Kindness Club facts for kids
The Kindness Club is an organization that teaches people, especially kids, how to be kind to animals and other living things. It was started by Aida Flemming in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, in 1959.
How the Kindness Club Started and Grew
In 1957, Aida Flemming, whose husband was the leader of New Brunswick, held a writing contest for children. The topic was about protecting animals. She was very happy with how many kids participated. This led her to create the Kindness Club in 1959. She wrote an article in a magazine called Atlantic Advocate to invite children aged 5 to 13 to join.
The club was built on a special idea called "reverence for life." This means respecting and valuing all living things. This idea came from a famous doctor and philosopher named Albert Schweitzer. As the club grew around the world, Dr. Schweitzer even became its honorary president!
By 1962, the Kindness Club had branches in the United States, New Zealand, and England. Members promised to "be kind to animals (as well as people) and to speak and act in defense of all helpless creatures." One early member was Paul Watson, who later became a well-known environmental activist. He has said that the Kindness Club taught him to respect and protect animals.
The Humane Society of the United States helped manage the clubs in the U.S. Other international chapters were looked after by the World Federation for the Protection of Animals in Switzerland. 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 are now in Canada. The club still follows Albert Schweitzer's idea of "reverence for life." It focuses on teaching children about being kind to animals.
The club also helps with local projects. For example, it supports programs that help pets get spayed or neutered at a lower cost. It also donates pet food to food banks, so families can feed their animals.
In Canada, the Kindness Club is run by the Kindness Club Foundation Inc. This foundation was officially started in New Brunswick in 1963. It is a registered charity. In 2016, its main goal was to support other charities that teach people about humane education.
