NEWS PHOTO MO CRANKER
Local Kinsmen member Cameron Kemp stands with a collection of old Kinsmen memorabilia at his office on First Street SW. Kemp has been a member since 2005 and was recently elected to the Kinsmen national board as a director.
mcranker@medicinehatnews.com @MHNmocranker
A member of the local Kinsmen Club was recently elected as a director on Kin Canada’s national board.
Lifelong Hatter Cameron Kemp has been a club member since March of 2005 and has worked various positions with the local club, as well as provincially, and now says he is excited to work nationally with the club.
“The board consists of eight directors and three officers — I’m one of the eight directors,” he said. “As a board member we create the strategic plan and work on certain goals like membership.
“This is a skills-based board and there’s a certain number of skills we want people on the board to have to help move the association forward — I’m really looking forward to working the position.”
Kemp graduated from Medicine Hat High School then attended the University of Lethbridge for his undergrad and completed his Masters at the University of Saskatchewan. He says he loves being an active member of the Hat community.
“I didn’t come from a Kinsmen family, but growing up here I’ve always known what the club is about,” said Kemp. “When I got back from university I knew I wanted to do something to give back.
“All the way through junior high and high school I was in every club and always enjoyed volunteering. I’ve done a lot with the club, including being president — I’ve really found something fulfilling with this.”
The Kinsmen and Kinette clubs both operate under the Kin Canada banner and there are more than 6,000 members across the country.
“The motto of Kin Canada is ‘serving the community’s greatest need,'” he said. “What that means, is that every individual club in every city in Canada gets to pick what the area’s needs are.
“Every year we have five major projects we work on to raise money for certain charities and to help better Medicine Hat.”
More information on the Kinsmen can be found at mhkinsmen.ca