140 year of Shriners

140 year of Shriners

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Montana:East-West Shrine game to be held in Great Falls in 2009

East-West Shrine update Heath Heggem for KRTV in Great Falls


The East-West Shrine Football Game will be held in Great Falls this year, but will be moving to different locales in following years.

At a recent meeting, the Shrine Board voted to amend their bylaws in order to begin rotating the location of the Montana Shrine Game to the three towns that have Shrine Temples in Montana: Helena, Butte and Billings.

The Helena temple will host the game in Great Falls later this year; in 2010 it will be played in Butte, and in 2011 Billings will host the game.

By rotating the games, board members hope to encourage cities to do their best and earn the privilege of hosting the game.

The Shrine Game has been played in Great Falls since 1947. The goal of the event is to raise money and awareness for Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Copied fron the LA Times Blog.



The 1907 Shriners Convention was a big event in Los Angeles that produced all sorts of memorabilia: glassware, pins, ribbons, postcards, etc. A program, below, has been listed on EBay. Bidding starts at $6.50. (At left, even local businesses got into the spirit. We at the Daily Mirror just can't run enough pictures of an ostrich wearing a fez).

Son of ex-Guam governor is guest of honor at Mason officers' installation

By Ferdie de la Torre

The son of former Guam governor Manuel Leon Guerrero will be the guest of honor in the upcoming installation of elected and appointed officers for this year's Saipan Masons.

Saipan Tribune learned yesterday from the island's Masons that Alfredo D. Leon Guerrero, the Guam International Airport Authority property manager, will serve as the keynote speaker during the installation of the officers of Emon Lodge 179. The event will be held this Saturday from 5pm to 9pm at the Saipan World Resort's Royal Taga.

Leon Guerrero, who currently has the title Very Worshipful Noble in the Masonry, is the past District Deputy Grand Master for the Grand Lodge of the Philippines.

Leon Guerrero is also the president of the Guam Shriners Association, which is under the jurisdiction of the Aloha Shriners of Hawaii.

The Guam Shriners Association is sponsoring all the transportation costs for patients referred to the Shriners Hospital in Hawaii. The costs include the chaperones of the patients traveling from the Marianas region.

The Shriners centers in Hawaii and California treat crippled and burned children worldwide. Some of the Masons' charitable contributions go to these facilities.

This Saturday's ceremony, businessman Isagani E. Benoza will be installed as Worshipful Master for the Emon Lodge No. 179 of Masonic District No. 54 under the Jurisdiction of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the Philippines.

Masons are also known as Freemasons. They belong to the oldest and largest fraternal organization in the world. The fraternity uses the tools of ancient architectural craftsmen symbolically in a system of instruction designed to build character and moral values in its members.

Friday, January 23, 2009

Long road to recovery



From left, Tailey Abbott, Paul Abbott, Isiss McCann, Crystal McCann and Shantasta Abbott pose for a picture at their home in Santa Maria. Isiss, 3, suffered severe burns in a New Mexico trailer fire when she was 8 months old. //Ian Gonzaga/Staff


By Natalie Ragus/Staff Writer Santa Maria,Ca.
For Santa Maria resident Crystal McCann, the journey to hell and back began with a two-minute phone call from her neighbor.

Three years ago while living in New Mexico, McCann received news at work that the double-wide trailer she shared with her 8-month-daughter, Isiss, had caught fire.

Worse yet, Isiss had suffered severe burns over most of her tiny body and was en route to the emergency room.

McCann’s neighbor couldn’t tell her whether Isiss would live or die.

While Isiss, now 3, ultimately survived the fire, her course in life — and that of her mother — changed forever.

“It was hard at first,” said McCann, 26. “It took me a long time to accept it. It took me a long time to realize that it actually happened to me. You never think it can happen to you.”

The days immediately following the fire remain hazy for McCann. Doctors in New Mexico ordered Isiss airlifted to a hospital in Lubbock, Texas, but the infant’s injuries proved so severe only Shriners Hospital for Children in Galveston had the setup necessary to help her: Third-degree burns covered 57 percent of Isiss’ upper body.

McCann’s parents traveled from their home in Santa Ynez to Texas to support her, but when Isiss’ roughly four-month hospital stay ended, the single mother found herself mainly on her own.

Eventually, McCann moved back to Santa Ynez to better care for Isiss, whose initial discharge from the hospital only marked the beginning of a long road to recovery.

The seemingly endless list of surgical procedures Isiss still must undergo means she and her mother find themselves regularly traveling between Shriners Hospital for Children in Sacramento and the Santa Maria home they keep with McCann’s fianc/, Paul Abbott, and his two daughters, Tailey, 7, and Shantasta, 5.

Every time Isiss experiences a growth spurt, she must go to Sacramento to have her skin “stretched.” Reconstructive surgery on her hands has given Isiss some ability to use them again, and she will soon have surgery on her mouth and lips.

When Isiss returns home from surgeries, her mother changes her bandages, an excruciatingly painful experience for the youngster.

“It’s always, ‘What’s next?’” McCann said. “It’s not a burden, but it feels like that.”

Isiss’ condition has brought out the best and the worst in everyone around her.

Shortly after the fire occurred, a woman berated McCann for bringing Isiss to a Galveston park, saying the baby “was so disgusting she made her lose her appetite.” However, people frequently come up to Isiss in public, hug her and call her an angel.

The accident has also revealed a determined side in Isiss. While making candy necklaces with Tailey and Shantasta for Christmas, Isiss managed to use her stub-like fingers to slide the candy onto the string all by herself — much to the astonishment of everyone.

She acts every inch the typical 3-year-old.

During a recent interview, Isiss jumped onto the couch before declaring her desire to be Tinkerbell when she grows up.

When asked to name her favorite game, Isiss was quick to answer: “I like to play house,” she said.

Then, she got off the couch, impatient to resume an activity with her soon-to-be stepsisters. Abbott and McCann, who started dating when McCann first returned to Santa Ynez following the fire, plan to marry a year from now.

“We like playing with her. She’s fun,” Shantasta said of Isiss.

When asked if she worries about her daughter’s future, McCann said she worries no more than any typical mother.

“(Isiss’) attitude is so positive, and if we keep a positive attitude then she’ll always have a positive attitude about her life,” she said.

January 23, 2009

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

OSU football players visit kids at Shriner's Hospital for Children

Motivated by player Mitchel Hunt, football team heads

Six members of the OSU football team took time away from Corvallis to visit patients at the Shriner's Hospital for Children in Portland last Saturday.

Team members Will Darkins, Mitchel Hunt, Justin Kahut, Castro Masaniai, Sioeli Nau and Marcus Perry brought smiles to the patients and families with their visit.

The players chatted with everyone they visited including the parents and staff members who were around. They also signed OSU football T-shirts and gave them out to everybody who asked - even to the children who were not able to see them that day.

Christina Paggetti, volunteer and events coordinator for the hospital, was very pleased the players decided to come. She said while it does not happen often, it is always a treat to have a sports team visit the hospital.

"It's just so boring to be in a hospital for a kid," Paggetti said.

The players had some fun in the recreation area playing ping-pong with one patient and cars with another.

They later went to the room of one young man who was unable to get out of bed due to a condition in his leg, and the players spoke with him about topics ranging from music to sports.

"It's awesome; he has been very down lately," said Sue Wood, the patient's mother.

While the young man said he does not watch a lot of football, he is an avid hockey fan and enjoyed giving some of the football players a lesson on the sport.

Tasha Hines is the mother of a small boy who was all smiles and energy, especially when he spotted the players.

"This means a lot to him; this is amazing. He's been coming here since he was a baby," Hines said on the players' visit. "To have the team come means a lot to me and the other parents."

Another young man befriended the team and was able to follow them around for their visit, talking and joking with the players the whole time.

Hunt was the one who came up with the idea for the visit a couple of weeks ago. He explained that whenever the team traveled to a bowl game, certain members of the team would visit a hospital. He said he had not been chosen yet to go on one of those visits, so he decided to take matters into his own hands.

Hunt met Kaci Sintek, an agricultural business management major, in class and found out that she had volunteered at Shriner's over the summer. He contacted Sintek and together they arranged the visit.

"I was surprised; it was really cool for him to go out of his way," Sintek said. "You think football players are so cool, but if they get down on one knee and talk to a child, it's the coolest thing ever, to see them step out of the stereotype that they're in."

The visit started off with a video presentation on children suffering from medical conditions and how they cope and another one explaining how children who are sick still enjoy the same activities as many other kids.

The Shriner's Hospital specializes in children with bone, muscle and joint disorders. They offer their services at no cost to the parents.

"We have never sent an invoice in 86 years of service," Paggetti said.

Paggetti also explained that they are there for the patients for as long as they need care.

The staff was very proud of how the players interacted with the patients and the families.

"They did great; they did super," Paggetti said. "We would love to have them back."

The experience proved to be as rewarding to the players as it was for the patients.

"It was a lot of fun. I have a whole new perspective on children's hospitals," Darkins said.



Rebecca Johnson, staff writer news@dailybarometer.com, 737-2231

Monday, January 19, 2009

News from Imperial Sir Jack Jones, Imperial Recorder,



Due to the unfortunate and untimely death of Imperial Sir Terry McGuire, it became necessary to select a replacement to fill his position as Deputy Imperial Potentate for the 2009-2010 term. It was the unanimous decision by the other Imperial Officers that Imperial Sir Jack H. Jones, Egypt Shriners, he be selected to fill this position. Imperial Sir Jack accepted. He will be nominated in San Antonio at the Imperial Session and is expected to pass with flying colors.

Jack H. Jones of St. Petersburg, Fla., is serving his 30th term as Imperial Recorder for Shriners International. He was re-elected during the Shriners’ 2008 annual international convention – or Imperial Council Session – held in St. Louis June 29-July 3. As Imperial Recorder, part of the 13-member body that helps govern the Shriners fraternity, Jones is responsible for the administrative duties of the Shriners.

In addition to serving as Imperial Recorder, Jones is director of Masonic Relations and Membership Development at Shriners International Headquarters, working closely with Grand Lodges, the Scottish Rite, York Rite, DeMolay and other Masonic organizations throughout North America, and developing stronger ties and more effective membership programs.

His Masonic affiliations include Egypt Shriners, Hillsborough Lodge #25, F.& A.M., Tampa York Rite, Tampa Scottish Rite, Red Cross of Constantine, Royal Order of Jesters, Order of Quetzalcoatl and National Sojourners. He is a Scottish Rite 33rd degree, Inspector General Honorary and a recipient of the DeMolay Honorary Legion of Honor. He is an active member of the DeMolay International Supreme Council and chairman of the Shrine’s DeMolay Committee.

Cincinnati Shriners get help from gingerbread

I know this is not a shrine event from the western region But I thought some of you would like the idea. Many have asked what can I do for Shriners Hospital for Children? Look what this lady has done in 2years who just wanted to do something different and help kids!

For the second year in a row, Nancy DeCastro of Glendale led the organization of the annual Houses of Hope gingerbread house competition, which raised $75,000 for Shriners Hospitals for Children.


About 3,000 people viewed the gingerbread houses created by 208 entrants. DeCastro and some of her friends founded Houses of Hope in Cincinnati in 2007.

"It was just a group of women who wanted to create and give a gift to the community at Christmastime instead of just the normal parties and gift buying," said DeCastro, who is chairwoman of Houses of Hope.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

The Shrine circus is coming to Rexall Place

By JENNY FENIAK, SUN MEDIA

Always a favourite with kids and families, the annual Shrine Circus is coming back to town.

The Al Shamal Shriners of Edmonton and Northlands Alberta formally announced the 61st Edmonton Shrine Circus during a press conference yesterday at Rexall Place.

Happening Mar. 20 through 22 at Rexall Place, the Edmonton Shrine Circus will erupt under the big top with ringmaster Devin Chandler at centre stage.

Favourite circus acts such as Piolita the clown, the Liberty Horses and the Ponderous Performing Pachyderms will be returning along with spectacular aerial artistry and other acrobatics.

The Shrine Circus is the primary fundraising avenue for the Shriners, whose main objective is providing medical care at no cost for children up to the age of 18.

"We treat such conditions as cleft lip and palate repair, spinal bifida, cerebral palsy, scoliosis, bone diseases, hip deformities, burn scar revision, club foot, neck problems, bowed legs, juvenile arthritis and more," says Barry Miller, this year's head of Al Shamal.

Almost 240 Alberta children, 125 in Edmonton alone, benefit from the Shriners' philanthropy. Gogal explained funds raised this year will go towards establishing a Shriners Hospitals for Children Pediatric Scoliosis Research Chair at the U of A's School of Medicine as well as an endowment fund at the Stollerys Children's Hospital and a Shriners wing at the Glenrose Hospital.

The Shriners do not use telephone solicitation to sell tickets and instead rely on Ticketmaster and Canada Safeway, which sells tickets in its stores. Tickets for the 2009 Shrine Circus go on sale today at 10 a.m. and purchases through Ticketmaster can be done at any outlet, online at www.ticketmaster.ca or by calling 780-451-8000.

East 24 West 19

The 84th Shrine East-West Game was a tight fought game with the east holding on to keep their lead by keeping control of the the ball.
Please add your comments to this post.

Shriners Hospital for Children-Houston to Re-Open in 3 weeks

HOUSTON -- Shriners Hospital for Children-Galveston, hit hard by Hurricane Ike, will be reopening soon, thanks to a generous donor.

Devon Energy is donating $120,000 to help repair the hospital, which treats more than 5,000 pediatric burn patients, at no cost to their families.

Ike's storm surge flooded the lower level of the burn unit, knocking out critical wiring, including the entire telephone system. Hospital Administrator John Swartwout says Devon Energy contacted the hospital, offering its support. The company is picking up the entire cost of rebuilding the facility's phone system.

Approximately thirty pediatric patients had been under treatment at Galveston's Shriners Hospital when the hurricane hit. They had to be moved to other burn units, some on medical evacuation helicopters.

If all goes as expected, Swartout says, the hospital will be back up and running, accepting new patients, within the next three weeks.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Classic Mercedes Benzes To Be Auctioned To Benefit Shriners Hospitals

The American Concours Foundation, a not-for-profit auction community, is selling a dozen important Mercedes Benz classics on eBay Motors, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting Shriners Hospitals for Children. The auctions will run from January 11-18, 2009.
The majority of these cars will be showcased live at Passarelli Restorations www.ranchomerced.com at 41755 N. Old Stage Road in Cave Creek, Arizona on January 18th. For further information about the event or the auctions, please call (310) 594-3737.

The automobiles to be sold on eBay Motors include, the list below. To view a complete list of automobiles for auction, go to http://stores.ebay.com/bid123sold.
Full details and multiple images for each vehicle will be displayed on each auction’s web page.
 1954 Mercedes Benz 300SL Gullwing restored
 1957 Mercedes Benz 300SL Gullwing restored
 1962 rare Mercedes Benz 300SL Alloy engine roadster w/hardtop and fitted luggage
 1958 Mercedes Benz 300SL roadster
 1958 Mercedes Benz 300SL roadster w/hardtop
 1959 Mercedes Benz 300SL roadster
 1960 Mercedes Benz 300SL roadster w/hardtop
 1971 Mercedes Benz 280SE 3.5 cabriolet fresh restoration
 1971 Mercedes Benz 280SE 3.5 cabriolet
 1970 Mercedes Benz 280SE 3.5 coupe
 1969 Mercedes Benz 280SE 4DSD
 1961 Mercedes Benz 190b Binz Kombi
 1971 BMW 2002 Voll Cabriolet

Monday, January 12, 2009

In Memoriam Terry McGuire, Deputy Imperial Potentate


In Memoriam

Terry McGuire, Deputy Imperial Potentate

Terry McGuire, Deputy Imperial Potentate for Shriners International, passed away on Sunday, January 11, after a brief illness.

McGuire was serving his tenth year as a member of the Boards of Directors for Shriners International and Shriners Hospitals for Children. McGuire was re-elected in 2008 during the Shriners’ annual Imperial Council Session. As Deputy Imperial Potentate, he was a part of the 13-member body that helps govern the Shriners fraternity. He was also an emeritus member of the Houston Shriners Hospital Board of Governors and treasurer and chairman of the Finance Committee.

McGuire was raised a Master Mason in 1959 and was a member of Triune Lodge #15. He was Past Potentate of Alzafar Shriners and served as president of the Mounted Horse Patrol. He served as District Deputy Grand Master in 2000 and was a member of the Scottish Rite and York Rite bodies. For the last 25 years, McGuire served as a representative to the Imperial Council. He also served as chairman of the Dispensations and Charters Committee, and as vice-chairman of the Imperial Marshal Aides Committee.

McGuire was director of marketing and facility planner for one of the oldest and largest architectural firms in San Antonio, specializing in education and health care facilities. Previously, he spent 28 years in public school administration, where he was assistant superintendent for the eighth-largest school district in Texas. McGuire served as a board member of the Northwest YMCA; was a member of the San Antonio Executive Association and the Harp and Shamrock Society; and a life-member of the San Antonio Livestock Association.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Shrine East/ West Game On The Air

If you watched the NFL Ravens vs Dolphins game the best part was the Ad for the Shrine East / West game to be played January 17th
Monday morning drive time both KNX & Krth radio in Los Angeles were running the ad with the game coaches.
NOW I need your help! Have you heard the ads? and on what station or channel?
I don't usually ask for comments, but I need to know if and where the ads are being heard.

You can check on the picture link at the right of this page for more information on the game

David Ragan to Compete in Ice Cold Shriner Bowl

by Matt Kentfield

BRASELTON, Ga. -- Most of the testing program for NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series has been restricted for the 2009 season, but that hasn’t slowed one of the series’ brightest young stars. David Ragan will return home in January, as today it was announced that he has entered the Ice Cold Shriner Bowl at Lanier National Speedway in Braselton, GA, on Saturday and Sunday, the 10th and 11th.

“We are excited to have somebody of David Ragan’s caliber come to race in the Ice Cold Shriner Bowl,” said Terry Roberts, General Manager of Lanier National Speedway. “This will be the second year that David is supporting this event. We feel it will be bigger and better than last year’s weekend.

Ragan will also hold an autograph session for fans in attendance at Lanier National Speedway on Sunday, January 11th. Ragan will be racing in part to help benefit the Shriners Hospitals for Children. Ragan named that specific program his official charity in 2007,

“It’s the charity that David supports, and much of the proceeds from the event go to support the Shiners Hospitals. We are getting a lot of response from everyone involved with that program nationwide. It’s getting to be a really big event,” added Roberts.

“The Shriners program will get a portion of all the ticket sales for the weekend at Lanier National Speedway. We will make a donation that will be half of what we take in through the ticket sales, so we encourage people to come out and help a great cause.” Fans and teams are also encouraged to make donations during the weekend.

This will be the second annual Ice Cold Shriner Bowl at Lanier National Speedway. A 100-lap Pro Late Model event (GAS rules) will be featured on Sunday, but that division will be joined by the Pro Challenge Series, Open Wheel Modifieds, Outlaw Sportsman (dirt late model bodied cars), Super Trucks, Legends Cars, Bandoleros and Mini Stocks. Practice and qualifying for all divisions will occur on Saturday.

The beautiful facility is the new home for SpeedFest 2009, which will feature both Pro and Super Late Models. The event will be held on Saturday and Sunday, January 24th-25th.

For more information on the Ice Cold Shriner Bowl, be sure to check out speed51.com and visit the official site of Lanier National Speedway at www.lanierspeedway.com.

This artical was reprinted in part from whowon.com This event is not in the Western Region but we have many race fans and David Regan is a great supporter of the Shriners Hospital for Children

American Savings Bank Spreads Holiday Cheer at Shriners Hospital


American Savings Bank employees recently visited Shriners Hospital and presented patients with gift baskets that included children's board games, art supplies, books, candy, various toys and lap blankets employees had sewn themselves. Employees also made time to visit with patients who range in ages from 2 18.


This community service project is part of the bank's Seeds of Service employee program, which encourages bank employees to volunteer throughout Oahu and the neighbor islands. This project was an effort of American Savings Bank's Training & Development department. The Seeds of Service program was started in 2005 to celebrate American Savings Bank's 80th Anniversary and has since become an annual effort. To date, employees have contributed more than 6,000 volunteer hours to local schools and non-profit organizations.

Serving Hawaii's businesses and communities for more than 80 years, American Savings Bank is Hawaii's third-largest financial institution based on 2007 year-end assets and has the second-largest branch network in the state, with 63 branches and over 200 automated teller machines. American Savings Bank provides a full range of financial products and services, including commercial and consumer banking, insurance and investments. For more information, visit asbhawaii.com.
Published by Honolulu Advertiser - Honolulu,HI,USA