Moose Jaw Kinsmen continue charitable efforts despite challenges Friendly City Optimist Club of Moose Jaw finding ways to continue PEOPLE’S CHOICE

Friendly City Optimist Club of Moose Jaw finding ways to continue to work in tough climate

The Moose Jaw Kinsmen Club might not have had as many activities and fundraisers over the past year due to the pandemic, but their efforts to support the community never waned.

The Moose Jaw Kinsmen Club is one of the most prolific community sponsors in the city.

The service club continued to support the many organizations that rely on their annual donations, groups that range from Families for Change to the local Beaver and Cub Scout troops to a long list of local sports leagues and teams that find success on a regular basis due to their help. That translates into $100,000 plus in donations on an annual basis, impressive for a club with around 20 members. The Kinsmen stayed busy with their non-fundraisers too, with one of their most impressive being the annual Santa Claus Parade, which was modified to have Santa tour the city and brought in nearly 7,000 pounds in food donations to the Moose Jaw and District Food Bank. Folks have noticed, too — the Kinsmen were named the 2020 Group of the Year in the annual Moose Jaw and District Chamber of Commerce community awards. There were some disappointments, though, with one of the largest being the cancellation of the major fundraiser, the Kinsmen Celebrity Sports Banquet. That loss was the first time in 29 years the event had been cancelled. Fundraising efforts still continued, though, with their weekly Chase the Ace at Cask 82 helping offset their ongoing costs and financial commitments. That event is ongoing, taking place every Wednesday at 7 p.m. For more information on the Kinsmen and how to support their ongoing charitable efforts, visit their Facebook page at www.faceboook.com/mjkinsmen.

The Friendly City Optimist Club of Moose Jaw would traditionally be preparing for a very busy summer this time of year. With the many family-friendly events they stage once the nice weather hits, plans would be coming together for all sorts of fun in the sun — from barbecues to their popular carnival at the Western Development Museum and work at large events, it would be as busy as it would be enjoyable. But we’re still in the pandemic era, and as a result, all those fundraising plans are on hold. The Optimists have remained busy, though. They’ve held regular Zoom meetings with their membership, offering a chance to gather virtually, see friendly faces and roll through their regular business. Folks have shown up, too, with the online gatherings even drawing a few new members into their midst. The good news is things are still in solid shape for the organization’s coffers, too. That’s thanks to a series of raffles that have brought in cash, including their most recent steak pak raffle that drew lots of support from the community. Not having a chance to hold their major events hasn’t stopped their support of Moose Jaw charities. A glance at their Facebook page shows their annual scholarship presentations are still going ahead, along with a handful of other regular commitments and one-off donations. Fortunately, that won’t change any time in the near future, either, as the group continues to hold a decent amount of funds in reserve to fund their ongoing projects.

The Friendly City Optimist Club of Moose Jaw in action during their most recent Zoom meeting. Facebook photo

For more information on the Friendly City Optimists, visit their website at www.moosejawoptimistclub.wordpress.com, check out their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/AMSNW13105 or give them a shout at (306) 694-4121.