140 year of Shriners

140 year of Shriners

Friday, February 28, 2014

Message from Jody

 The legendary band The Eagles has been raising funds for Shriners Hospitals for Children during the month of February, for the last part of their North American tour. 
 Here's a message from Jody:
I would like to thank all of the Hospital PR Staff, and the Noble Sirs and ladies of the Shriners for making the Eagles tour such a huge success. We have so far raised $40,832.70 !!!
Special Thanks:
  • Joe Alvarado – Zelzah Shrine (PP) & Bill Lowry (LV Chamber)
  • Ken Flournoy & Carl Jones – Hella Shrine
  • Connie Boyd – Houston/Galveston Hospitals
  • Houston Hospital staff!
  • David Ashley – Arabia Shrine
  • Larry Breland – Jerusalem Shrine
  • Christian Berg – Shreveport Hospital
  • John Howard – Morocco Shrine
  • Beth Ann Demas – Tampa Hospital
  • Vanessa Mosley – Cincinnati Hospital
  • Lynn Dunlap – Greenville Hospital
  • Stephanie Byrwa – Philly Hospital
There are SO many others who make me SO happy to raise funds for the Hospitals. It’s not just the amazing work that the Hospitals do, and the huge percentage that is donated directly to the Hospitals for me (though, those are important), it’s about the lifelong friendships that I have made. The PEOPLE are really what make this such a pleasure for me. Tammy Robbins has believed in this program from the beginning, and has been INSTRUMENTAL in getting Imperial Sirs on board and spreading the word to the point that I’m pretty sure nearly everyone knows of me and my program at this point!
Compulsory shout out to Chuck Baer and all at Moslem, too!
Jody
This fundraiser came about through our good friend Jody Carson, who heads up the "Rock It for Kids" company. Jody has been working with our hospitals for more than 5 years with such bands as Foreigner, Jason Bonham Led Zeppelin Experience and, last summer, Kid Rock.
 So many of you out there have played a big role in making these fundraiser happen (Thanks to the large group of Shriners and their families who sell CDs at the concerts, and the bands donate a percentage to Shriners Hospitals for Children.)
Over the past five years, Jody has helped raise nearly $230,000 for our hospitals! Be on the lookout for some big news about summer concert tours (yes, more than one) that will be supporting our hospitals!

II about summer concert tours (yes, more than one) that will be supporting our hospitals!

Walking for Shriners Hospital for Children

ANNA HARRINGTON

A child’s dream becomes a woman’s mission.

A big dream dawned in the heart of a young girl from Arizona: at the tender age of 12, Anna Harrington yearned to walk across the United States to support an important cause.

The budding young adventurer from Tucson, with curly red hair and an aspiration to partake in a bold, cross-country undertaking to help others, eventually grew up, got married, and had a son she named Christian. Christian has grown into a remarkable young man. He has enlisted in the Navy, and will leave for boot camp in March. By her own description, she lived a “very uneventful life” but enjoyed her years as a stay-at-home mom. Anna found time to foster animals from her local animal shelter, play ice hockey, and, of course, walk.

A few years ago, she moved to Meridian, Idaho, a suburb of the State’s capital city of Boise. Anna cherished the opportunities the beautiful State of Idaho had to offer: camping in the rugged outdoors; fishing in the pristine lakes, rivers, and ponds; taking photographs of the exquisite terrain; steep, craggy mountains; and elegant trees that abundantly line the Boise River—and after which the City took its French moniker (“les bois”).

Sadly, in 2005, her nephew developed scoliosis, a debilitating musculoskeletal disorder, which was exacerbated by the fact that he was also a paraplegic. Since the local hospital did not have the facilities to perform the required surgery, Shriners Hospital for Children in Sacramento, California, accepted him as a patient—and the surgery was successfully performed. When visiting her nephew at the hospital, Anna noticed the diversity of medical cases, the magnitude of their respective needs, and the impact on the children’s families. She visited with families who were also grateful for the world-class, life-altering, (no-cost) medical care administered at the facility.

Her heart, brimming with respect and gratitude, and her mind, cognitively knowing this was the answer to her life-long dream, rekindled in Anna the incentive and motivation to accomplish her distant desire to walk across America—to support a worthy cause. She had vicariously happened upon the attainment of her worthwhile mission through the unfortunate medical condition of her nephew!

Now, instead of dreaming, Anna is “preparing”. As the March, 2014, expedition kickoff approaches, and as the unknowns diminish, she is eager to begin an adventure she dreamed of so many years ago. Anna knows that....

A child’s dream had become a woman’s mission.



Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Monday, February 24, 2014

Salt Lake Shriners Kid in Sochi-Paralympics

KUSA - Colorado adaptive snowboarder Heidi Jo Duce says she can't wait. She's just a few weeks away from competing at the 2014 Paralympics in Sochi, Russia.
Duce says she is thrilled at the opportunity, so much so, she feels like she could fly. Duce, who is a 23-year-old amputee from Ouray, qualified for Team USA at a World Cup event in Copper Mountain last month.
She first trained with the Adaptive Action Sports Boardercross team in Copper, then moved to Winter Park to train with the National Sports Center for the Disabled, the largest adaptive sportstraining program in the country. 
Duce says she is where she is today through hard work, determination and the Shriners Hospitals for Children, which has cared for Duce since she was 18 months old. It also introduced her to the sport of snowboarding through their adaptive sports clinic, challenging her to accept no limits and to pursue her dreams on the slopes.


http://www.9news.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=3221270682001(KUSA-TV © 2014 Multimedia Holdings Corporation)

Area service clubs changing ways to attract new blood

While down from their heyday, local groups still active in Fargo-Moorhead 

FARGO - Membership at the El Zagal Shrine in north Fargo is probably about half what it was in its heyday, said Drew Likness, membership chairman.
By: Angie Wieck
“When membership peaked in the ’60s and ’70s, there weren’t a lot of other things to do. Now, you’ve got two spouses working in many cases. There are kids’ activities every night of the week,” said Likness.FARGO - Membership at the El Zagal Shrine in north Fargo is probably about half what it was in its heyday, said Drew Likness, membership chairman. It boils down to competition for people’s time.
Many clubs like the Shriners have also struggled with an aging membership.
In his book “Bowling Alone: the Collapse and Revival of American Community” published in 2000, Robert D. Putnam reported a 58 percent decline in social and service club membership over the previous 25 years.
But Likness and officers of several other service organizations, which are often populated by business leaders and provide networking opportunities, say the tide may be turning.
Most report stable enrollment or a modest increase in recent years.
• The Sons of Norway Kringen Lodge 4-25 is part of an organization originally formed as an insurance company in 1895 by Norwegian immigrants.
While it still offers insurance and annuity benefits, Carroll Juven, the lodge president, says the No. 1 goal today is fun. Second is to advance the culture and traditions of Norway. Membership is open to everyone, not only those of Norwegian ancestry.
The Sons of Norway has posted the most impressive membership gain. The local club added 231 members last year. It is currently the organization’s second-largest club, and they hope to overtake No. 1 Seattle by June.
Dan Haglund, lodge vice president and financial benefits counselor, is charged with attracting new members.
Haglund uses social media to announce the club’s activities and to reach out to potential members. He also tries to organize social events geared toward attracting young people.
• El Zagal Shriners is a member of the fraternal organization best known for the 22 Shriners Hospitals for Children it operates across the U.S. It fundraises year-round in support, including the El Zagal Shrine Circus held each spring.
El Zagal has gained in membership the past two years. Likness also finds it promising that the average age of new members is 32. It signals what they are doing to attract the younger generation is working.
“We’ve had to change the way we do business. This younger generation wants to get involved today, not wait four or five years to do something. You have to have activities that keep them interested,” Likness said.
• Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks Lodge #260 is a service club known for its work with veterans and for sponsoring youth activities such as the annual Hoop Shoot competition.
Lodge trustee David Bailly said the Elk’s enrollment is considerably less than its prime when the Fargo lodge was the largest in the country, but membership did start growing again about five years ago. Most new members today are between the ages of 25 and 35.
Bailly said the club books live entertainment aimed at attracting young people.
“Most of our older members don’t have interest in coming in and hearing bands, but our younger members do,” said Bailly. “We try to book the current popular bands around the area so our younger members can enjoy the entertainment.”
• The Kiwanis is an international service organization with seven clubs operating in the Fargo-Moorhead area.
Shara Fischer, club membership chairwoman and president-elect of the Fargo Kiwanis Club, said one thing special about Kiwanis is that fundraising dollars are given to whatever organization currently has the greatest need.
The Fargo club has had between 110 and 120 members for years, and Fischer says that size works for them.
The Kiwanis grooms members from an early age by sponsoring school organizations such as the Key Club and Circle K.
Kiwanis International has also started virtual clubs for younger individuals busy getting their careers started. Regular meetings are held online and the group only meets face-to-face for service activities.
• “Service before self” is the motto of the Rotary, an international service organization with five clubs in the F-M area.
While numbers are down overall for the organization, membership has stayed steady or increased locally, said Lynn Speral, past president of the Fargo Rotary.
The most recently formed club, the PM Club, operates a bit differently than the others. They meet after work rather than over lunch, sparing members the additional meal cost. She said organizers also realized not everyone’s work schedule today permits the flexibility for noon meetings.
• The Knights of Columbus is a service organization devoted to helping people in the Catholic network and community.
Kent “Mac” Macleod, manager of the Moorhead club, said declining and aging membership have been concerns for several years.
Only Catholic men can become Knights, but the organization offers what they call social memberships to women and non-Catholic men.
Macleod said these are people who enjoy the club for the fellowship and are willing to pay yearly dues to keep it afloat. He said they added 60 social members during their annual sign-up day in January.
The building that houses the club is currently for sale, but Macleod says they are going about business as usual. He is continuing to book events through December.
More information
• Sons of Norway: Visit www.sofhfargo.com or call (701) 478-5727.
• El Zagal Shriners: Visit beashrinernow.com.
• Elks Lodge: Call the lodge at (701) 293-5151.
• Fargo Kiwanis Club: Visit fargokiwanis.org.
• Fargo Rotary: Visit Fargorotary.org.
• Knights of Columbus: Call (218) 233-6888.

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Shriners Salt Lake Connection to Sochi

Heidi Jo Duce excited for Sochi Paralympics

10:38 AM, Feb 18, 2014   

KUSA - Colorado adaptive
 snowboarder Heidi Jo Duce says she can't wait. She's just a few weeks away from competing at the 2014 Paralympics in Sochi, Russia.
Duce says she is thrilled at the opportunity, so much so, she feels like she could fly. Duce, who is a 23-year-old amputee from Ouray, qualified for Team USA at a World Cup event in Copper Mountain last month.
She first trained with the Adaptive Action Sports Boardercross team in Copper, then moved to Winter Park to train with the National Sports Center for the Disabled, the largest adaptive sports training program in the country. 
Duce says she is where she is today through hard work, determination and the Shriners Hospitals for Children, which has cared for Duce since she was 18 months old. It also introduced her to the sport of snowboarding through their adaptive sports clinic, challenging her to accept no limits and to pursue her dreams on the slopes.
(KUSA-TV © 2014 Multimedia Holdings Corporation)

Shriners Hospital for Children - Northern California

Truckee family featured in ‘Where Dreams Come True’

Share on print
TAHOE/TRUCKEE, Calif. — The triumphant stories of three local families are featured in “Where Dreams Come True,” an award-winning documentary film that chronicles the journeys of children whose lives were forever changed by Shriners Hospitals for Children – Northern California.
Country Music Hall of Fame singer, songwriter and actor Kris Kristofferson narrates the film, which won a 2014 Telly Award. Kristofferson traveled to the Shriners Hospital in Sacramento to film the narration for the documentary.
Patients from the Reno-Truckee area include: Jason Craig, who sought spinal cord injury care at Shriners Hospital after he was paralyzed in a kayak accident; Makiah Barclay, who was transported to Shriners Hospital for its pediatric burn care; and Olivia Prisco, born with cerebral palsy.
MEET OLIVIA PRISCO
Olivia is a 10-year-old fourth-grader at Glenshire Elementary School. She was diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP) in May 2006 at 16-months-old.
“We saw a developmental pediatrician, a pediatric neurologist, and several other specialists,” said Marjie Prisco, Olivia’s mother., who was told about Shriners Ho “Then, a few months later, I was given contact information for another mother in Truckee whose daughter had CP. In addition to the great support and reassurance she gave me, she also told me about Shriners. Dr. Arth at North Lake Pediatrics was more than happy to give us the referral, and that was the beginning of our amazing experience with Shriners Hospital. I can’t tell you how grateful we are that we found them.”
Olivia’s initial treatment was a combination of weekly physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy due to her diagnosis of “developmental delays,” at Shriners about every six months. At age 3, doctors recommended she get Botox injections. According to Marjie, her type of CP, spastic diplegia, causes the muscles in her legs to fire constantly, creating stiffness, inwardly rotated hips, knees, and feet, and in Olivia’s case, the inability to walk. The treatments were successful. At 3 and a half, Olivia began to walk.
In October of 2011, Olivia’s doctor at Shriners asked the family to meet with Dr. Jon Davids, who had relocated from the Greenville, S.C. Shriners. He was performing radical surgeries on children with CP and having great success.
The Prisco family was overwhelmed at the extent of the suggested surgery: Davids wanted to cut and rotate both of Olivia’s femurs, one of her tibia, lengthen the tendons in her Achilles and hamstrings, and transfer muscles from the back of her knees to the front. After seeing before and after videos of similar procedures, the family acquiesced. Olivia had the surgery in February of 2012 at age 8.
GETTING BETTER ALL THE TIME
Post surgery was challenging, as Olivia was in a wheelchair for eight weeks, but she has gained much more mobility since.
At Glenshire Elementary, teachers and staff have been supportive from the get-go, making school a place where Olivia loves to be.
“The school district has provided physical therapy, occupational therapy, and an adaptive PE teacher who provides support during PE time,” said Marjie. “Prior to the surgery, Olivia really struggled with balance, her walking was very awkward, and she moved much more slowly than the other children. It was hard for her to keep up, she often fell down, and it was very easy for her to be unintentionally knocked down by other children from the tiniest bit of contact.
“Post-surgery, we have seen dramatic improvements, and while Olivia still faces some physical challenges, she struggles much less to keep up with her peers. She can now walk backwards, jump a little bit, and has developed her own little running style that is getting faster every day.”
Although at times Olivia questions why she can’t do all the physical things she wants to do, and why she has to be “different,” Marjie is constantly amazed at her daughter’s positive attitude and strength. “She is a spitfire and never gives up!” said Marjie.
When Olivia was asked what makes her smile, she replied, “Beef tenderloin, candy, and you (mom).” Marjie might add being stubborn and harassing her older sister Elena to that list.
Marjie had this to say about participating in the documentary: “Bill Bayne, the director, and his cameraman, Chris Robson, were incredibly warm and caring, and quickly became our friends. And I think we really felt that feeling of becoming a part of the Shriners family. Olivia felt like a movie star when we went to the first premier in Sacramento, and I think it was really good for her to see how her experience could help other children and their families.
“For myself, I learned so much more about what the Shriners Hospitals do for children, and it was a catalyst to do something I had been wanting to do for several years … start a nonprofit to raise money to support the research that Shriners does to help improve the lives of children.”
Other Shriners Hospital patients featured in the film include a former rodeo rider, a burn survivor who is wise beyond his years, a young boy born with a bone disease that caused abnormal growths, and a young girl who discovers a new life when she is fitted with a prosthetic leg.
Hundreds of area children receive care at Shriners Hospitals for Children – Northern California, a regional pediatric medical center serving Northern California and Northern Nevada that provides specialized care to children with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries and scars from any cause.
“Where Dreams Come True” was produced by William Criswell of Inception Marketing and William Bayne of Coyote Films. The film will premiere in Reno on Thursday, Feb. 20, The Grove, 95 Foothill Road. If you are interested in attending this special event call 775-856-3330.
For more information about the documentary film visit http://myshrinershospital.org.

El Korah Shrine in the news

What The Red Fez Means 

The open secret of the Shriners' service to kids



On the edge of downtown Boise sits a large grayish-brown stone building topped with a rust-colored roof, its facade broken up by a long bas-relief sign and two sets of cherry-red double doors. : The awnings above are emblazoned with the words "El Korah Shrine" and a logo comprised of a scimitar, the bust of a sphinx and crescent moon surrounding a star. That building is a gathering place for local Shriners, a service organization that boasts 400,000-plus members around the world. But it wasn't until the Shriners opened the doors of the El Korah Shrine to host some of the 2012 Treefort Music Fest's biggest acts that many Boiseans discovered what a hidden gem the temple is. And what many still didn't know is what lies at the heart of the organization's mission: The Shriners Hospitals for Children.
To be a Shriner (short for the Ancient Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine), a man must first be a Freemason or Mason--though not all Masons are Shriners, all Shriners must be Masons and must, in fact, have achieved the rank of Master Mason before petitioning to become a Shriner. Shortly after the Shriners fraternity was founded in 1872, its members began looking at adopting an official charity. They had donated money to San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake and, in 1915, they donated to war relief. But in 1920, they elected to use the $2 annual assessment from each Shriner (members now pay $5 per year) to support the establishment of the first Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children in Shreveport, La., and to create an endowment fund. Since that time, the Shriners Hospitals for Children system has grown to include a network of 22 nonprofit hospitals in Canada, the U.S. (the closest to Boise being in Portland, Ore.; Spokane, Wash.; and Salt Lake City, Utah), Mexico and Panama.
Though different hospitals specialize in different areas, the Shriners hospitals system offers orthopaedic care, burn care and care for spinal cord injuries--exclusively for children and completely free of charge.
Kay Weber-Ekeya, the public information officer at the Portland, Ore.-based Shriners hospital, explained some of the conditions that the facilities treat.
"Originally, we were treating kids with polio," Weber-Ekeya said, adding that once a cure for polio was found, the focus shifted to any diagnosis pertaining to bones, joints and muscles, such as congenital conditions like scoliosis and clubfoot. The Portland hospital alone has treated more than 700 cases of children with club feet, but Shriners facilities also treat injuries.
"[We treat] kids who have been backed over by a lawnmower and lost a leg, kids with sports injuries, kids who have been riding behind a motorboat and gotten their hand caught in a propeller," Weber-Ekeya said.
In cases like those, children go to the Shriners after emergency care for follow-up rehabilitation, physical therapy and even prosthetics, built on-site at the Portland hospital. They treat symptoms of cerebral palsy by helping children with range of motion, providing head arrays to allow for communication (nonverbal) or wheelchairs to give them some mobility and independence. The hospital also provides extensive care for children born with a cleft lip and/or cleft palate, which includes repair, orthodontia and cosmetic work.
None of the work performed in any of the Shriners hospitals is inexpensive. Since the first hospital was founded, Shriners have spent more than $7 billion on construction and operating costs, including treatment, education and research.: Weber-Ekeya explained that the operating costs for the Portland Shriners hospital alone is about $30 million annually--the cost of the entire Shriners Hospitals for Children system is approximately $1.2 million per day, paid for through the endowment fund, donations, fundraising and the annual assessment paid by each Shriner.
Regardless of ethnicity, religion or their family's financial status, children up to age 18 receive care free of charge, although they will submit bills to a family's insurance carrier if applicable. And while treatment used to be reserved for underserved children or those whose families were unable to afford it, for the better part of the past 60 years, a child's financial status is irrelevant.
"Whether [a kid has] 10 cents or $10 million, we feel like we have some of the best pediatric specialists in our hospitals. As a parent, that's who I would want helping my kid," Weber-Ekeya said.
Jerry Reed, a Shriner from Boise, wanted that as well.
Reed's stepson Tim was born with bilateral club feet. As an infant (before Reed had even met Tim's mother), Tim underwent an expensive surgery to correct the condition. And although the now-17-year-old Tim is completely mobile, he does have some muscle weakness. While playing basketball at school, Tim fell and dislocated his kneecap and tore some ligaments in his leg.
"I got a hold of the Portland [Shriners] hospital and they said if I could get Tim there the next morning, they could get him in to see someone," Reed said. "Everybody there was great. It was a great experience."
At a recent ceremony at the El Korah Temple in which 14 new Shriners were inducted, it was with gravitas and pride that senior officials spoke to the new members about what they were encouraged to think of as "their hospitals." And while part of being a Shriner requires a commitment to the Shriners hospitals system, including fundraising and hospital visits, the requirements for a child to be treated within the system are minimal--as a matter of fact, there is only one.: "As long as it is a condition that the hospital can treat, we will treat any child," Weber-Ekeya said.
For more information on the Shriners Hospitals for Children, visit shrinershospitalsforchildren.org.

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Shrine Display Trailer For Sale

The Shrine Display Trailer in the pictured in the heading of this page above is for sale. It is 28ft long duel axel, side & rear ramps w/ rails, has two AC units, side awning,TV, VHS & DV player, Interior lighting, wall covering with pictures of the SHC's and Hospital programs, lit.rack, storage front & back.
Make offer!, the unit will be in the Los Angeles Feb. 10,2014. Call  Mary Brown at 813-281-0300 Donor relations Shrine office Shriners International Headquarters 2900 Rocky Point Dr. Tampa, FL 33607  813-281-0300 Donor relations
  •  or  Lou (818) 251-6930 in LA for more information

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Every Touchdown a win for SHC

Super Bowl win equals a $2,500 donation for Shriners Hospital


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by KREM.com

Posted on February 3, 2014 at 5:20 PM

SPOKANE, Wash.--A North Spokane business man’s love for the Seahawks is helping a local hospital. 

The owner of a car and RV dealership along Division is a big fan of the Seahawks. He is such a big fan that he decided to make a donation based on their score and to give away a car since they have been doing so well.

"I've been following the Seahawks since the Krieg, Largent days in the 80s, and it seems like they'd always get close but no cigar,” said owner of Arrotta’s Automax, Daniel Arrotta.

Arrotta came up with a contest for a new VW Beetle in Seahawks blue.

He also found another way to cheer the Hawks on and help a charity along the way.

"For every touchdown scored, we'd give $500 to Shriners Hospital as a donation,” said Arrotta.

Arrotta was surprised by how much he would have to donate after the Super Bowl. He loved that his team did so well, but did not realize they would score so many points.

"Didn't anticipate there was going to be that many touchdowns by the Seahawks but quite honestly it was exciting and thrilling to watch,” said Arrotta.

Arrotta said he will give away the car at the end of February. He will make the $2,500 donation to Shriners Hospital on Wednesday.