Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure today that I rise in the House to pay tribute to the May Court Club on its 100th anniversary. The May Court Club of Canada was founded in 1898 by Lady Aberdeen, wife of then Governor General, the Earl of Aberdeen. Thirty-six of the 150 members and volunteers from Kitchener—Waterloo are on their way to Ottawa to take part in the 100th anniversary celebrations taking place May 1 and 2 with their current patron, Her Excellency, Mrs. Diana Fowler LeBlanc.
May Court provides a valuable community service. Through its tireless volunteerism and fundraising it operates a number of community service projects, including an afternoon day care centre for mothers and children, a special care committee providing weekly activities for ex-psychiatric patients and a food box program for school children.
In addition to these valuable services, through local fundraising efforts May Court provides financial aid to 39 community organizations servicing children, community needs, health care and counselling—