Kinsmen help spread joy during week of KINdness

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This article was published 20/02/2022 (1489 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Kinsmen Club of Brandon set up bright pink flocks of plastic flamingos as part of Kin Canada’s Day of KINdness this past week to give thanks to Brandon’s essential workers for their tireless efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The colourful flocks were designed to help put some kindness back into the world, said chair John DeBeer, affectionately known in the club as the “FlockmasterJ.” The club was compelled to bring some brightness into the community, he said, given the emotionally and mentally exhausting situations many have faced over the last two years.

“If even for five minutes looking at a flamingo helps you forget about the world and puts everything back in perspective for you, that’s all worth it,” DeBeer said. “It’s worth getting up at 5 o’clock in the morning to get those flamingos in the ground. It’s worth being out there when it’s -50C … because you can bring that small amount of joy to somebody amid all this craziness.”

The Kinsmen Club had a flock of 100 plastic flamingos ready to spread their wings and migrate around town for the Day of KINdness. It took seven club members and one Kinnete to help the flamingos set up roost in their designated areas. DeBeer noted the flamingo flocks are typically set up to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, adoptions, retirements and other special events or milestones at the request of someone looking to help a friend or loved one celebrate a special day.

“This is the first time that we’ve done what I would guess that is a recognition one,” DeBeer said. “This is the first time we have done something with our flamingos or our flocks as a thank you to community partners for what they’ve done.”

The flamingos visited several spots around town in honour of the Day of KINdness.

The first flocking took place Tuesday at Brandon City Hall as a thank you to recognize all city staff for their hard work during the pandemic.

From there, the flamingos migrated to different spots each day. On Wednesday they set up shop at both Brandon Fire Emergency Services stations and the Brandon Police Service station. On Thursday, they made an appearance at the Brandon School Division office. On Friday, they flew by the Fairview, Rideau Park and Hillcrest personal care homes, and on Saturday they were parked in front of the Brandon Regional Health Centre.

DeBeer added it was especially important to provide acts of kindness at personal care homes because these facilities have been heavily impacted by COVID-19 and the virus’ associated health measures. Raising the flamingo flock outside these facilities served as a way to show they have not been forgotten.

“They’ve really taken it on the teeth and all of these things were to recognize the staff. The people that have been in the trenches and doing all of that work right from the start,” DeBeer said. “Whether you’re a doctor, or a nurse, or a housekeeper … It wasn’t important to us what you did — it was important to us that you were recognized for the part that you played in getting the citizens of Brandon and western Manitoba through some of what the last two years have thrown at us.”

The project was able to take flight thanks in part to sponsorship from Brandon Home Hardware and Scale Solutions Inc. that helped absorb the startup costs of raising the initial flamingo flock.

Saturday marked the official Kinsmen’s National Day of KINdness. The Kin Canada association was founded on Feb. 20, 1920, by Hal Rogers — a First World War veteran who missed the camaraderie he shared with his fellow soldiers in the trenches, DeBeer said. Rogers founded the organization based on service, fellowship and kindness.

The Brandon Kinsmen are the fourth-oldest active charter in the association of Kin Canada, founded in July of 1925.

“To honour him about 10 years ago, they started this day of KINdness,” DeBeer said. “We [the Brandon Club] decided to make it a week of kindness.”

The event served to honour the father of the organization and their community at the same time.

The Brandon Kinsmen have a rich and storied history of aiding the community whenever it is asked of them, DeBeer said, and they look forward to carrying forward this mission in the future, “one flock at a time.”

For those interested in becoming a bird of a feather and flocking together with the Brandon Kinsmen or to request a visit from the flamingo flock for a special occasion, contact DeBeer at flockmasterj@brandonkin.ca.

The Brandon Kinsmen will soon be relaunching its Chase the Ace, more details will be available soon.

For more information on the Kinsmen Club of Brandon, visit brandonkin.ca/kinsmen. And to learn more about Kin Canada — the only all-Canadian service organization — visit kincanada.ca.

» ckemp@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @The_ChelseaKemp