rupert Kethro, John Dupuis, Sterling Bell, Ken Parnell, Mike Mitchell, Bill Siddall, Bob Dickson, James Stevens, Don Cleland, Lou Bursay and Willis Dickison. There were still tough times ahead, but with a strong group of members and wise decisions, the club flourished and was able to make an incredible impact on the lives of Miramichiers.
Building a Tradition of Service
In the 1950’s and ‘60’s fundraising projects really consisted of selling light bulbs, selling Christmas wreaths and collecting pop and beer bottles from families at their homes. Many a senior citizen hearing that the Kinsmen needed bottles called members to collect their bottles but the bottles were so old they couldn’t be sold, but as good Kinsmen they were collected to help out the seniors.
The club started off doing a number of minor projects such as giving out Christmas baskets to the needy, and making donations to various recreation groups and other organizations. The club also built a wading pool, named for Edgar White, and provided park equipment for it as well, but the first major project organized by the Newcastle Kinsmen was the building of the school for the mentally challenged from 1966 to 1967. These children really had no place to study. Members felt that one of our community’s greatest needs was for us to build and establish a school for mentally challenged children here on the river.
The Newcastle Kinsmen was also instrumental in the chartering of the Kinsmen Club of Bathurst in the late ‘60’s.
Club fellowship central to being a Kinsmen – Friendships that grow while working on projects for the community are a key factor in keeping members active.
“Having been a Kinsmen for the past 50 years, I must say that for me the greatest part of being a member of the Kinsmen Club is the fellowship one experiences with fellow club members while working on projects as well as socially,” says Charter and Life Member Willis Dickison.
Even today, I still enjoy the fellowship and still wholeheartedly support the ideals of the Kinsmen Club and of course the K-40 Club as well,” Dickison added.
Life Membership & the Rupert Kethro Legacy
There are a series of various awards that Kinsmen Clubs give to their members but Life Membership is the highest honour.
In honour of his efforts to rejuvenate and save the club Rupert Kethro was elected the clubs first Life Member. To further honour him the club sponsors the District’s Public Speaking Competition and named the award in honour of Rupert, as well the club’s meeting room in the Beaverbrook Kin Centre is named the “Rupert Kethro Memorial Room”.
THE 1980s – Growth, Leadership & Community Investment
The eighties continued to see the club grow in members, projects and donations to the community. We also continued to be leaders in the association by having two members represent the zone as deputy governor; they were Blaine Jenkins in 1979-80 and Paul McGraw in 1984-86. We also hosted the spring zone conference in Newcastle in March 1985.
For the 30th anniversary, celebrated in February 1982, it was decided to hold a special night. The guest speaker for the night was former premier of Newfoundland Joey Smallwood. Joe was known for his oratory and he certainly did not let those down who were in attendance.
On March 15th, 1986 the Newcastle Kinsmen had the pleasure of a visit from the founder of our association, Hal Rogers. There was a dinner and dance at the Miramichi Gold and Country Club in honour of his visit. Founder Hal Rogers spent the night telling stories of Kin from across the country and he then honoured past president Robert “Bob” McCallum with life membership. Any member that was present that evening still recalls it as one of the highlights of their Kin career.
Throughout the decade through projects such as the Kinsmen bingo, chicken BBQ, greaser dances and the spring and fall sportsmen stags, the club was able to continue to donate to many of the community’s greatest needs.
Some of these donations included an ambulance for the St. John Ambulance, $50,000 to the building of the Miramichi Civic Center, Jaws of Life and rescue boats to the local Fire departments, Chatham Fire Training Center, Chatham Day Care Center and many smaller donations to local groups, teams and people in need. The club was also active in the winter carnival and Canada Day celebrations.
Major projects were held annually for cystic fibrosis and multiple sclerosis out national and district service projects respectively. One of these projects was a “Donnie and the Monarchs” dance, where profits went to multiple sclerosis. There was always great community support for these dances.
The major project for cystic fibrosis throughout the decade was the Bed Push. We pushed a bed around the river and relied on the generosity of the public for donations, and they never let us down. In the late eighties the Kinsmen became associated with Zellers and their employees, with the Moonwalk and all monies raised went to cystic fibrosis as well.
The eighties was a decade where the Newcastle Kinsmen continues to work to “Serve the Community’s Greatest Need” which is the motto of the association. Thanks once again to the community for its support of the Kinsmen and allowing us to provide funding for worthy causes throughout the Miramichi Region.
THE 1990s – A New Name and a New Home
The Kinsmen started off the nineties with a bang, a $200,000 renovation of the Kinsmen Pool and accompanying building. It was a major financial undertaking by our members but as with all projects could not have been completed without the generous support of the community.
Our club also continued to be leaders having had elected three deputy governors. They were Ken MacDonald in 1992-93, Gordon Nelson in 1997-98 and Derrick Huskins in 1999-2000. We also hosted the Spring Zone Conference in March of 1991 and again in March of 1998. In the spring of 1992 we celebrated our 40th Anniversary by changing the name of the club from Newcastle to the Miramichi Kinsmen. That night we had the pleasure of having our National Presidents John and Dodie Glynn on hand to celebrate with us.
Throughout the decade we continued raising funds with such projects as a Vehicle Giveaway, Bingo, Bed Pushes, Dances, Catering, Raffles and our Spring and Fall sportsmen stag nights. In the late nineties we did modify our sportsmen stags to one project in the Fall, a Big Buck Night, which has been a huge success. As a result of these and other fundraising activities we were able to make donations to many community groups and charities. Some of these included Cystic Fibrosis, Multiple Sclerosis, a new rescue boat for the City Fire Department, a play ground at Ian Baillie School, renovations at the Lord Beaverbrook Arena and countless other donations.
In 1996-97 we took on one of our largest commitments in our history. We took over the former Newcastle town hall and theatre, renaming it the Beaverbrook Kin Centre. By taking this building over, we were able to sell our home, the Kinsmen School, and use the money to renovate the Building. The building was in need of many improvements and these included painting of the entire building, a new floor and curtains in the theatre, a new patio at the rear of the building, complete renovation of the second floor, a new kitchen and bar and we made the facility handicap accessible. These renovations cost in excess of $200,000, but have made it the clubs pride and joy and a beautiful facility to hold any meeting, function or banquet. We are continually doing upgrades and will continue to do so to keep this historic building available for the community.
THE 2000s – Traditions Take Root
As the Miramichi Kinsmen entered a new century, the projects and fundraising methods continued to evolve, but the purpose of the club remained the same — Serving the Community’s Greatest Need.
The Beaverbrook Kin Centre continued to be an important part of both the club and the community. After the extensive renovations completed when the club took over the former Newcastle Town Hall and theatre in the late 1990s, members continued investing time and money into maintaining and improving the historic building. Over the years, the Kin Centre became home not only to Kinsmen meetings and projects, but also to countless community meetings, theatre productions, celebrations, fundraisers, cultural events and private functions.
The club also remained connected to another piece of its history, the Kinsmen Outdoor Pool. Originally constructed in 1967 and later upgraded with the involvement of the Newcastle Kinsmen, the pool received additional improvements during the 2000s. In 2005, new decking and a heating system were installed, helping ensure that a recreational facility bearing the Kinsmen name would continue serving Miramichi families for another generation.
Fundraising continued through projects such as Kinsmen Bingo and Big Buck Night. What had begun in the late 1990s as an evolution of the club’s traditional spring and fall sportsmen stag nights became one of the Miramichi Kinsmen’s signature annual events. Big Buck Night combined fundraising with the fellowship that had always been such an important part of the club.
At the same time, many of the club’s service projects became long-standing Miramichi traditions.
The annual Christmas Toy Drive continued to grow, helping ensure children throughout the Miramichi region had something under the tree Christmas morning. What had once been a project largely carried out by club members developed into a true community effort involving local schools, businesses and volunteers.
The annual Seniors Christmas Supper also continued to grow. Working alongside the Newcastle Lions Club, Kinsmen members helped provide hundreds of Christmas dinners to seniors from throughout the Miramichi area each year. Just as importantly, the event became an opportunity for fellowship and community connection during the Christmas season.
Throughout the decade, proceeds from Kinsmen fundraising continued to find their way back into the Miramichi community through support for individuals, youth activities, recreation, charities and community organizations.
THE 2010s – New Projects, New Partnerships
The next decade saw many of the club’s traditional projects continue while new projects and partnerships were created.
One of the most important partnerships was with the Miramichi Tim Hortons restaurants and the annual Smile Cookie Campaign. By 2012, proceeds from Smile Cookie sales in Miramichi were being directed to the Miramichi Kinsmen to help purchase Christmas gifts for deserving local children.
That partnership became a major part of the Christmas Toy Drive. Together with Tim Hortons, local schools, Walmart Miramichi, other businesses and countless residents who donated toys or money, the Kinsmen continued helping hundreds of children experience a happier Christmas.
The club also continued looking for new ways to serve.
Projects during this period included a Daddy Daughter Dance, with proceeds from one event donated to Hospice Miramichi and its programs. Like many successful Kin projects over the club’s history, the event combined fellowship and family fun with support for an important community organization.
The Beaverbrook Kin Centre remained one of the club’s largest continuing responsibilities. In 2016, another significant round of improvements was undertaken at the building. The club received support through the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program to help renovate and improve the facility, continuing a commitment that had begun when the club took ownership of the building two decades earlier.
The importance of the facility to Miramichi was demonstrated in many ways. Community organizations regularly used the building, theatre productions were staged there, and in September 2016 the Beaverbrook Kin Centre even hosted a meeting of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans while the committee was studying wild Atlantic salmon in Eastern Canada.
One of the club’s longest-running fundraising projects also continued to evolve. Radio Bingo became a Sunday-night tradition throughout the region. With local radio support and bingo books available from businesses throughout Miramichi, the weekly project became one of the club’s most dependable sources of fundraising revenue. Those funds, in turn, allowed the Kinsmen to continue responding to requests for assistance from throughout the community.
In 2018 another new project was launched — Kinsmen Trivia Night.
Teams of up to eight players competed through ten rounds of trivia while enjoying food, fellowship and a little friendly competition. The event quickly found an audience, returning for its second year in 2019 and its third in February 2020.
Meanwhile, Big Buck Night remained one of the club’s biggest annual fellowship and fundraising events. In November 2018 the club celebrated the 20th Annual Big Buck Night, marking two decades since the old sportsmen stag format had evolved into the project.
While fundraising projects changed with the times, the model remained very familiar to generations of Miramichi Kinsmen: members giving their time, local businesses supporting projects, the public participating generously, and the proceeds being returned to the community.
THE 2020s – Resilience, Renewal & Continued Service
The beginning of the 2020s presented challenges that few Kinsmen could have anticipated.
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted meetings, fundraising projects, social gatherings and many of the traditional ways service clubs operated. Projects that depended on large crowds and face-to-face interaction had to be postponed, cancelled or reimagined.
But service did not stop.
As restrictions eased, many familiar Miramichi Kinsmen projects returned, and the club continued rebuilding its project calendar and community presence.
Radio Bingo remained an important fundraiser and Sunday evening tradition. Its format continued to include regular games, a growing jackpot and the popular loonie feature, with bingo books sold through local retailers throughout the region.
Trivia Night also returned after its pandemic interruption. In February 2023, the club held its Fourth Annual Kinsmen Trivia Night, bringing teams back together at the Beaverbrook Kin Centre.
Big Buck Night also returned as one of the club’s signature events. By 2025, the club celebrated its 25th Big Buck Night, another milestone for a project whose roots stretched back to the sportsmen stag nights of an earlier generation.
Perhaps nowhere was the club’s continued community impact more visible than during Christmas.
The Seniors Christmas Supper, organized with the Newcastle Lions Club, continued to serve hundreds of Miramichi seniors each year. The 32nd annual supper served more than 400 meals and collected cash and two truckloads of food for the local food bank. By 2025, the two clubs were celebrating the 34th Annual Seniors Christmas Supper, serving more than 500 meals while once again collecting food and monetary donations for those in need.
The Kinsmen Christmas Toy Drive continued to grow as well. The project developed into a major partnership involving the Kinsmen, Tim Hortons, Walmart Miramichi, area schools and members of the community. In recent years, approximately 400 local children have been assisted during a single Christmas season.
The success of these projects demonstrated something generations of Kinsmen had learned before them: the club may organize a project, but it is the generosity of the entire Miramichi community that makes its success possible.
The club also continued supporting organizations beyond its own projects. Recent years have included contributions to organizations working in areas such as health care, youth support, recovery and addiction services, arts and culture, recreation and assistance to individuals and families.
The Beaverbrook Kin Centre remained central to that community involvement. More than a quarter-century after the Kinsmen took responsibility for the former Newcastle Town Hall, the building continued to host theatre, music, cultural activities, community meetings, celebrations and charitable events. Maintaining and improving the historic facility remained one of the club’s largest ongoing service commitments.
In 2026, the club took another major step in preserving the Beaverbrook Kin Centre, undertaking significant renovations to the building. This work included replacing and upgrading the windows throughout the facility, along with extensive brick repairs and restoration. The project represented one of the most substantial investments in the Kin Centre in many years and continued the club’s long-standing commitment to protecting the historic building and ensuring it remains a vibrant and useful community facility for years to come.
The club also continued to be represented beyond Miramichi within Kin Canada. Miramichi members have served in club, zone and district leadership positions and participated in conferences, training and service initiatives throughout Atlantic Canada.
Membership naturally changed over the decades. Some longtime members retired from active service, others became Life Members, and new members stepped forward to take their place. In 2022-23, the Miramichi Kinsmen were among the District 7 clubs recognized by Kin Canada for membership growth — an encouraging sign for a club that had itself once come within a handful of members of disappearing in the 1950s.
Those stories echo the story of Rupert Kethro many decades earlier: an organization survives because individuals decide that the work is worth continuing
Continuing the Legacy – More Than Seven Decades of Service
From selling light bulbs, wreaths and used bottles in the 1950s, to building a school in the 1960s; from bed pushes, dances and sportsmen stags to Radio Bingo, Big Buck Night and Trivia Night; and from Christmas baskets to Toy Drives serving hundreds of children, the projects have changed considerably since 1952.
The purpose has not.
The Miramichi Kinsmen have built facilities, supported recreation, purchased emergency equipment, assisted families, helped children at Christmas, served meals to seniors, supported health care and charitable organizations and provided countless smaller donations that may never make a newspaper headline but can make an enormous difference to the person receiving them.
Just as importantly, generations of members have created friendships while doing it.
The fellowship described by the club’s early members remains one of the reasons people join Kin and one of the reasons they stay. Members work side by side at Bingo, Big Buck Night, the Toy Drive, Seniors Supper, Trivia Night and countless other activities and, somewhere along the way, become lifelong friends.
More than seventy years after fourteen men applied for a charter in Newcastle, the Kinsmen Club of the Miramichi continues to be part of the fabric of the community.
The names have changed.
The projects have changed.
The community has changed.
But the commitment remains the same:
Serving the Community’s Greatest Need.