Out & Out was started in 1980 by a small group of people who wanted to go canoeing and camping in an 2SLGBTQIA+ positive environment. One of the founding members explained their goal was "to be out of the closet and out in the country."
The Club constitution was created in 1984, and on March 21, 1985, the Club was incorporated as a not-for-profit organization under the name “Out & Out Club (Toronto) Inc.”
Over more than four decades, our membership expanded greatly, as the Club introduced a wide range of both outdoor and indoor activities. Through the years, some individual-sport groups have spun off from Out & Out, as the number of members interested in their sport grew large enough to warrant an independent operation. Our Members also contribute generously each year to a Subsidy Fund that helps lower-income Members attend Club events that have a significant cost, such as our Jamboree summer camp each August.
Out & Out is entirely volunteer-run. Most of the hundreds of Activities each year are led volunteer Leaders. The Board, a small group of elected members, is responsible for the general operations – handling membership applications and renewals, subsidies, marketing, communications, and financial matters. The Board and their subcommittees also plan some of the Club’s larger special events, such as the Spring Fling, Jamboree, End-of-Summer picnic, and our Annual General Meeting.
If we don’t say it enough, a giant “THANK YOU!!!” to all the dedicated volunteers who have made Out & Out a successful organization for 46 years. We can’t wait to see what the next decades bring!
