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A multitude of organizations across Prince Edward
Island contributes to their communities and their
neighbours by channelling Islanders energy for the
betterment of society. Some of the many service groups
bringing together Island men and women are the Lions and
Lionesses, the Womens Institute, Royal Canadian
Legion, Legion Ladies Auxiliary, Catholic Womens
League, Imperial Order of Daughters of the Empire (IODE),
local museum and library associations, Kinsmen, Kinettes,
K-40, Kiwanis, Knights of Columbus, Hospital volunteers,
Rotary, United Way, War Amps, YSmen, and Zonta.
United Way
This organization builds upon the strength of
volunteers and voluntary action, seeking to engage
citizens for the benefit of the whole community. The
United Way aims to provide leadership and volunteers to raise and
distribute money for services and programs that help meet
the humanitarian needs in Island communities. The United
Way in Prince Edward Island raises funds for 23 local
agencies.
Lions Club ![Lions Club](graphics/lions.GIF)
There are 28 Lions and Lioness Clubs across the Island.
With the motto We Serve, the focus of the
Lions Club is to improve the community and help the
underprivileged. As an example, some of the community
work undertaken by the Malpeque Bay Area Lions Club
include: the Prince County Hospital Equipment Fund, golf
tournaments, turkey and ham suppers, the Kensington
Community Craft Fair, and the Lions Foundation of Canada.
With the funds raised, the club sponsors a dog-training
school that provides animal companions for people with
blindness, deafness, and special needs.
The Kin Family of Clubs
First starting in Prince Edward Island in the 1930s, the
Kinsmen currently have two clubs in the province, one
each in Summerside and Charlottetown. The Kinsmen Club
brings together young men between the ages of 19 and 45
from all walks of life who wish to fulfil the
organizations mandate: to serve the
communitys greatest need. The Summerside
Kinsmens biggest annual project is the Christmas
Appeal, during which they provide complete Christmas
packages for over 125 area families. They also provide
free meeting space for non-profit groups and have proudly sponsored many
youth sport activities, including the Kinsmen Triple
A Midgets hockey team. The Kinettes is the
Kin womens organization. They are involved in
similar service activities, including awareness and fund
raising for Multiple Sclerosis, Cystic Fibrosis, and
Operation-Go-Home. The K-40 group brings together men
over the age of 45.
Womens Institutes ![Womens Institute](graphics/w_instit.gif)
The Womens Institute began in Prince Edward
Island in 1913 and has a presence today in communities
all across the Island. The Womens Institute
deserves credit for our beautiful, litter-free
communities, thanks to their famous annual roadside
community clean-up. In their local communities, the
Womens Institute supports local schools, hospitals,
charities, and youth groups and provide scholarships for
local graduates. In addition, the Womens Institutes
are responsible for many of the community history books
that recount the development of many localities and their
families. The Womens Institutes numerous
projects are funded by frequent annual activities such as
ice cream socials, teas, plays, concerts, and banquets.
Royal Canadian Legion
In the early 1900s, many veterans organizations
were created to provide returning servicemen with a place
to meet and socialize with other veterans and facilitate
their reintegration to civilian and family life. The
Legion was granted a national charter in 1926 and is
built on the ideals of service, comradeship, and unity.
At the end of the Second World War, the Legion was
instrumental in creating the Federal Ministry of Veterans
Affairs for the dispensing of recognition and services to
veterans and their families. Today, the Royal Canadian
Legion remains a gathering place for veterans and
community members. The Kensington Legion Branch #9, for
example, plays host to community events, blood donor
clinics, and supports local Scouts Canada groups while
making innumerable other contributions to the community.
Legion Ladies Auxiliary
In Kensington, when the Legion Home was erected, Legion
members wives and their friends organized
themselves to provide additional energy and input for the
growing organization. During the early years, Auxiliary
members worked the canteen at the local rink and held
card parties and pantry sales to enable the Legion to
purchase proper dishes and a propane stove. These
purchases supported the catering business that became a
regular source of income for the group. The Ladies
Auxiliary remains a vital organization in Island
communities providing support to many local groups and
charities.
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