Greetings from Shriners Hospitals for Children - Northern California!

Adrenoleukodystrophy, or ALD, is a deadly genetic disease that affects 1 in 18 000 people. To give you a perspective on the rarity of this disease, consider that you have a better chance of scoring a hole in one in golf*.

ALD destroys myelin in the brain which then destroys a person’s ability to think and control muscles. ALD knows no racial, ethnic or geographic barriers – and most severely affects boys and men. Hope for children and their families is scientific research. The critical ingredient is funding.

No one understands the urgency of ALD research better than Ed and Barbara Crane. They lost their sons Timmy and Brian to ALD. Intent on providing hope by funding research, the Cranes established the Golf & Grape Gathering. Proceeds from the two day event benefit the Timmy and Brian Crane Foundation and Shriners Hospitals for Children – Northern California – which is actively involved in ALD research.

Your sponsorship of this event at any level is the key to saving lives. The purpose of the event is profound. The events themselves are focused on friends, food and fun. Details can be found on the Web site and attached Golf & Grape Packet. I hope you will join us. Shriners Hospitals for Children gratefully acknowledges Ed and Barbara Crane, their family, Tom Kees, and presenting sponsors, Hanson McClain and NewsTalk 1530 KFBK for producing the Golf & Grape Gathering. Thank you for your consideration. - Alan Anderson

PNSA- Spokane

The Pacific Northwest Shrine Assoc. is under way at ElKatif Shrine in Spokane check out their web site for more information http://www.elkatif.org
They have a big Parade, Gala, Competitions, all set for your enjoyment.

Get Ready for the Al Kader Shrine Golf Tournament

The Wilsonville Al Kader Shriners 65th annual golf tournament will be held on Friday, Aug. 27, at the Oregon City Golf Course. Entry fee is $65 per person or $260 per team and includes 18 holes of golf, cart, 2 drink tickets, lunch, and raffle tickets. For a registration form or details call 503-682-4420.

VV Masonic Lodge experiencing an influx of younger men

Brooke Edwards

VICTORVILLE • It’s part of a fraternity that’s more than five centuries old, shrouded in mystery and conspiracy theories.

Now the Victorville Masonic Lodge is experiencing an influx of younger men looking to belong, to give back to their community — and to learn those cryptic handshakes.

“I think there’s a little piece of everyone that wishes they could be a part of a super-secret clubhouse,” said Joseph Fernandez, who, at 25 in January, became the youngest Master Mason in the local lodge.

That attraction to the more esoteric side of the Masons has been fostered of late through documentaries on the History Channel and the “National Treasure” films, portraying the Founding Fathers as having used symbols from the ancient masons’ guilds to hide great treasures.

But once the novelty of learning those secrets wears off, Fernandez, now 26 and a station commander at a local Army recruiting office, realized he’d joined a brotherhood he’s truly proud to be part of.

“What we teach is really a way of life, that’s all,” said Horace Larkin, who just turned 80 and is going on 49 years as a Mason. “We have a saying: We take good men and make them better.”

The Freemasons date back to the Middle Ages, keeping many of the fraternity’s traditions but opening membership to men from all professions in the 1700s. Today there are an estimated 5 million Masons worldwide, with more than 60,000 in California’s 340 lodges.

For the full story, read Monday's Daily Press. To subscribe to the Daily Press in print or online, call (760) 241-7755, 1-800-553-2006 or go to their Web site

UpDate on Bicylist pedals across country to help Shriners Hospitals for Children

Willard White is riding his bike across the U.S. to raise money for Shriners Hospitals for Children.
Story & Photo by Jason Hickman, Oglecountynews.com Illinois


After seeing firsthand the impact the Shriners Hospitals for Children can make in a youngster’s life, a Utah man has taken to the road to help pay them back.

Willard White, 46, Morgan, Utah, strolled through Oregon July 19 on a trip to cross the country on two wheels in order to raise money for Shriners Hospitals for Children.

It all stems from the help the hospitals have given his family and his three adopted daughters, one of whom spent five months in the hospital, including eight weeks in intensive care.

“They have spent over a million dollars just on my family, and they do it for free,” said White. “This is a way to give back.”

The high school teacher started his trek in Coos Bay, Oregon, on May 28, and he plans on finishing up his trip in Coney Island, New York, on Aug. 11.

The trip is planned out down to the last detail, with White traveling 60-70 miles a day, and his wife and two of this three daughters driving to meet him at the end of each leg of the trip.

Each night the family either finds a place to camp out, or they are helped by local churches that find the group a place to stay and a hot meal to eat.

“It gives you hope in humanity because people have been so great,” said White. “They are so willing to help out. People let us stay in their homes, feed us all kinds of good food. We have met a lot of really nice people along the way.”

Along the way he has had to deal with rains and hail out West, and some very hot and humid weather here in the Midwest.

“The weather is always a big concern,” said White. “One day when I was in Des Moines the heat index was 118. I was just wiped out that day.”

Another interesting part of his journey has been the many animals he has encountered, some friendly and some not.

“I was almost attacked by a badger,” said White. “I had antelope running right next to me, and I also saw some wild horses. Seeing all the animals has been kind of neat.”

To track his progress, read his blogs, or to donate to the cause, visit his website at www.inspirationalroad.com.

Country star Gretchen Wilson-Al Kader Fundraiser

The Molalla Buckeroo, Battle of the Bands, La Fortuna Mexican Festivals and junior rodeos have made Molalla’s rodeo grounds a happening place on recent summer weekends and this Friday and Saturday, July 23 and 24, will be no different.

Country music star Gretchen Wilson is coming to town to perform along with the Piedmont Boys as part of the Al Kader Shriners rodeo fundraiser.

“This is the first year that we’ve ever done it,” said Greg Jenkins of Al Kader Shriners, a fraternal club that supports Shriners Hospitals for Children. “We’re looking at this as a new fundraiser to have. If this works, we look to have one every year.”

While the Al Kader Shriners do a lot of work to support their 22 children’s hospitals located throughout North America, this particular event will raise funds for the club’s operating costs, rather than going directly to the hospitals.

“We have to raise funds so we can keep going, so we can do other things to raise money for the Shriners Hospitals,” Jenkins said. “We’re hoping that it will get people to know more about the Shrine and who the Shriners are and what we do. We’re trying very hard to get more Shriners.”

The Shriners contacted Molalla event planning company Like That Productions, which coordinates the annual Ross Coleman Invitational among other events, to organize the concerts and rodeo.

The two-day event starts on Friday night with an exhibition rodeo, silent auction and cowboy dance, with live music provided by the Piedmont Boys, a country, bluegrass and southern rock band that has made numerous appearances in Molalla.

Gretchen Wilson, whose hits include the Grammy Award-winning song “Redneck Woman,” will perform Saturday night following the bull riding and barrel racing competitions.

The gates at the Buckeroo rodeo grounds (815 Shirley Street, Molalla) will open at 6 p.m. for both the Friday and Saturday events, with rodeo performances starting at 7 p.m.

Admission for Friday’s show is $10 and general admission for Saturday’s show is $25. Arena floor tickets for the Gretchen Wilson concert on Saturday night are $75.

Tickets may be purchased at Wilco Farm Stores, Cutter’s Hi-School Pharmacy, Union Mills Feed Store or from Like That Productions.

For more information, visit www.alkadershriners.org or www.likethatproductions.com or call 503-759-5372.

Shrine Game attendance higher than previously thought

To Play Video go to http://www.kxlf.com/news/shrine-game-attendance-higher-than-previously-thought/

By Melanie Yuill
More people attended the weekend's East-West Shrine Game than originally thought.

The attendance number announced at the game was 4,954; however, Ryan Jonart of the Shrine Game Board says the attendance number announced at the game of 4,954 is incorrect. He says the official attendance number is actually much higher, coming in at 5,562, a big increase from what they originally thought attended.

Jonart also said the event raised close to $70,000. But expenditures have not been factored in yet, so there is no word yet on how much of that will go to the Shriners Hospital in Spokane.

Final numbers will be released later this week.