The Kindness Club, a non-profit, international humane organization for children, was founded in 1959 by Mrs. Aida Flemming of Fredericton, New Brunswick. Based upon Dr. Albert Schweitzer's philosophy of reverence for life, the club's primary objectives are to educate children to be kind to animals and people and to respect the environment. In 1963 the Kindness Club Foundation Inc. was incorporated by letters patent to oversee the work of the Kindness Club. Both children and adults are eligible to join the Kindness Club, either as individual members or as part of a branch club or a Kindness Club class. Branch clubs are formed at animal shelters, libraries, or community centres and are located throughout Canada, in the United States, and in India, England, the West Indies, Belize, Ireland, Australia, Korea, Japan, and elsewhere.
The Kindness Club is affiliated with many Humane Societies and Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCAs) across Canada and in the United States, and is a member of the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies, the World Societies for the Protection of Animals, the Canadian Nature Federation, and Zoocheck Canada. Supported financially by donations, the Kindness Club sponsors an annual essay contest in New Brunswick schools; organizes nature walks and education classes to teach kindness to animals and pet care; and produces a newsletter. In 2001 its main office is located at 66 Brunswick Street, Fredericton, New Brunswick.
Source: The Kindness Club Web site: www.smythe.nbcc.ca/kindness
Published
Title based on the contents of the fonds.
This fonds consists primarily of the administrative records of the Kindness Club's main office located at Fredericton, New Brunswick. It includes correspondence, scrapbooks (1959-1982), account books, addresses, receipts for the Kindness Club Camp Fund, orders for hasti-notes, financial statements, applications, fundraising material, minutes of the Kindness Club Foundation Inc., address books, desk calendars, periodicals, newsletters, pamphlets, research and other notes, press clippings, a photograph of Aida (McCann) Flemming at age 4, and materials relating to the Kindness Club essay contest (1957-1981).
Correspondence pertains to club branches or classes located in New Brunswick, elsewhere in Canada, the United States, Argentina, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Bermuda, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Cyprus, Guiana, Egypt, England, Ecuador, France, Gabon, Ghana, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jersey, Kenya, Korea, Lebanon, Malaya, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Portugal, Rhodesia, Salvador, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka (Ceylon), Switzerland, Tanzania, Trinidad, Viet Nam, Wales, West Germany, West Indies, Pakistan, and Zaire. There are also private letters, including a few to or from Lord Beaverbrook, Thornton Burgess, John and Olive Diefenbaker, Cyrus Eaton, Erica Deichmann Gregg, Fannie Hurst, Stuart Trueman, and the Albert Schweitzer Hospital.
Research notes and clippings pertain primarily to various kinds of animals, humane societies, Dr. Albert Schweitzer, and environmental matters. Canadian, American, and overseas periodicals, magazines, and newsletters relate to various animal welfare agencies, humane societies, charitable associations, government departments or agencies, and to nature themes.
Acquired through 10 accessions as follows:
M1982.5 - Aida Flemming
M1983.121 - Aida Flemming
M1983. 142 - Aida Flemming
M1984.132 - Aida Flemming
M1985.161 - Kindness Club representatives
M1993.65 - Internal transfer (Government Records)
M2002.159 - David Barrett (member of Board of Directors of Kindness Club and Vice President)
M2003.49 - Stacey Kelly (material placed in MC2276 Aida Flemming fonds)
M2010.93 - Shelley DowM2015.65 - Internal transfer (Government Records
Information about the custody of these records prior to acquisition is incomplete.
The Provincial Archives of New Brunswick also houses MC2276 Aida Flemming fonds and MC1088 Hugh John Flemming fonds.
No restrictions
An inventory is available.