Ultimate - Antioch Shrine Temple

TheUltimateGuide

IntroductionIf you do not think golfer Arnold Palmer,astronaut Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, countrycrooner Brad Paisley and race car driverSam Hornish, Jr. have anything incommon besides celebrity, you needthe Shriner Primer.If you think that “Potentate” is thestrength of hot sauce that lies somewherebetween “mild” and “hot” at your favoriteburrito joint, you need the Shriner Primer.And if you think the only thing Shriners –those guys in the odd-looking, tasseled,red hats in your local Independence Dayparade – do is ride around in tiny cars, youreally need the Shriner Primer.Consider the following 20 pages ourversion of the CliffsNotes ® on ShrinersInternational. Spend a few minutesperusing this booklet, and we hope youwill have a better insight into the Shrinersfraternity and Shriners Hospitals forChildren ® . At the very least, you will beable to amaze your friends with yourknowledge of trivia. At the very most, youwill be inclined to continue learning more!1

Shriners ofthe TimesShriners International, simply put, isa fraternity.It all started in Manhattan back in 1870,when some members of what is widelyconsidered the world’s oldest fraternity,Masonry, were hanging out at theirfavorite tavern. The guys felt like theirband of brothers needed a little spicingup. They thought Masonry, which tracesits roots to stonemasons and craftsmenof the Middle Ages (more on page 4),was a tad too focused on ritual. Theseguys wanted a fraternity that stressedfun and fellowship.Leave it up to an analytical mind –Walter M. Fleming, M.D. – and anartistic type – Billy Florence, an actor –to take that idea and run with it.Florence conceptualized the idea fora Near East-themed organization afterattending a party thrown by an Arabiandiplomat. Fleming added the structureto Florence’s proposed pomp-andcircumstance,drafting the fraternity’sname, initiation rites, rituals and rules.Together, the men designed the new2fraternity’s emblem, devised a salutationand determined the red fez with a blacktassel would be the group’s officialheadgear. And local Shriners chapters, itwas decided, would be called “temples.”The first such temple, Mecca Shriners,met in New York City in 1872. Thanks toa pretty good public relations campaignon behalf of the new fraternity’sgoverning body – known tonguetwistinglyas The Imperial Council ofthe Ancient Arabic Order of the Noblesof the Mystic Shrine – word about thegroup spread fairly quickly, even withoutthe Internet, PDAs and cell phones.Membership grew rapidly across theUnited States in the early 1900s and evenspread to Canada, Mexico and Panama.Today, there are hundreds of thousandsof Shriners belonging to 193 templeslocated throughout the world.3

Shrinersvs. MasonsBecoming a Shriner is not as simple aswalking into a temple, paying dues anddonning a fez. To become a Shriner, aman first must be a Master Mason.Why? Let’s back up.The fraternity of Freemasonry is theoldest, largest and most widely knownfraternity in the world. It is impossibleto Google the exact date Freemasonrybegan, but we do know it dates backhundreds of years to when stonemasonsand other craftsmen gathered after workin shelter houses, or lodges. Over time,the men organized into Masonic guilds,and the tools of their trade – the squareand compass – became the symbol oftheir brotherhood.Time passed, and the need for Masonsdeclined. So, Masonry evolved into anorganization that began to acceptmembers who were not craftsmen.Today, Masonry is built upon a foundationof improving character and strengtheningcommunities, though the square andcompass are still the symbols of thefraternal brotherhood.Just as Shriners have temples,Masonry has a basic organizational unitcalled the Blue Lodge or Craft Lodge.(Groups of Lodges are organized undergoverning bodies known as GrandLodges.) Members of the Lodges arerequired to read up on their fraternityand earn a series of Masonic degrees.Once they have completed the thirdand final degree, members are titledMaster Masons. Of course, for thosemen wishing to delve deeper intoFreemasonry – in essence, continuingtheir Masonic education – there areadditional courses of study, known asthe Scottish Rite and York Rite.Once a Mason earns the Master Masontitle, he can join the Shriners fraternity. Inshort, all Shriners are Masons... but notall Masons are Shriners.45

ShrinersTerms & TitlesNon-Shriners often have a hard timewrapping their heads around some of therituals, symbols and terminology usedin the Shriners fraternity. What is anImperial Potentate? How about a Divan?And what is up with the fezzes?Fez-iquetteLet’s start with the fez – the rhombusshaped,tasseled, red hat mostcommonly associated with Shriners.The fez was adopted as the officialheadgear of Shriners in 1872. Namedafter the town of Fez, Morocco, where itoriginated, the hat seemed to portray theNear East theme the original founders ofthe fraternity were looking for.Today, the fez is worn at Shrinersfunctions and in parades and outingsas an effective way of gaining exposurefor the fraternity. It is not unlike wearinga baseball cap to support your favoriteteam. Only, in this case, the fez drawsattention to the fraternity, helps recruitnew members and spreads theword about the Shriners’ philanthropy,Shriners Hospitals for Children ®(more on page 14).There are strict rules when it comes tothe fez, though. Only certain rankingShriners may have their titles on theirfezzes, and the tassel can only besecured with two pins or clasps on theleft side of the fez. Additional pins oradornments are off-limits!The EmblemJust like Mercedes-Benz is known forits three-pointed-star symbol, ShrinersInternational is known for its Crescent,or “Jewel of the Order.” Carrying onthe Near East theme, the emblemis composed of the claws of a tiger,united in the middle with the head of asphinx. On the back of the emblem area pyramid, urn and star. Additionally,the emblem bears the motto “Roburet Furor,” which means “Strengthand Fury.” The Crescent hangs from ascimitar, while a five-pointed star danglesfrom the sphinx.67

Just as Mercedes’ star representssomething – domination of land, seaand air – so does the Shriners’ emblem.The scimitar stands for the backboneof the fraternity, its members. The twoclaws are for the Shriners fraternity andits philanthropy, Shriners Hospitals forChildren ® . The sphinx is representativeof the governing body of the Shriners,while the star hanging beneath itrepresents the thousands of childrenhelped by the philanthropy every year.Greetings and SalutationsSince 1872, Shriners have used thesalutation “Es Selamu Aleikum,” Arabicfor “Peace be with you!” The response:“Aleikium Es Selamu,” or “With yoube peace.”The Chain of CommandNow on to the Shriner hierarchy.To better understand it all, it helps tobegin at the local level. The group ofelected officers who run each temple iscalled the Divan. Granted, the numberonedefinition of divan is a long, backlesssofa, but a Divan also refers to agovernment bureau.The top dog in the Divan is known as thePotentate, defined as “one who has thepower and position to rule over others.”The second in command is called theChief Rabban.Within each temple there can be anynumber of “clubs” or “units” formedfor a certain purpose. The best-knownexamples are the units of clowns andmotor patrols (the “little-car” guys),often the most visible in the community.There are also clubs and units for peoplewith various other interests, as well.From golfing and boating, to classic carsand motorcycles – there truly issomething for everyone!Just like the countries of North Americaare governed by representative bodies,so are the 193 temples. The group ofrepresentatives, called the ImperialCouncil, convenes once a year to makepolicy decisions and create legislationregarding the fraternity and philanthropy.8 9

Representatives strive to become oneof the 13 members of the Imperial Divan,Shriners’ international governing body.The chief executive officer of ShrinersInternational is the Imperial Potentate,who serves a one-year term.Women and ShrinersAlongside most Shriners is a strongwoman. While it is true that women arenot eligible to join Shriners International,there are several organizations forwomen that support the fraternity andthe philanthropy, Shriners Hospitals forChildren ® . In most cases, theseorganizations are open to the wives,widows, daughters, granddaughters,sisters and nieces of Shriners. Theyinclude Daughters of the Nile, LadiesOriental Shrine of North America, ShrineGuilds of America, and Order of theEastern Star.• Daughters of the Nile contributes toShriners Hospitals for Children ® in anumber of ways, including donatingprostheses, quilts, toys and volunteerhours. Since the group was foundedin 1913, Daughters of the Nile hascontributed millions of dollars to ShrinersHospitals for Children ® .• Ladies Oriental Shrine of NorthAmerica was founded in 1903 for thepurpose of extending good fellowshipamong families of Shriners. The ladiesprovide financial support and assistanceto Shriners Hospitals for Children ® , withan emphasis on the hospital fund,hospital sewing and special projects.• Shrine Guilds of America, establishedin 1947, provides independent supportand aid to Shriners Hospitals for Children ®and concentrates on the education ofchildren during their hospitalization.• Order of the Eastern Star, started inthe mid-1800s, is the largest fraternalorganization for men and women inthe world. The organization strives tostrengthen the moral and social characterof its members, and it contributes tonumerous charities.Kids Count, TooNot to be left out, children haveopportunities to get in on Shriners funby participating in groups like DeMolayInternational, International Order of Job’sDaughters and the International Order ofthe Rainbow for Girls.10 11

• DeMolay International is a Masonicsponsoredorganization for young menages 12-21 that focuses on developingcivic awareness, personal responsibilityand leadership skills.• The International Order of Job’sDaughters is an organization of youngwomen ages 10-20 who are related toa Master Mason. Members participatein social activities, service projectsand charitable works. Job’s Daughtersactively supports the Hearing ImpairedKids Endowment Fund, which purchaseshearing-assistive devices for children.Shrining StarsMany famous faces have proudly wornthe red fez of the Shriners fraternity.These include entertainers, heads ofgovernment, business leaders and sportslegends. A few Shriners you may haveheard of include:Buzz AldrinAstronautArnold PalmerGolferSam Hornish, Jr.Race Car Driver• The International Order of the Rainbowfor Girls, originally founded by a memberof the Masonic Lodge, is open to girlsages 11-20, regardless of Masonicaffiliation. Members participate in serviceprojects and fundraisers.Brad PaisleyCountry SingerRichard TysonActorDave ThomasEntrepreneurJoin the FraternityFor information about joiningShriners International, please visit, e-mailmembership@shrinenet.org,or call 800-537-4746.12 13

ShrinersHospitalsRfor ChildrenAs membership in the Shriners fraternitygrew in the early 1900s, so did the call forestablishing an official charity. In 1919, theImperial Potentate-elect pitched the idea ofestablishing a hospital to provide free carefor children with orthopaedic problems.The idea was mulled over and, in 1920,a committee was established to explorethe idea. This committee concluded thereshould not just be one hospital; thereshould be a health care system throughoutNorth America that provides medical careregardless of the patients' ability to pay.It was an idea that appealed to Shriners,who, as we know, like to do things ina big way. The first hospital opened inShreveport, La., in 1922.as brittle bone disease, and theorthopaedic problems related to spinabifida and cerebral palsy.Additionally, four hospitals specializein providing medical care to kids withburn injuries. Shriners Hospitals forChildren ® entered the field of burn carein the 1960s after recognizing a lack ofmedical expertise in the field. The healthcare system treats children with acute,fresh burns; conducts reconstructiveand restorative surgeries on kids withhealed burns; treats children withsevere scarring that limits mobility; andalso helps kids with scarring or facialdeformities caused by burns.Spinal cord injury care is provided at threeShriners Hospitals for Children ® . Thesehospitals provide long-term rehabilitationand intensive physical, occupational andrecreation therapies for children withspinal cord injuries.Orthopaedic, Burn, Spinal Cord Injury,and Cleft Lip and Palate CareToday, there are 22 Shriners Hospitalsfor Children ® , 19 of which specialize inorthopaedic care, treating injuries andproblems of the bones, joints and muscles,as well as complicated conditions, suchShriners Hospitals for Children ®established a cleft lip and palate programin 2005. Available multidisciplinaryservices include surgery, orthodontics,hearing, speech and psychologicaltherapies, and additional supports.1415

Outstanding Research“Today’s research is tomorrow’s patientcare” is a well-known saying at ShrinersHospitals for Children ® .All 22 Shriners Hospitals forChildren ® are involved in some formof research. Shriners Hospitals forChildren ® has research affiliations withmajor universities. Generally, theseinvestigations focus on improving andexpanding treatments for severe burns,understanding complex musculoskeletaldisorders, and improving techniquesused to treat both mobility problemsand spinal cord injuries.Teaching OpportunitiesShriners Hospitals for Children ® takesan active role in medical education.Over the past 20 years, more than 9,500physicians have received residencyeducation or postgraduate fellowshipeducation at Shriners Hospitals forChildren ® . Most of our hospitals haveresidency or teaching affiliations withother hospitals or universities. ShrinersHospitals for Children ® also providestraining in other medical areas, includingnursing, physical and occupationaltherapy, and orthotics and prosthetics.While there are many elements toShriners Hospitals for Children ® , thereis only one purpose: to improve thelives of children.Applying for CareChildren up to age 18 are eligible forcare at Shriners Hospitals for Children ®if there is a reasonable possibility theycan benefit from the specialized servicesavailable. Acceptance is based solely ona child’s medical needs.No Barriers to CareAt Shriners Hospitals for Children ® , allcare and services are provided regardlessof the patients' abillityto pay, thanks toour generous donors.How You Can HelpShriners Hospitals for Children ® needsyour help! Learn more about making aone-time gift, recurring gift or a plannedgift by visiting www.donate2shc.org orby calling 800-241-GIFT.16 17

HospitalLocationsBoston51 Blossom St.Boston, MA 02114Canada1529 Cedar Ave.Montreal, Quebec,Canada H3G 1A6Chicago2211 North OakPark Ave.Chicago, IL 60707Cincinnati3229 Burnet Ave.Cincinnati, OH 45229Erie1645 W. 8th St.Erie, PA 16505Galveston815 Market St.Galveston, TX 77550Greenville950 West Faris Rd.Greenville, SC 29605Honolulu1310 Punahou St.Honolulu, HI 96826Houston6977 Main St.Houston, TX 77030Lexington1900 Richmond Rd.Lexington, KY 40502Los Angeles3160 Geneva St.Los Angeles, CA 90020Mexico CityAv. del Imán No. 257Col. Pedregal deSanta UrsulaDeleg. CoyoacánMexico, D.F., 04600NorthernCalifornia2425 Stockton Blvd.Sacramento, CA 95817Philadelphia3551 N. Broad St.Philadelphia, PA 19140Portland3101 S.W. SamJackson Park Rd.Portland, OR 97239Salt Lake CityFairfax Road atVirginia St.Salt Lake City,UT 84103Shreveport3100 Samford Ave.Shreveport, LA 71103Spokane911 W. Fifth Ave.Spokane, WA 99204Springfield516 Carew St.Springfield, MA 01104St. Louis2001 S. Lindbergh Blvd.St. Louis, MO 63131Tampa12502 USF Pine Dr.Tampa, FL 33612Twin Cities2025 East River Pkwy.Minneapolis, MN 554141819

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www.shrinershq.orgFollow us on facebook atwww.facebook.com/shrinersinternationalInternational Headquarters2900 Rocky Point Dr.Tampa, FL 33607Tel: 813.281.0300BKLJAN11SP