Kindness Club facts for kids
The Kindness Club is a group that teaches people, especially kids, to be kind to animals. It also helps them learn how to protect animals. Aida Flemming started this club in 1959 in a place called Fredericton, New Brunswick.
How the Club Started and Grew
In 1957, Aida Flemming, whose husband was the leader of New Brunswick, held a writing contest for kids. The contest asked them to write about how animals were being protected and what more could be done. Many kids sent in their essays, and Aida Flemming was very impressed.
This led her to start the Kindness Club in 1959. She wrote an article in a magazine called Atlantic Advocate. She suggested a club for children aged 5 to 13. The club was built on a special idea called "Reverence for Life". This idea means respecting all living things. A famous doctor and thinker named Albert Schweitzer came up with this idea. As the club grew around the world, Dr. Schweitzer even became its honorary president!
By 1962, the Kindness Club had spread to many countries. There were branches in the United States, New Zealand, and England. Members of the club made a promise. They pledged "to be kind to animals (as well as people) and to speak and act in defense of all helpless creatures." One of the first members was Paul Watson, who later became a well-known environmental activist. He said the club taught him to "respect and defend animals."
The Humane Society of the United States helped manage the clubs in the U.S. The World Federation for the Protection of Animals in Switzerland looked after the clubs in other countries. By 1984, which was the club's 25th birthday, it had groups in 22 different countries!
The Kindness Club Today
In 2009, the Kindness Club celebrated its 50th anniversary. Most of its members at that time were in Canada. The club still follows Albert Schweitzer's idea of "reverence for life."
Today, the Kindness Club continues to teach kids about being kind to animals. This is called humane education. They also help with local projects. For example, they support programs that help pets get spayed or neutered at a lower cost. They also donate pet food to food banks to help families feed their animals.
In Canada, the Kindness Club is managed by a group called the Kindness Club Foundation Inc. This foundation was officially started in New Brunswick in 1963. It is a registered charity. This means it's a non-profit group that helps others. In 2016, their main goal was to support other charities that teach humane education.
