UpDate on "The Night of the Child"

We're down to fifteen(15) days away from "The Night of the Child" and we've got a wonderful night planned for everyone. The committee has been meeting all year and we believe we have put together a program and appearance of the Shrine that you have never seen before and that you will be proud of. The dress for the Benefit is Black tie. Our definition of this is tuxedo or suit.

 

I want to say a special "THANK YOU" to all of those that have attended our monthly preparation meetings and involved in so much to make this happen. I'd like to say a special thank you to one of our Divan members, Ed Stolze who puts together our audio/video and music production and it is some production. Without his support and involvement, we would not see the production that you will see.

 

If you don't have a table or you have someone that you think might want a table, we can still get you a table in the next couple days. After Friday, November 4th, we will cut off getting anymore tables due to layout and  final preparation. We will have to have your money and application in our hand by November 4th to be registered. If interested, please call Mick Degn at mdegn40669@aol.com. You can also get tickets on line at www.nightofthechild.org Lets fill the Shrine Auditorium with a lot of folks and show what we do for the kids and why as Shriners we have the passion to help our kids.

 

Remember "The Night of the Child" is a Benefit that is put on for the kids and all the money that is raised from this Benefit goes to the Shriners Hospitals for Children. In the past this money has been used for the transportation of our kids to the hospitals, clinics,etc. It doesn't get any better than that.

 

At this time, our Chairman's have identified the help that they need for the evening or if not, they might be contacting some of you.

 

Again, thank you for all your support for Night of the Child and for all of those involved in making it happen.

 

Mick

Sjoroos to coach All-Star Game

Posted: October 27, 2011 - 12:09am

Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire

Juneau-Douglas coach Rich Sjoroos talks to quarterback Philip Fenumiai this season

By Klas Stolpe 

JUNEAU EMPIRE

Juneau-Douglas football coach Rich Sjoroos just can’t get rid of his players after the season.

Known as a top Railbelt Conference coach, Sjoroos has been recognized state-wide with his selection to coach the Al Aska Shriners’ 34th Annual North-South Football Classic at the Dome in Anchorage on Saturday, and a number of his senior Crimson Bears were chosen to play.

“It is pretty neat,” Sjoroos said. “And to share it with the kids for such a good cause is even better. Sometimes we are overlooked in Southeast or treated like a separate state so we are enjoying this.”

It is the first time a Southeast coach has been selected and, like they have done all season, seven Crimson Bears “have his back” on the field. They are: center Warren Eckland, lineman Velepoto Enele, linebacker Lah Fifita, running back Jerick Ibias, linebacker Alex Matheson, Junior Nauer and wide receiver Sean Niumataevalu.

“I think it is pretty cool for our seniors,” Sjoroos said. “I am glad I get to coach these guys for one more game too. It is neat to watch them put the pads on and get one more shot to play some football.”

Sjoroos’ roster also includes senior all-star football players from Dimond, North Pole, Service, South Anchorage, West Anchorage and West Valley. Crimson Bears’ JV head coach Angelo Katasse will assist along with Service’s Corey Lindamood

Wasilla head coach Kent Rilatos, Chugiak’s Duncan Shackelford and Colony’s Richard Farber will coach the North team of seniors from Bartlett, Chugiak, Colony, Eagle River, East Anchorage, Palmer and Wasilla.

“It is fun to watch the kids getting together in practice with the other schools,” Sjoroos said from Anchorage. “All their different background getting together and spend some days together. Everybody puts their rivalries aside and straps it on to play football for a good cause.”

Dimond’s Nathan Stevens, the Cook Inlet Defensive Player of the Year, will get to team up with JD’s state defensive player of the year Lah Fifita. Service’s offensive weapon Alan Busey will be in Sjoroos’ backfield, this time on purpose.

Sjoroos also stated, “They must get more sunlight up here because some of these West linemen are huge.”

The Shrine Game is held one week after the high school football championship games. The classic brings together the state’s best seniors.

Last year was the first ever Alaska boys’ football game held indoors and this year a girls’ flag football (10 a.m.) and a boys’ small/medium game (noon) were added. The large school begins at 2 p.m.

The games benefit Alaska children with medical needs. The Shrine game motto is “Strong Legs Run, So Weak Legs May Walk.” The proceeds of the game go directly to support Shriners Hospitals for Children, which currently treat over 700 of Alaska’s children.

Detroit Lakes native receives Sam Sar Award

By: Vicki Gerdes, DL-Online

El Zagal Shrine potentate Ron Beck presents AL KROGSTAD with the Sam Sar Award at the Shriners’ Oct. 11 stated business meeting in Fargo. Both Krogstad and Beck are members of the Detroit Lakes Shrine Color Guard.

Though he likes to call himself a “worker bee” when it comes to his work for the Detroit Lakes Shrine Color Guard, that doesn’t mean Al Krogstad’s contributions to the local unit of Fargo’s El Zagal Shrine go unnoticed.

Quite the contrary: Earlier this month, at the Oct. 7 stated business meeting of El Zagal, the Temple Potentate, Ron Beck, presented Krogstad with the Sam Sar Award — the highest award that any Shrine Noble can receive.

“Al has been an active member (of the DL unit) for many years, and has held an office with the Color Guard as treasurer for many years,” said Beck, who like Krogstad, is from Detroit Lakes.

“He works behind the scenes and is always there to do what ever it takes. It gave me great pleasure to confer this award to Al, as I am also a member of the DL Color Guard and I consider Al a good friend.

“It is Nobles like Al that make the Shriners the greatest philanthropy on earth.”

“I was totally, totally honored to receive this,” Krogstad said of the honor. “The Sam Sar is an award that isn’t handed out real often.”

A member of the DL Shrine Color Guard for the past 14 years, Krogstad has twice been named Shriner of the Year (2001 and 2006); and was also twice honored as Mr. Behind-the-Scenes (2007 and 2010).

He has walked in all of the area parades in which the local Shrine unit has participated, including events in Detroit Lakes, Frazee, Pelican Rapids, Vergas, Perham, Menahga and Lake Park.

“I’m active in most of the Shrine activities,” Krogstad said.

As Beck also noted, he served as treasurer of the local Shrine unit for eight years, 2000-08.

Before he became a Shriner, Krogstad was a member of the local Masonic Lodge in Detroit Lakes.

“You have to be a Mason before you can become a Shriner,” explained Krogstad, who was raised to the level of master mason in the local Masonic temple 15 years ago — a prerequisite for becoming a Shriner.

“Some choose to stay with the Masons, and some become Shriners,” he added.

Krogstad chose the latter, in part because of the Shriners’ commitment to helping kids.

“That’s what the organization is all about,” he said. “The Shrine Hospitals allow kids with birth defects and other illnesses to go see the best doctors there are available, completely free of charge.”

Krogstad has two children of his own, both grown and living fairly close by.

“My daughter is married, with two kids, and lives in Elk River,” he said. “My son owns a computer business in Fargo.”

Krogstad makes his home near Little Floyd Lake, which is also where his business is based.

“I’ve been here all my life,” he said. “I’ve lived in this same spot for the past 33 years.”

Al’s Water Systems offers water conditioning and treatment services such as arsenic removal, iron removal and general water softening, as well as sales, service and rentals of water conditioning units. “I’ve been in business 26 years,” he said.

He first joined the Masons, and then the Shriners, through a friend who was a member and “talked me into it.”

“It’s a good organization to be a part of,” Krogstad added. “I encourage anyone who is interested in becoming a member to contact a Shriner and ask for more information on how to join.”

Besides his work with the Shriners, Krogstad also volunteers with the Becker County Dive Rescue Team.

He earned his diver certification at Tri-State Diving, where he also worked as an instructor for several years.

SHC-Salt Lake

Shriners offer free health screenings
St. George Daily Spectrum
After the screenings, the doctors may recommend treatment at Shriners Children Hospital in Salt Lake City - another service offered for free. It's a labor of love for the volunteer doctor, Doug Callahan, from Callahan Clinic in St. George.

A brief history of Freemasonry in Taft

By Kenneth Cooper

Special to the Taft Midway Driller

Taft, Calif. —Here is a brief history of Freemasonry on the Westside compiled by  Kenneth Cooper.

The first Masonic Lodge on the West Side was instituted on October 17, 1911, as Midway Lodge No. 426.  It first met in the Redmen’s Hall in the Smith Bros. Building, then after two years moved into the Odd Fellows Hall across the street.
Ten years later, the lodge’s first owned Temple was constructed in 1923 on North Street, where it continues to meet.
The second Masonic Lodge chartered was Maricopa Lodge No. 434, which was instituted on February 6, 1913.  It first met in the Coons & Price Hall and then in the Palace Hall, but after twenty-four years there it opted to purchase the Odd Fellows Hall where it had originally held meetings.  The lodge met in peace until the morning of July 21st when the 1952 Earthquake happened.  Of all the lodges on the West Side, their Temple was the only one damaged beyond repair.  For five years the lodge met at Temblor Lodge in Fellows until 1957 when the Lodge occupied its newly constructed Temple built on the foundation of the old building.
The town of Fellows was also becoming a bustling oilfield community, so a third Masonic Lodge was instituted there on January 14, 1920.  It first met in the Fellows Oil Workers Union Hall, but after a year purchased the Star Rooming House in town and renovated it for a Masonic Temple.
The fourth and last Lodge to be instituted was Taft Lodge No. 516 on December 28, 1921.  For a short time it met in the Taft Odd Fellows Hall until the new Temple was built which it occupied with Midway Lodge.  It had become necessary for a second lodge in town because of the tremendous number of new member applications.
Each lodge had its affiliated Chapters of the Order of Eastern Star.  They were in order of chartering: Maricopa No. 323 in 1913, Taft No. 337 in 1915, Buena Vista No. 364 (Fellows) in 1920, Faith No. 514 (Taft) in 1929.
Other Masonic-related organizations were the Order of DeMolay, Jobs Daughters, Sciots, Commandery of Knights Templar, Royal Arch Masons, High-Twelve, and White Shrine of Jerusalem.
In July 1972, the first of three consolidations occurred when Taft Lodge joined Midway Lodge; thus, causing the name change.  Then in 1973 and 1975, Maricopa and Temblor Lodges respectively consolidated into Taft-Midway Lodge.  Beginning in 1968, all the Eastern Star Chapters consolidated and currently there are none operating on the West Side.
During the 266-years of combined lodge existences, there have been 2,773 Masons on the membership rolls.  All the lodges had very active Masonic and community activities.  Some of the most notable ones were a Masonic degree conferred near the summit of Mt. Abel in 1940 for 1,500 in attendance, an eleven-year tradition of annual elk dinners provided by Louis Dopyera, and a program by the renowned historian Frank F. Latta.  The lodges made many contributions to their communities, but the most notable was a donation in 1999 to the Taft West Kern Oil Museum to construct an adjacent room.
Only two Masons ever received 75-year membership pins.  They were Frederick J. Phoenix in 1975, and Dr. Alexander R. Moodie in 1983.  Due to the minimum petition age for membership, a 75-year member would have to be at least 95 years of age.
The longest officer tenure was by Abner B. Smith, a Taft pioneer businessman, who was the treasurer of Midway Lodge for 44-consecutive years from 1923 – 1966.

Copyright 2011 Taft Midway Driller. Some rights reserved

New Clinic Specializes in Chest Wall Disorders

Shriners Hospitals for Children® in Canada and The Montreal Children's Hospital (MCH) of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) have established a unique, joint national clinic to evaluate and treat children with congenital chest wall deformities. Affecting as many as one child in 1,000, the disorder is often misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed in toddlers. However, symptoms and the atypical appearance of the chest may appear only as bone growth accelerates in puberty, with resulting health issues as well as problems related to body image and emotional and social withdrawal. The goals of this clinic are to increase awareness of these diseases and to provide a variety of treatment options for these patients. Read more on the Shriners Hospitals for Children website.

Tips for Trick-or-Treaters;

• Carry a flashlight.
• Walk, don't run.
• Stay on sidewalks.
• Walk in groups rather then by yourself
• Obey all traffic and pedestrian regulations.
• Look both ways before crossing the street, and always walk as a group at established crosswalks.
• Avoid hiding or crossing the street between parked cars.
• Stay in familiar neighborhoods.
• Avoid cutting across yards or driveways.
• Wear a watch that can be read in the dark.
• Make sure costumes don't drag on the ground.
• Avoid wearing masks while walking from house to house.
• Approach only houses that are lit.
• Be cautious of animals and strangers. Never enter a stranger's home or car for a treat.
• Accept treats only in doorways, never inside houses.
• Say thank you after receiving your treats.
• Bring treats home to be inspected before eating any.

 Tips for Adults

• A parent or guardian should accompany kids whenever possible.
• Notify law enforcement authorities of any suspicious or unlawful activity.
• After children return home, sort and check all treats. Throw away any spoiled, unwrapped, opened, or suspicious items.
• Apportion treats for the days following Halloween.
• Make sure that items that can cause choking (such as hard candies) are given only to those of an appropriate age.

Tips for Homeowners

• Make sure your yard is clear of such things as ladders, hoses, animals, and flower pots that can trip the young ones.
• Pets get frightened on Halloween. Put them up to protect them from cars or inadvertently biting a trick-or-treater.
• Battery powered jack o'lantern candles are preferable to a real flame.
• If you do use candles, place the pumpkin well away from where trick-or-treaters will be walking or standing.
• Make sure paper or cloth yard decorations won't be blown into a flaming candle.
• Healthy food alternatives for trick-or-treaters include packages of low-fat crackers with cheese or peanut butter filling, single-serve boxes of cereal, packaged fruit rolls, mini-boxes of raisins and single-serve packets of low-fat popcorn that can be microwaved later.
• Non-food treats: plastic rings, pencils, stickers, erasers, coins.

 The Masonic community hopes you make this a safe and fun Halloween for yourself and all Trick or Treaters! Happy Halloween everyone!

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Are you ready for the Shrine East-West Game

Check out some of these games, see if you can spor some of the players that played in the East-West Game. These videos should get your blood flowing for this years Shrine Game.

 " College Football’s 10 Most Dramatic Rivalry Game Moments” (http://www.toponlinecolleges.com/blog/2011/college-footballs-10-most-dramatic-rivalry-game-moments/), and I thought that you or your readers might find it appealing. 

Jennifer Lynch

School Nurses

We are happy to report that another successful school nurse educational event was held at our SHC-NC yesterday in Sacramento. About 40 nurses were in attendance and our Hospital presenters and staff were very happy and enthusiastic with how it went off.

The event began in the morning with a Tribute to our late Lady Cathy Rizo, and a presentation by BJ Bartleson from the Hospital. It was very touching, with Mike Rizo, daughter and grand daughter in attendance along with the McQuistons, other family members and friends. Also in attendance as friends and members of your Divan were the Darrows, Gary Kiddie (in face) and Jeff Davidson. David Barnekoff and I represented the Screening Clinics Committee, with David and  Vic Merolla conducting Tours.

As always it was a fast-paced day, as it always is. But there were still plenty of occasionsduring the day to stop and think about Cathy, her leadership, contributions and her endearing ways. Quite a few of the nurses came up during the day to express appreciation for Cathy's work as they had been told about earlier, and to ask questions about her. That was a pleasure to do.

Lynton

El Zaribah Christmas Spectacular

Driven to Serve

Transportation Coordinator  Always Goes the Extra Mile
THERE ARE RECORDS, and then there are records.   Just ask Harry Scott.
As Transportation Chairman for the 100 volunteer drivers who transport patients to and from Shriners Hospitals for Children – Northern California, Harry rattles off some extraordinary statistics regarding the volunteer contributions of his team of Shrine drivers:
• 222 trips a month;
• 500 hours of service a month;
• 1.4 million miles on the road since 1997;
• No tickets;
• No accidents.
Clearly, the record is a reflection of the precision with which Scott coordinates all aspects of the program – from van acquisition and maintenance, to scheduling and maintaining
driving records for his team of volunteers.
But Harry Scott’s most impressive driving record rests in a life of service. For Scott, who celebrated his 83rd birthday in February, putting others first is a way of life.

Born in a small town in West Virginia, Scott moved with his family to Wilmington, Delaware, where he went to high school. He enlisted in the Army in 1946. His tours of duty included Okinawa and the Sacramento Army Depot. While stationed in Sacramento he met Vivian, his wife of 61 years.  While rising through the ranks, he mastered accounting and began a career as a computer programmer when the Army introduced computers in 1959.
Scott retired from the Army in 1966. He took the Civil Service examination in Sacramento and was immediately hired by the Franchise Tax Board, where he managed the Computer Center and its 115 employees until he retired in 1988.

Free from the restraints of a full work week, Scott enjoyed the time he could devote to other activities – golf, Sons in Retirement (SIRS) the Towe Auto Museum, the Shrine and Shriners Hospitals for Children.
In each endeavor, Scott went the extra mile. He organized the golf club for his SIRS chapter. He volunteered to drive a tour bus for the Towe Auto Museum in Old Sacramento, and then he refurbished the interior of the bus in his spare time.

When a friend in the Shrine said they needed more help driving patients to the San Francisco Hospital, Scott signed up for another tour of duty. He reenlisted, if you will, when the Northern California Shriners Hospital opened in Sacramento in 1997.

On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Scott sits at the helm of the patient transportation program headquartered on the fifth floor of the Sacramento Hospital. Counted among the team of drivers who come in and out throughout the day are a retired dentist, retired city policeman, retired highway patrol officer and other retired professionals. “They do their job without supervision,” says Scott, who manages calls, schedules drivers, troubleshoots problems and keeps track of every trip, every patient and every mile covered by the team of drivers.
He tried to retire in 2007, but came back at the request of his team.  A man driven by service, Harry Scott has the record to show it.

El Zaribah Shrine

OKTOBERFEST - CELEBRATION

FRIDAY NIGHT, OCTOBER 21, 2011 5:30 TO 8:00 PM

RIGHT HERE IN THE FIESTA ROOM

SERVING BRATS, SAUERKRAUT GERMAN POTATO SALAD,

FULL SALAD BAR & GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

PLAN TO COME SUPPORT THE CELEBRATION AND HAVE A FUN TIME

GERMAN OR ANY EUROPEAN ATTIRE ENCOURAGED

This is an EL ZARIBAH Shrine Activity

Students get tips in fire safety

The Rapid City Fire Department is teaching area students how to protect against and prevent fires in their homes as part of Fire Prevention Week.

Members of the fire department will spend this week teaching students in kindergarten through second grade how to be fire safe, according to Lt. Brent Long, public education and information officer with the fire department.

With the help of the Shriners, students from Western Dakota Technical Institute's fire science program and puppets, the fire department will touch on subjects like matches are not toys, how and when to call 911, and what to do when smoke is present.

The fire department does the bulk of its public education in conjunction with the national Fire Prevention Week, but will be giving presentations to area students on fire safety for about a month, Long said.

Read more: http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/students-get-tips-in-fire-safety/article_8c1d52c6-f3ad-11e0-acda-001cc4c002e0.html#ixzz1aUWOyxWy

Shrine Bowl announces donation

The Shrine Bowl of Wyoming board of directors announced a donation of $32,000 to the Salt Lake City Shriners Hospital for Children, executive director T.J. Claunch said in an email on Sunday.

The money represents the proceeds from the 38th annual Shrine Bowl game, which was played in Casper on June 11, 2011.

The 39th annual Shrine Bowl game is scheduled for June 9, 2012 at Natrona County High School's Cheney Alumni Field.

Read more: http://trib.com/sports/high-school/shrine-bowl-announces-donation/article_1665e317-80aa-5d10-9539-7ea226433ab9.html#ixzz1aUVmjwGH

A Message from the Imperial Potentate

Greetings my fellow Nobles, 

 What another busy and fun month it has been! I recently got back from traveling to Las Vegas for the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. Thank you to everybody who came out to support this special event that brought an enormous amount of exposure to Shriners Hospitals for Children and Shriners International. I believe we had close to 1,100 volunteers, and it was great to see that most of them were wearing fezzes. I would also like to thank Adam Sperling, the tournament director; and Gary Dunwoody, chairman of the golf committee and his committee members, for all of their hard work in making this an extremely successful event.

 Congratulations to pro golfer Kevin Na for winning the tournament. If you watched the tournament on the Golf Channel, you were able to see your Imperial Potentate being interviewed by the network. The interview went fantastic and I was able to explain to people all over the world about our philanthropy, Shriners Hospitals for Children, and the life changing work they provide for children on a daily basis. Also joining me for part of the interview were our terrific patient ambassadors, Alissa Perkins, 2, and Kate Hickman, 13. 

 I’m also looking forward to another signature event for our fraternity, the 86th East-West Shrine Game, which will take place January 21, at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. I cannot be more thrilled to have the game in a community that strongly supports our Shriners Hospitals for Children – Tampa and is the home to Shriners International Headquarters. This year’s game will have several fun and exciting activities planned for Shriners to participate in, so start making your travel plans to be in Tampa this January! 

 In addition to my interview with the Golf Channel, I recently filmed an episode in Los Angeles with Christopher Coppola for his show “Digivangelist” on the Reelz Channel. Christopher is the nephew of director Francis Ford Coppola and recently became a member of the Al Malaikah Shriners in Los Angeles. The episode will discuss Noble Christopher’s process of becoming a Shriner and inform the public about our one-of-a-kind fraternity and philanthropy. Stay tuned for details of when the episode will air! 

 Earlier this past month, it was a pleasure to attend with Patty the Central States Shrine Association Ceremonial Session in Overland Park, KS. We had over 3,000 Nobles in attendance and Patty greatly appreciates all the support she received from the ladies for her fundraising program “Stepping Forward Toward a Brighter Future.” 

 I also had an enjoyable time attending the Great Lakes Shrine Association in Boardman, Ohio. An interesting fact is that I’m the first Imperial Potentate to visit that area since Harold Lloyd in 1949. Hopefully, the streak continues with the next Imperial Potentate because the Nobles at the Youngstown Shrine Club are wonderful hosts. 

 In other exciting news, my 22-year-old son, Joe, is taking the necessary steps to become a Shriner. Joe is currently a Master Mason at the Englewood Lodge No. 166 and decided he wanted to join the fraternity after attending the Imperial Session this past July in Denver. Legacies are a great way to increase membership, and I encourage every Noble to share the special tradition of brotherhood within your own family. 

 As some of you may already know this past month we lost a great member of our fraternity, Past Imperial Potentate Kenneth W. Smith. I had the honor to travel to Vancouver and give part of his eulogy. I knew Imperial Sir Smith personally and he was an avid fisherman. I remember one time going fishing for salmon with him and he would perform all of the more demanding work, such as baiting the fish, just so that I could enjoy the experience. Imperial Sir Smith truly embodied what it means to be a Shriner, because he was a selfless individual who only cared about doing things for others. 

As members of this wonderful fraternity, I sincerely hope all of you will strive to have the same mindset as Imperial Sir Smith and will always remember to put others first. 

 “Remember why you became a Shriner!” 

Yours in the Faith, Michael G. Severe ,Imperial Potentate , Chairman of the Board of Directors