www.SarasotaShrineCenter.com www.HometownHeroesBarGrill.com www.SahibShrine.org
Volume 37, Number 8
Sarasota, Florida
August 2018
In this issue: Potentate’s Message ......................................................................... 3 Stated Meetings: August 8 and September 6 ................................... 4 Birthday & Anniversary Dinner Dance............................................... 6 Meet Imperial Potentate Jim Cain..................................................... 7 Cajun Low Boil Dinner ....................................................................... 8 Official Philanthropy of Shriners International
Box Office Changes .......................................................................... 14 Shriners Hospital for Children – Tampa Report............................... 19 In Memoriam / Black Camel ............................................................ 24 August Birthdays ............................................................................. 29 Calendars: August & September ..................................................... 45
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Official Publication of
Sahib Shriners 600 N Beneva Road, Sarasota, FL 34232 Ph: (941) 366-4449 Fax: (941) 366-8578 www.SarasotaShrineCenter.com www.HometownHeroesBarGrill.com www.SahibShrine.org Publisher Sahib Shriners – Del Rawlinson, Potentate Editor Rebecca Zeissler Phone: (941) 366-3890 e-mail: rzeissler@yahoo.com Photographer Joel Furman e-mail: jfurman72@gmail.com The Reporter is dedicated to promoting the interests of Sahib Shriners, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Shriners Hospitals for Children specializing in burn care, the Sahib Shrine Clubs and Units and Freemasonry. DEADLINE All materials for publication must be submitted to the editor no later than the date listed on the monthly calendars published in this newsletter. Dates are subject to change, but generally three (3) weeks prior to publication date which is the first of each month. Electronic submissions of text, photos and ads are preferred and may be submitted via email, thumb drive or via a file hosting service. Sahib Shriners disclaim any liability from any loss or damages resulting from articles, opinions, statements or representations expressed or implied in this publication. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission from the publisher, except by other officially recognized Shriners publications. In the event of approved reproduction, credit must be given in the publication to Sahib Shriners. Requests for reproduction should be addressed to Sahib Shriners. SHRINERS HOSPITAL INFORMATION For information or assistance in contacting the Shriners Hospitals for Children call: National: (800) 237-5055 Florida: (888) 665-KIDS (5437) Sarasota: (941) 955-2494 e-mail: hospital@sahibshrine.org The Reporter is a monthly (except for July) digital publication for members of the Sahib Shrine. Printed copies can be obtained at the office for a fee. Annual membership dues are $125, payable to the Sahib Shrine Temple, Inc., 600 N Beneva Road, Sarasota, FL 34232.
Potentate’s Message ............................................................................... 3 Stated Meetings ........................................................................................ 4 Recorder’s Report ................................................................................... 5 Volunteerism and Shriners Hospitals for Children ................................... 5 Birthday & Anniversary Dinner Dance ..................................................... 6 Meet Imperial Potentate Jim Cain ............................................................. 7 Cajun Low Boil Dinner ............................................................................. 8 Chaplain’s Notes...................................................................................... 9 Hospital Transportation Notes ............................................................. 10 Hospital Transportation Report ............................................................... 10 Potentate’s Cruise.................................................................................... 11 Sahib Club Directory............................................................................... 12 Motor Corps Notes ................................................................................ 13 Cajun Low Boil Event ............................................................................. 14 Box Office Changes ................................................................................ 14 Event Cancellations ................................................................................. 14 2018 Flu Vaccinations............................................................................. 15 Photo: July Birthday & Anniversary Dinner Dance................................ 16 Manatee Shrine Club Notes.................................................................. 17 Shriners Hospital Report ...................................................................... 19 Hometown Heroes Sunday Brunch ......................................................... 20 Sahib Unit Directory ............................................................................... 21 Parade Schedule ...................................................................................... 22 Past Masters Notes ................................................................................ 23 Donations ................................................................................................ 24 In Memoriam / Black Camel ................................................................ 24 Oriental Band Notes .............................................................................. 25 B-I-N-G-O Needs H-E-L-P ..................................................................... 25 Venice Shrine Club’s Spaghetti Dinner .................................................. 26 August Birthdays ................................................................................... 29 Masonic Digest........................................................................................ 30 Reporter Boosters .................................................................................... 32 Sar-I Court Notes .................................................................................. 33 Nyla Temple Notes ................................................................................ 35 Event: Dance Party Last Saturday of Each Month .................................. 35 Fundraisers: Pull Tabs and Donation Boxes ........................................... 39 Sahib Shrine “Walk of Honor” Fundraiser ....................................... 41-42 Poem: “Dark August” by Derek Walcott ................................................ 42 Officers Pages ................................................................................... 43-44 Index of Advertisers ................................................................................ 44 Calendar .................................................................................................. 45 ON THE COVER: Illustrious Sir Del Rawlinson is flanked by Noble Joe Humphreys (front) and Chief Rabban Bruce Porter (rear) at a June Tampa Bay Rays’ game on “Shriners Day.” Photo provided by Noble Charley Hamilton
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Notes from your Divan
Potentate’s Message Greetings Nobles, The first seven months of 2018 are now history. We have had so many activities at Sahib during that time span. Time is flying and we have so much still to accomplish! Activities will slow down for the next few months, but we are planning a busy Fall season for all of you Sahib Nobles. Watch the calendar and you won’t miss our activities. Our October ceremonial will be on October 12 and 13; please try to attend if you can, and help make this a memorable occasion for the candidates. Many thanks to our First Ceremonial Master Konstantin Chelnokov and Oriental Guide Keith Curtis for all the work that they are doing, and of course, their ladies. On Friday evening, under the direction of Ritual Team Director Ed Firquin, the cast will present an outstanding performance for us. On Saturday, we will have our parade at the temple. Almost all of the units and clubs will be represented. We want to thank everyone in advance for being supportive of your temple. Let us not forget the Moslem feast put on by our Cabiri, and the ladies luncheon hosted by our Divan ladies with help from our Sahib kitchen. Last, but not least, thanks to all who will make this a memorable day. The Imperial Session in Daytona Beach was successful and is being reported elsewhere in the Reporter. This Imperial Session was very important, as discussions about the future of our hospitals was decided. I want to personally thank all of the unit and club heads, committee heads, and our Cabiri for helping make the first half of 2018 a success; and a special thank you to all you dedicated nobles who are behind the scenes helping to make things happen. Our entire Divan is excited and planning our second half of the year. Come and enjoy our great Sahib Shriner activities. During the second half of 2018, let’s work diligently at establishing a sound membership program. It is vital for the long-term success for Sahib that we do! Until next month, be kind to one another. Yours faithfully,
Delbert Rawlinson Sahib Shriners Potentate 2018
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Official Call
STATED MEETING Wednesday August 8, 2018 7:30 p.m.
2018 Dues Card and Fez Required No Short Pants
Official Call
STATED MEETING
Thursday September 6, 2018 • • •
11:00 a.m. Fun & Fellowship 12:00 p.m. Lunch 12:45 p.m. Meeting Opens
2018 Dues Card and Fez Required No Short Pants
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Volunteerism and Shriners Hospitals for Children By Newton C. McCollough, III, MD, past Director of Medical Affairs for Shriners Hospitals, 2002 (abridged) Shriners Hospitals for Children exemplifies the spirit of volunteerism and the remarkable effectiveness of this spirit in providing orthopedic and burn care to thousands of children around the world. The voluntary efforts of Shriners have included fundraising, hospital planning and development, governance, identification of patients in need, and patient transportation. Until the 1980s, orthopedic surgeons received little or no remuneration for their work in caring for children in Shriners hospitals. Subsequently, numerous factors have caused a conversion of a part-time voluntary medical staff to full-time and contracted part-time staff. Even so, many Shriners hospitals’ medical staff members continue to volunteer their own time in caring for children in less fortunate countries, and as a corporation, Shriners Hospitals for Children has provided volunteer medical teams during times of major international disasters. In a previous publication, I suggested that Shriners Hospitals for Children might well be the world’s
greatest philanthropy. Although this may or may not be true, there is no doubt that the success that Shriners Hospitals for Children has had in treating thousands of children since 1922 with absolutely no cost to their families largely is attributable to the spirit of Volunteerism continued on page 37
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Meet Your New Imperial Potentate Jim Cain From https://www.shrinersinternational.org and https://www.facebook.com/shrinersinternational/ Jim Cain of Nashville, Tennessee, is currently serving his 11th year as a member of the Board of Directors for Shriners International and Shriners Hospitals for Children. Cain was elected Imperial Potentate, part of the 12member body that helps govern the Shriners fraternity, during the Shriners’ 2018 Imperial Session—held in Daytona Beach, Florida July 15-19. During his years as a member of the Board of Directors, he has served as chairman of the following committees: Salary, Personnel & Retirement; Imperial Potentate Jim Cain speaks about himself and Shriners International in this Oversight; Special Purpose YouTube video. You’ll also meet and hear from many friends and family members Funds/Fundraising Evaluation; Time including First Lady Patsy, his children and grandchildren. Simply click the image to and Place; Emblems, Regalia and view this video biography. Jewels. He has also served on the Public Relations; Corporate Compliance; Budget; Shriners in Nashville since 1995, and served as Investments; Masonic Relations; DeMolay; Mileage Potentate in 2006. and Per Diem; and Protocol and Resolutions Cain has held several positions within his temple, committees. In addition, he has been the Liaison including Captain of the Motor Corps, Membership Officer to the Boston, Cincinnati, Shreveport, Committee Divan Liaison, and Chairman of both the Springfield and Tampa Boards of Governors for Ringmasters Club and the Business Owners Group. Shriners Hospitals for Children. Cain was a member of Al Menah’s Shriners Cain was raised a Master Mason in John B. Leadership Team from 2002-2006 and assisted in Garrett Lodge #711 in Nashville, and is a member of raising more than $5 million for Shriners Hospitals for the Scottish Rite, York Rite, Quetzalcoatl and Royal Children. He was also a charter member of the Order of Scotland. He has been a member of Al Menah Imperial Potentate continued on page 34
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Chaplain’s Notes Lou Ortt, PM, Chaplain, lhortt@verizon.net I Chronicles 12:1-12 Throughout the volumes of Sacred Law, we read about the account of Kings of Israel, Judah. In the books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles we are informed that good leaders are faithful to the Laws of Moses. However, we frequently observe that during times when all was going well, or at least appeared to be going well, the leaders seemed to drift away from those laws. The results were almost always the same, the loss of autonomy. It is no secret that many of our bodies within the fraternity are not only aging, but also shrinking, which decreases our effectiveness. Part of this decline is probably related to our current culture with its social activities. At least another major reason for the decline is in the leadership of our fraternity. By leadership, I am not just talking about those holding offices or employed by the fraternity, but rather by every member of the fraternity. Everyone has a job to do, whether it is coming out to greet people when they walk into the building, or being there to pat a brother on the back for doing a good job. Then there is the duty of telling people what we do and why we do it. In this day and age, it is necessary to toot our own horn by letting people know that we are part of a fraternity that gives about $3 million a day to charity that has provided special care for over one and a quarter million children; and supporting clinics for those with speech or learning disabilities as well as helping with
King Solomon
schools and community food programs and other outreach. We have the opportunity to guide our fraternity the way it was designed to go, but we must all pull together and proceed joyfully and with honor and integrity toward that promised land and to let go of all that keeps us from achieving success. Go back and listen to what Masonry planted in our hearts. Paraphrasing a prayer by Solomon may help us: “Give thy servants, therefore, an understanding mind to lead thy people, that they may discern between good and evil for who is able to guide this great group of brothers. Amen.”
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Hospital Transportation Notes Dick Schmidt, Chairman, hospital@sahibshrine.org One of the more enjoyable times of being a Hospital Transportation driver is meeting and socializing with the drivers from the other Shrines servicing Tampa Hospital. There are usually two to three hours of downtime between dropping off a patient and bringing them back and it becomes a clearing house of information. That time is spent talking with the other drivers, the Green Coats (tour guides), and hospital staff. Subjects cover fraternal information, comparing driving notes, telling war stories, some politics, finding out what is going on at the hospital, telling the latest jokes and what’s happening at the temples. There is currently a particular interest in how each temple is adjusting to the decreased membership situation. We are one of the few temples that have taken a proactive probusiness direction in reinventing ourselves. A number of other temples have chosen to
downsize with their bar and restaurant becoming private clubs. A few have decided to do nothing different and will try to survive by subsidizing from their treasury. The drivers’ chatter will give us an idea of what is working and what isn’t. The temple membership numbers vary from 500 to 1,500. Those with the lesser numbers are trying to survive using their membership as the income source with a smaller facility. Comparisons of equipment is always a topic—window vans versus mini vans, turnover intervals and who donates and who pays. A typical subject is how the temples differ in patient contact by whether the drivers pick up the patient at their homes or the patients meet the vans at certain prearranged locations. The drivers with longer trips prefer the location pickups, whereas the other drivers prefer the home pickup based on “show or no show.” It is always a good experience to be with Masonic and Shrine brothers. They’ll usually give you the benefit of the doubt with your almost-truthful tales.
Found on the web: this unidentified man obviously has a dream to be a Shriner. We hope he finds his way to a temple soon.
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Motor Corps Shrine Club Giles Light (G-man), Secretary, gileslight@aol.com It’s summertime in Florida and frequently this time of year it’s difficult keeping our Harley-Davidson motorcycles cool. Last thing any of us wants is to get stuck in traffic where the bike is standing still and no air moving over the motor. But it won’t be too much longer before Fall arrives and everyone, including the bikes, will be more comfortable. Traditionally, the Motor Corps has hosted the August Birthday & Anniversary Dinner Dance (BADD). This year’s theme is “Summertime Cruzin.” The date is August 14, but cutoff for reservations is the previous Thursday, August 9. We’d like to encourage all readers to mark their calendars. Musical entertainment is by Peter Mueller. And we’ve got two great choices of meal entrees: Chicken Almondine or Maple Glazed Salmon with Garden Rice Pilaf, Roasted Medley of Vegetables, rolls and butter, and strawberry shortcake for dessert, plus coffee
or tea. The price is $20 per person. There’s also something else worthy of note. No coats or ties for this event! Preferred dress for men is Hawaiian or Guayabera shirts and slacks or dressy summer casual; for women, the dress is commensurate attire. A number of the Motor Corps members will be wearing our black Guayabera shirts. But do plan to wear your fez. We will have one of our Shrine white bikes in the lobby to welcome you that evening. As reported last month, we’ll also be having a 50-50 drawing and a silent auction on some neat items. So make your reservations now. See you there! The Most Worshipful Grand Master of Masons in Florida visited Masonic District 23 on Friday, July 20. At least five members of the Motor Corps attended the dinner and several were involved in the preparations. The dinner, held at Sahib Shrine, was well attended and surely a success.
John Hubbard (Hotrod) with members of the Araba Shriners. They finished second in the trike competition. Photo provided by Noble Giles Light.
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We do have some other interesting news to report. At the Shrine Imperial Session in Daytona Beach back in mid-July, the International Association of Shrine Motor Corps (IASMC) competitions were held. Our own John Hubbard (Hotrod) attended and participated with the Araba Shriners from Ft. Myers in the trike competition. Their efforts were rewarded with a second-place finish. The Florida Association of Shrine Motor Corps will be meeting in Cocoa Beach from Wednesday, August 8 through Saturday, August 11. Several of our members will be attending. We’ll have more details next month. The annual Pioneer Days Parade in Englewood is scheduled for Monday, September 3. Although this parade is listed in the Reporter, Sahib participation at this time is unconfirmed. If the Shrine does participate and the Motor Corps is a part of the parade, we will have more information and photos next month. This is the only day parade for the remainder of 2018. Our treasurer, Barry Hart (Policyman), was guest speaker at the Shrine luncheon on July 19. The mere mention that he was speaking brought out some additional members of the Motor Corps and Past Masters of Masonic District 23. Barry spoke about his Masonic life and provided information on a number of Mason resources which he has found useful over the years. He received a Shrine certificate for his program and a lot of thanks from his fellow Masons and Shriners. Somehow our birthdays and anniversaries for July got dropped off last month’s article [editor’s note: apologies for that mistake!]. So we begin with four birthdays in July: Darren Bracken (Schmoozer) on the 5th, John Hubbard (Hotrod) on the 7th, Lady Kathy Galanti on the 14th, and Wally Lacey (Red Dog) on the 28th. There were two anniversaries in July: Don Brown (Honey Brown) and Lady Beverly on the 15th and Tony Galanti (G) and Lady Kathy on the 31st. Finally, in August, we have four birthdays: Lady Sharon Thornsberry on the 7th, George Mitchell (Mitch) on the 11th, Lady Christine Hernandez on the 16th, and Hampton Crimi (Monk) on the 20th. August anniversary is George Mitchell (Mitch) and Lady Peggy Sue on the 3rd.
August 2018
Cajun Low Boil Event
What’s dat you say cher? Coming Friday, September 14, Potentate Del Rawlinson and his Lady Juanita are bringing some Cajun “Low Boil” to Sahib as a fundraising event. For those who don’t know, a “low boil” (aka a “lowcountry boil” or even “Frogmore stew”) is a mess of shrimp, sausage, corn, potatoes and onions boiled together with spices into an aromatic feast…often eaten off newspapers. According to an article for Coastal Living, “This one-pot wonder was created by a National Guardsman when he needed to cook a meal for 100 soldiers. Richard Gay, who learned the recipe from his family, had everyone remembering his stew. The dish was later named “Frogmore,” where Richard was from, by the guards who teased him about home. The postal service eliminated the name Frogmore, which changed this popular dish to Lowcountry Boil.” Whatever you call it, with Chef Mizell working his magic, you know it’ll be good eaten off newspapers or plates. Get your tickets now! Price is $25 per person, and tickets must be purchased no later than September 6 from the Sahib Box Office. See ad on page eight of this publication for details.
Box Office Changes Starting Thursday, August 2, 2018 the Sahib Shrine Box Office hours will change. The Box Office will be open Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. When you call the Box Office at (941) 366-4449 extension 320 and leave a message, know that the voicemail messages will be monitored, so please leave your name and phone number, and the event you are calling about. Your call will be returned. Sahib has a new policy that all reservations must be made by the deadline date. No reservation refunds or changes can be made except for emergencies after the deadline. This September, increased hours at the Box Office will resume.
Event Cancellations Please note that both the Biloxi bus trip and the Potentate’s Ball have been cancelled. Refunds are being processed.
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Birthday & Anniversary Dinner Dance I reckon everyone had a grand ol’ time at the July jamboree doin’ the boot-scoot boogie and moppin’ up some fine chow. Photo provided by Noble Charley Hamilton.
July 10, 2018
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Manatee Shrine Club Paul Kline, President, pauliek23@gmail.com Friday, 12:00 noon, September 7, our first meeting of the second half of 2018, is rapidly approaching. As it approaches we can clearly see the 2018 summer season is coming to a conclusion. Hopefully it has been one of good health and happiness for each of you. The September 7 luncheon meeting will be held at our Sahib Temple. On our agenda for that meeting are four major items that will be addressed: First, we will begin planning and organizing for a fundraiser targeted for March 2019, which is preliminarily titled “The Manatee Shrine Club Astronomical Gastronomical.” The fundraiser (which will in essence be a food tasting party) will be the first of what we are hoping will develop into an annual event. Regarding the questions of “who, what, when, and where,” you will be receiving additional updates in the coming months. Second, we are accepting nominations for a first vice president…aka the 2019 Manatee Shrine Club president.
Welcoming our MSC to Pirate City is Chuck Knapp, our Pittsburgh Pirates liaison (second from left). Accepting that welcome are (left to right) Nobles Paul Kline, Bob Lohr and Joe Dolis. Photo provided by Noble Paul Kline.
“Authorized personnel only, Dr. Sexton!” We don’t think anyone at Pirate City bought Russ’ story that he’ll be next season’s top Pirate rookie prospect. Photo provided by Noble Paul Kline.
Third, we will finalize our 2018-2019 mailing list, have it approved, and then implemented. Fourth, having made the necessary updates, we will publish our e-Club Membership Directory. During the past month, we were pleased to learn that immediate past president, Dr. Russ Sexton, has agreed to assume the responsibilities of club secretary. The program for our September 7 luncheon-meeting will be a presentation by our Potentate, Imperial Sir Del Rawlinson and Chief Executive Aide, Charley Hamilton, on the topic of “Our Sahib Temple: An Update On Its Status.” The entrees for this meeting will be announced later, as will plans for our September “social.” Again, please note that our September 7 meeting will NOT be at Peridia Country Club, but instead will be at the Sahib Shrine. As always, we wholeheartedly and enthusiastically welcome all Shriners at our monthly luncheon-meetings and social events. If you haven’t joined us yet this year, we hope that you will visit and honor us with your presence. Your lunch will be “on the house.” MSC continued on page 18
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MSC continued from page 17
As a result of currently being “dark” with no actions or activities to report, it provides us with another opportunity to look back to this past May where our MSC monthly social took us to 27th Street East in Bradenton for a visit to Pirate City, referring, of course, to the Pittsburgh Pirates Spring Training headquarters. For those who were unable to join us for that visit, we can only say that they missed an opportunity to see the “business of professional baseball” first hand. We again thank our Pirates contact, Mr. Chuck Knapp, for making that opportunity available for us. Very briefly, as most in the Sahib Temple family are well aware, for many years our MSC’s annual financial contributions to our temple and our Shriners Hospital in Tampa have come as a result of the volunteerism of our members at LECOM Park (formerly McKechnie Field), where our members and friends worked at the concession stands. In lieu of compensating us individually, the Pirates organization compensates our MSC, thus enabling us to make those contributions. Returning to the topic of “Pirate City,” as a part of seeing and touching the modern, state-of-the-art baseball operation in motion during our tour, we visited players’ dorms, the coaches’ suites and offices (for staff and top management personnel), four full-sized baseball fields, enormous indoor weight room and batting cage facilities, a huge cafeteria (where only healthy food is served), and the list goes on and on. Pirate City is active year-around for players in various stages of development, as well as, of course, for conducting day-to-day business affairs. We also toured the physical plant and received a fascinating history lesson. For example, we learned that Bradenton has been the home of the Pittsburgh Pirates since 1969 and that in 2008 an infusion of $20 million was made into the Pirate City complex, thus making it the remarkable facility it is today. The Pittsburgh Pirates were founded in 1887 as the Pittsburgh Alleghanians and were renamed the Pirates in 1891.
Taking a sneak peek into the World Series Conference Room are the Hasting sisters, Jeanette and Beth. Don’t we wonder to ourselves what they might have seen in that room? Maybe a secret strategy for being world champs? All photos on this page provided by Noble Paul Kline.
Viewing one of the suites available to the players are (left to right) Ladies Carol Brooks, Beth Hastings, Jeanette Hastings, and Nobles Bob Lohr and Russ Sexton. In the foreground is our host, Pirates executive Spencer Fogel, who provided us with 90 minutes of knowledge about his team.
In the batting cage complex, Lady Jan Sexton (left) and Anita Dolis found baseballs in the small, hand-held rack with each given a number: 1, 2, 3, 4. Do you know what those numbers mean? Ask either, we’re sure they will tell you…and yes, the numbers relate to an instructional hitting technique.
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September 3
Pioneer Days
Englewood
October 20
Sun Fiesta Parade
Venice
November 24
Holiday Parade
Venice
December 1
Holiday Parade
Sarasota
December 8
Poinsettia Parade
North Port
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Past Masters Notes Gary Wonning, President, cmdr07@gmail.com On July 20 we welcomed the Grand Master of Florida, M. W. John Elias Karroum at Sahib Shrine for his official visit to the district. It was an enjoyable and informative evening hosted by the Past Masters of District 23. A delicious dinner was enjoyed and remarks were given by the Most Worshipful Grand Master following the dinner. As we move into the month of August, we begin to realize it won’t be too long before our snow bird brothers once again join us as they begin their yearly migration to the sunny south. If you are a Past Master, please join us. We can always use the help and advice.
We have a table at the Thursday luncheon, located in the northeast corner of the main hall. Come early and enjoy good camaraderie and a drink. Lunch is at 12:00 p.m. Camaraderie begins at 11:00 a.m. The Past Masters meet every fourth Monday of the month, except December, at the Sahib Shrine at 7:00 p.m. If you are a Past Master of any Masonic lodge, from any state or country, come early, enjoy some good food, libations, and fraternal camaraderie. The restaurant has been refurbished and the menu has been enhanced. Come out and see what you have been missing. Join us in making this a better world to live in.
“As we work to create light for others, we naturally light our own way.”
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Thank You for these June Donations: Hospital Fund Roy’s Automotive Clinic, Inc. Laurence & Patricia Linton (IMO) Richard & Anita Cervi (IMO) Mary Anne Rhodes (IMO) Bruce & Pamela Monson (IMO) Alan & Doris Huether
Temple Operation Fund Anonymous
Building Fund Steve Ellis & Colm Human Kenneth & Betty Terryberry (IMO)
Hospital Transportation Fund Leslie S. Hogel
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Oriental Band Notes Noble Robert E. Stihler, resnwk@aol.com Editor’s note: Noble Stihler is out of town, but reminds us that the band will resume practices/meetings starting Wednesday, August 8.
B-I-N-G-O Needs H-E-L-P! Our Tuesday morning Bingo game is truly in need of volunteers. This weekly event helps to keep the doors open, but lately there’s a noticeable lack of workers. The Sahib Shriners and Ladies who do faithfully work each Tuesday (thank you!) would gratefully welcome you and any help you could provide. Contact Bingo Chairman Jack Ivins for details on how you can lend a hand.
Flu shots will be given Thursday, October 11 from 5 to 7 p.m. More information coming soon.
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“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they have the heart.”
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Masonic Digest / Scottish Rite Casey A. Fletcher, 32° KCCH, cfletcher@palletone.com Freemasons dwell in the realm of philosophy; searching for Light, Truth and Wisdom. To appreciate the relationship of philosophy and Freemasonry, some history may be helpful. The earliest philosophers appear in the fifth and fourth century BCE. Many are recognizable, even today: Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and Xenophon. While their pursuit of knowledge and wisdom covered much territory, there is a theme common to each of them. They searched for an ideal form of government, for the best political theory of how society should be organized and how it should operate.
“The Thinker” by sculptor Auguste Rodin
The books the Republic and the Laws, from Plato and Socrates, contemplate a political theory for the best form for a government for a city-state. Aristotle, Plato’s student, wrote the book Politics; he refuted his teacher’s ideas and offered alternatives. Xenophon, also a student of Plato, examined King Cyrus’ Persian empire and offered entirely different political theories. These philosophers, and others, had differing ideas, but their topic was similar—Theory. Ancient
philosophy concentrated on finding good theories, on addressing societal or political matters. Advancing a couple of centuries, philosophy’s aim changed, because the world changed. Alexander the Great, Aristotle’s pupil, conquered much of the world. Rome took over and replaced its republic with an empire. The city-state no longer existed. Philosophers could argue until they were blue in the face, they could write, contemplate and pontificate all they wanted about political theory and the proper form of government—but nothing was going to change. The world was ruled by an emperor and a big centralized government. So, the nature of philosophy changed. This change helps us understand the relationship of philosophy and the origins of Masonic thought. Philosophy turned its focus from theory to therapy. Therapy in this sense: philosophy began to focus on the individual. It began to focus on issues like what it means to be a good human being. What is virtue? How should one live? What are our duties? What is duty? What does “just” behavior look like? This is an important transition. Theory involves study, thought and argument. But therapy requires personal action and personal transformation. In the period from the first century BCE to about the third century CE are found entirely different kinds of philosophers: Cicero, Marconius Rufus (Rome’s Socrates), Seneca, Plutarch and Epictetus. Four schools of thought evolved: Platonic, Aristotelian, Stoic and Epicurean. The object of these schools was different than before—their focus was the individual, not society. Their object was therapy, not theory; personal action, not debate. The wisdom of each school is found scattered throughout Masonic ritual. They are examined, though unnamed, in the lecture Masonic Digest continued on page 34
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Sar-I Court No. 79 - LOSNA Kay Neary, High Priestess, kayneary@hotmail.com Summer is half over so it is time to get busy planning the meetings and activities starting in September. We will have our first court meeting September 14 and we will have a ceremonial at the October meeting. Sar-I Court #79 will be 50 years in October. We will celebrate with a special luncheon October 26 at the Venezia Hotel and Resort. November 10 will be a big project for us, as we will host a Gift Market at the Scottish Rite on Tuttle. We will finish the month with the Venice Parade. The Sarasota Parade will be December 1, and the Grand High Visit will be December 10 and 11. That is always a special time. And then we have 2019!
Above: Lady Carol Hart demonstrates good sportsmanship by assisting a fellow teammate with her shot. At right: Lady Carol Hart shows good form at the putt-putt golf fundraiser at the Shriners Hospital – Tampa. Photos provided by Lady Kay Neary.
We had a great time at the hospital playing putt-putt golf. It was a great, fun time even for those of us who don’t know how to play golf. To have fun while raising money for the hospital is so rewarding. “Christmas in July” was fantastic. We received an incredible amount of toys, cash, gift cards and even a complete desktop computer setup for the teen room. Many thanks to Lady Judy Harris and Lady Martha Crabb. If you know any lady interested in our great organization, please have them contact any of us. We love to talk about the Ladies Oriental Shrine of North America and are always looking for new members.
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Tennessee East-West Football Classic Committee. Cain served as President of the Tennessee Shrine Association in 2006, is a past Rabban of Hillbilly Clan #151, and a life-member of the Cabiri Association. He is an associate member of Rizpah Shriners in Madisonville, Kentucky; El Hasa Shriners in Ashland, Kentucky; and Jericho Shriners in Kingsport, Tennessee. Cain was awarded the Honorary DeMolay Legion of Honor. A former locomotive engineer, Cain worked for CSX Transportation for more than 42 years. He was a Community Affairs and Safety Officer, and a board member of the Tennessee Railroad Association. Cain spent three years as state coordinator of Tennessee Operation Lifesaver Inc., a nationally recognized program that educates the public about dangers at railroad grade crossings and around railroad properties. He also served as chairman of the board for Alabama Operation Lifesaver Inc. and Tennessee Operation Lifesaver Inc. Cain and his wife, Patsy, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in August 2017. They have two children, Janice and Jim Jr., and two grandchildren, Oakley and Paxton. Cain attends Forest Hills Baptist Church in Nashville. FIRST LADY PATSY CAIN A native and lifelong resident of Nashville, Tennessee, Patsy Cain is a true Southerner—complete with the distinctive accent, charm, graciousness and independent spirit that is often found in the people of
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to the 27th degree, Knight of the Sun. For example, Cicero developed the ideas of Aristotle about the four cardinal virtues to write a book called On Moral Duties. But the book was not about political theory and its audience was neither the emperor nor the empire. The book was about individual behavior and the audience was his son. Cicero’s words are prominent in the Entered Apprentice lecture and in Morals and Dogma. Freemasons are now Cicero’s audience. Thus, the connection between Freemasonry and “therapeutic” philosophy begins to appear. Freemasonry deals very little with theory, it focuses on personal action and behavior, the correction and
the region. The youngest of four children, Patsy laughingly says she was “the spoiled rotten baby” of the family. That may be, but she also learned the importance and value of hard work early in life, and that trait has served her well. Her father was a warehouse manager for Bi-Rite First Lady Patsy Cain Foods in Nashville for 30 years, and her mother worked at a dry-cleaners. While in high school, Patsy met the man who would quickly become the love of her life, Jim Cain, at a Teen Town dance. She was 15, he was 16. Within two years, they were married and settled down to build a life together. The couple celebrated 50 incredible years together in August of 2017. Once they were married, Patsy went straight to work as a switchboard operator for an insurance company. Later, Patsy worked for various trucking companies for 25 years, and for the Internal Revenue Service for 20 years. When her two children, Janice and Jim Jr., were born she took time off to be home to care for and enjoy them; and later, to babysit her grandchildren, Oakley and Paxton. The grandchildren are now 19 and 24. The entire Cain family lives in the Nashville area and enjoys spending time together.
elimination of personal vice, the development of virtue, the practice of good habits, the performance of duty. Cicero would approve. Freemasonry’s “system of morality,” it can be argued, is philosophical, personal therapy. We need it. And our society needs the men we aspire to become. The Scottish Rite’s degrees will next be conferred October 20 and October 27. Petitions are available online by clicking this link: http://tampascottishrite.org
The writer is the Worshipful Master of Tuscan Lodge No. 6 in Bartow, Florida. He figures Masonry is called Labor and Work for a reason.
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Nyla Temple No. 152 Donna Kay Duffy, Queen, cdd84@aol.com Hello to all! I am the Queen at Nyla temple. I have been a member of Daughters of the Nile for over 30 years. I am a charter member of Aretas temple in Michigan City, Indiana (Orak Shrine), as well as a member of Nyla. I am very proud of the support that Daughters of the Nile gives to the Shriners Hospitals. This year Nyla temple contributed over $10,000 in cash donations and like-kind donations. We send toys, blankets, underwear, gift cards and other needs to five of the hospitals. We also send hygiene packages to the hospital for parents who have extended stays with their children.
We attended Supreme Session last week, and again donations to the hospitals for the year were over $4 million dollars in cash and like-kind donations. We are not meeting during the summer months, but will start again the first Thursday in September, which is the 6th. We meet at the Scottish Rite building on Tuttle Avenue. We have sweets and coffee at 10:30 a.m. and meet at 11:00. A light lunch follows the meeting. We hope to have a get-together in August, just to keep in touch.
Donna Kay Duffy, Queen
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Please consider making a donation to the Sahib Shriner’s Capital Asset Addition Replacement Trust Fund. Use the form at left.
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Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children to the annual Shriners’ business meeting. It was Forrest Adair, who by his very eloquent and moving speech on the floor of the Session, secured a unanimous vote for the proposal. The following year, Dr. William Mayo of Rochester, Minnesota, co-founder of the Mayo Clinic and also a Shriner, recommended to the special committee for site location that more than one such hospital be undertaken. At the 1921 Imperial Session in Des Moines, Iowa, this recommendation also passed. The first Shriners Hospital was built in Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1922, and during the next four years, 13 additional Shriners Hospitals for Crippled Children were opened across North America.
volunteerism. The Shrine fraternity, known as the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, was formed in New York City in 1872 as an outgrowth of Masonry. Before the establishment of the hospitals in 1922, Shriners had volunteered their time and money to numerous charitable causes, most notably in relation to the flood in Johnstown, Pennsylvania; and the yellow fever epidemic in Jacksonville, Florida. In the early 1900s, Dr. Michael Hoke, a well-known orthopedic surgeon in Atlanta, interested Forrest Adair, a prominent local Shriner and Scottish Rite Mason, in the plight of the crippled child. Through Mr. Adair’s efforts, the Scottish Rite Hospital of Atlanta was SHRINERS HOSPITALS TODAY opened in 1915 to care for children with poliomyelitis Today there are 22 Shriners Hospitals for Children and other crippling diseases. (Shriners Hospitals for Crippled Children changed their name in 1996) including 18 orthopedic hospitals, three hospitals for treating burn patients, and one hospital in Sacramento, California that treats children with orthopedic problems, burn injury, and spinal cord injury. Two other orthopedic hospitals also have spinal cord injury programs (Philadelphia and Chicago) and five hospitals have programs for the treatment of cleft lip and palate. The annual budget for Shriners Hospitals for Children in 2001 [was] $567 million, which [included] $460 million for operating expenses, $25 million for research, and $82 million for capital expenditures. This budget [was] funded entirely from the endowment fund and from the $5 annual assessment paid by every Shriner. No private or third party pay ever has been accepted for care rendered in Shriners Hospitals. Today, [2002] the endowment fund is approximately $8 billion dollars. More than $200 million from wills, bequests, and gifts is received annually to support this fund. YOU MAKE THIS HAPPEN Scottish Rite Hospital, circa 1920. Photo from www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
How, one may ask, has this remarkable charity been so successful in its mission without any income This hospital probably served as a model for what from patients, insurance, or the government? The eventually would become a system of children’s answer lies in an exceptional record of volunteerism by orthopedic hospitals known as the Shriners Hospitals the Shriners at nearly every level of hospital activity. For example, it is the Shriners as volunteers who for Crippled Children. are responsible for the majority of fundraising to In 1920, Freeland Kendrick, mayor of Philadelphia, and then Imperial Potentate of the Shrine support the hospitals through a national Endowment, of North America, proposed the establishment of a Volunteerism continued on page 38
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Wills, and Gifts Committee. Additionally, each hospital has a 21-member Board of Governors composed entirely of Shriners. These men come from all walks of life. They are doctors, lawyers, accountants, businessmen, contractors, and bankers, and they provide the needed expertise for governing the hospitals. Each member gives hundreds of hours of time and effort annually to the governance activities of the hospital. They are not compensated for their time and receive no reimbursement for their expenses of the monthly board meetings and committee meetings, even though many must travel hundreds of miles to the hospital for this purpose each month. The national Boards of Directors and Trustees, which provide oversight to the hospital corporation, are composed solely of Shriners. They, too, receive no compensation for their many duties that include board meetings, committee meetings, hospital site visits, and business on behalf of the hospitals. Each hospital is supported by 12 to 20 Shrine temples (similar to fraternity lodges) in their geographic catchment area. These temples provide members to the hospital Boards of Governors, but they also provide transportation to and from the hospitals for all patients who need it.
Sahib Past Potentate Bill Balkwill (left) is a voting member of the Shriners Hospital – Tampa Board of Governors. Assistant Rabban Gene Marinelli (center) and Noble Paul Zeissler (right) are currently serving on the Board as associate members.
transportation funds are raised by the temples through various Shrine functions. Each temple may spend as much as $300,000 to $500,000 per year on patient transportation, and collectively, raise more than $12,000,000 annually for this purpose. The Shrine temples supporting each hospital are responsible for identifying children in their local area who may benefit from care by the hospital. To accomplish this, they organize and conduct numerous screening clinics each year using local physicians and healthcare providers who also volunteer their time. Each patient referred to a Shriners hospital has an individual Shriner as his or her sponsor who serves as a local contact to facilitate care. Shriners from supporting temples also volunteer their time at the hospital in many capacities, making families and patients comfortable in their surroundings. They also serve as tour guides and as assistants to hospital departments in various ways. Shrine clown units frequently entertain the children. One hospital may have as many as 500 volunteer Shriners, many of whom provide service to the hospital two to three days per week. It is difficult to estimate the value of the hours volunteered by the Shriners in support of Shriners Hospitals for Children. Through their collective efforts, the administrative costs for operating the hospitals has been held to 4% or less of the annual budget and the Sahib Transportation Unit’s vans for driving children to and from endowment fund has grown to $8 billion in 2001. their hospital appointments in Tampa or to the airport. Photo by Noble Gary Schweinshaupt
This involves the purchase and use of vans and buses driven by volunteer Shriners on a daily basis, and the funding of commercial air transportation for children who live more than 200 miles away. In the case of burn victims, the temples are responsible for the cost of air ambulance flights, which may be as expensive as $10,000 to $15,000 per incident. These
VOLUNTEERISM BY SHRINERS PHYSICIANS Few other medical specialties or subspecialties can match the volunteerism exhibited by orthopedists in the field of pediatric orthopedics over the years. In this regard, Shriners Hospitals for Children set an early example because all of the hospital medical staff initially were composed of voluntary, part-time Volunteerism continued on page 40
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If you're a Noble of the Shrine searching for brotherhood and camaraderie, remember that Sahib Shrine is yours. Find your way and enjoy your membership. Sahib is always in need of assistance with duties. There are many activities to become involved with for your pleasure. Don't travel alone. Bring someone with you to travel the journey crossing the hot sands to the welcoming shade of our goodly temple.
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physicians besides the Chief Surgeon who was paid a small amount equivalent to an honorarium. When Title V of the Social Security Act was enacted in 1935 (United States Social Security Act of 1935, Title V: Grants to States for Maternal and Child Welfare) the federal government began providing block grants to the states to fund care for crippled children. Originally, almost all of these children by definition had orthopedic problems, mostly from poliomyelitis. Most required expensive long-term care, which families could ill afford. As was the case in Shriners hospitals, orthopedists across the country donated their time and expertise to the care of these unfortunate children, under the auspices of the crippled children’s programs in each state, which today are known as programs for Children with Special Health Care Needs. This practice continued through the 1960s when the definition of “crippled” expanded beyond the musculoskeletal system. Specialists recruited to treat other disorders under the new definition (such as heart problems, eye problems, and cleft lip and palate) were paid by the states for their time. Eventually orthopedic surgeons also demanded to be paid, although the amount of remuneration was small in comparison with their usual and customary fees. Orthopedists historically have volunteered their time to many other children’s organizations and clinics, such as United Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Easter Seal Rehabilitation Centers, the Hemophilia Foundation, and the Elks Children’s programs. In the case of Shriners Hospitals for Children, the majority of patient care was provided by part-time volunteer orthopedists receiving little or no remuneration for their services until the 1980s. No doubt the remarkable example of volunteerism set by the Shriners was a factor in stimulating Shrine surgeons to continue this charitable practice. During the past 20 years, numerous factors have caused the gradual conversion of Shriners medical staffs from part-time voluntary staff to a combination of full-time salaried staff and part-time paid staff. These factors have included higher levels of inpatient activity from higher risk patients and more complex surgery, greater professional liability concerns, diminished practice income, and the increased time demands of private practice which have competed with time available for charitable community activities.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt signing the Social Security Act on August 14, 1935, which included Title V to aid children with disabilities. Photo: Franklin D. Roosevelt Library.
This is not to say that volunteerism among the Shriners hospitals’ medical staff is dead. Many Shriners hospitals continue to have some volunteer nonpaid staff who continue to contribute to the mission of the hospitals. Many Shriners physicians give freely of their own vacation time to provide care to children in third world countries. There they conduct clinics, educational seminars for local physicians, do surgery, and identify some patients who eventually are cared for in Shriners hospitals. SHRINERS HOSPITALS WORLDWIDE Although the primary mission of Shriners Hospitals for Children is dedicated to the children of North America, many children from countries around the world have received care in Shriners hospitals free of charge. Shriners who live abroad form Shrine Clubs dedicated to identifying children who may be helped by the hospitals, and they also help to provide funds for their transportation. Shriners Hospitals for Children as a corporation also has responded to worldwide disasters by volunteering teams of physicians to provide emergency care. An example is the gas line explosion in Ufa, Russia, during the late 1980s in which approximately 2,000 children being transported by train were burned. A six-member medical team was dispatched from the Shriners Burns Hospitals to assist in the care of these children for several weeks. Other gas explosions in Mexico and Central and South America also have resulted in many children being sent to our burn Volunteerism continued on page 45
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Dark August: from a poem by Derek Walcott So much rain, so much life from the swollen sky Of this black August. My sister, the sun, Broods in her yellow room and won’t come out.
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AUGUST Thursday, Aug 2
Men’s Luncheon
Tuesday, Aug 7
Bingo – Main Hall
Wednesday, Aug 8
Stated Meeting
Thursday, Aug 9
Men’s Luncheon
Friday, Aug 10
Scottish Rite
Tuesday, Aug 14
Bingo – Main Hall Birthday & Anniversary Dinner/Dance
Thursday, Aug 16
Men’s Luncheon
Tuesday, Aug 21
Bingo – Main Hall
Thursday, Aug 23
Men’s Luncheon
Saturday, Aug 25
Dance Party
Monday, Aug 27
Past Masters Meet 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug 28
Bingo – Main Hall
Thursday, Aug 30
Men’s Luncheon
SEPTEMBER Monday, Sep 3
Pioneer Days Parade
Tuesday, Sep 4
Bingo – Main Hall
Thursday, Sep 6
Stated Meeting Men’s Luncheon
Tuesday, Sep 11
Bingo – Main Hall Birthday & Anniversary Dinner/Dance
Thursday, Sep 13
Men’s Luncheon
Friday, Sep 14
Fall Ceremonial Scottish Rite Cajun Low Boil Dinner
Saturday, Sep 15
Fall Ceremonial
Tuesday, Sep 18
Bingo – Main Hall
Thursday, Sep 20
Men’s Luncheon
Sep 21 through 28
Potentate’s Cruise
Monday, Sep 24
Past Masters Meet 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday, Sep 25
Bingo – Main Hall
Thursday, Sep 27
Men’s Luncheon
Saturday, Sep 29
Dance Party
hospitals. Shriners medical teams also were sent abroad to volunteer their services during the severe earthquake in El Salvador in 1986 and the Armenian earthquake in the early 1990s. Volunteerism has been the bedrock upon which Shriners Hospitals for Children has been built. The continued vitality of the hospitals and their commitment to excellence are attributable in large measure to the ongoing spirit of volunteerism of Shriners around the globe and of the professional staffs of its hospitals.
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