In 1965 the first attempt at holding a rodeo in St. Albert was a disaster, with torrential rain twice forcing the Kinsmen club to cancel the inaugural event. But those Kinsmen can be as determined as the cowboys are tough, so this weekend the 48th edition of the Rainmaker Rodeo will go ahead under what is forecast to be sunny skies and warm temperatures.
And while thousands of people will be enjoying events ranging from Saturday morning’s Gazette pancake breakfast and the rodeo parade, to the midway rides, evening concerts and the daily rodeo competitions, they will also be helping the Kinsmen with their never-ending mission of giving back to the community.
Although the rodeo hasn’t always been the financially successful event the club has planned, the Kinsmen say it is still a big opportunity to help them help St. Albert.
“It is a fundraiser, we do raise money to give back to the community,” said local president Patrick Dower.
Dower said the Kinsmen use the funds generated at the event to invest in the community through high school scholarships, donations to the local charities and to invest in local projects.
As part of the national organization, local Kinsmen have also helped with the fight against cystic fibrosis and Alberta Kinsmen are major donors to STARS.
“When we got involved in 1964, the average age of a CF patient was four, and now they are well into their 50s,” said Dower. “Our goal is to have a control or cure in this decade to be able to move our strength going somewhere else.”
Behind the funds generated from the Kinsmen RV park, the Rainmaker is the group’s second biggest fundraiser of the year, but Dower said they also think of it as a chance for St. Albert to really come together.
“We have also changed the way we have thought about the rodeo, this is kind of a festival for St. Albert.”
He said some people in the community remember the rodeo as where they met their wife or their best friends.
Dower said the funding also allows them to invest in the Korral building and the RV park. The Korral is rented out to community groups and occasionally donated to them as well.
The Kinsmen are always looking for people to join their group. Dower said the organization has taught him a lot of important lessons that continue to be useful in his daily life.
Beyond Kinsmen, members get involved because they believe helping their community is important, but there are lots of other reasons as well.
“We are also there because it is fun, we are having a good time.”
