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.
No comments:
Post a Comment