Page 25 - 2017 Summer

Shrine Centers (Temples) located throughout in the United
Gr and Lodg e of W ashingt on
Grand Lodge of Washington
Masonic Tribune
Masonic T r ibune States, Canada, Mexico, the Philippines, the Republic of
Volume XCII No.1 - Summer Issue - Page 3
Volume XCVIII No. 4 - Summer 2017 Issue - Page 25 Panama and Brazil with Shrine Clubs located in many parts
of the world.
There are four Shrine Centers in the state of Washington.
Concordant Bodies The oldest is Afifi, which was chartered on August 1, 1888
in Tacoma; then El Katif on June 10, 1890 in Spokane; fol-
lowed by Nile on July 15, 1908 in Seattle, but now located
Youth & Youth Committee in Mountlake Terrace; and Masada on November 28, 1990
in Yakima.
(Continued from page 24) The chief executive officer for the Shrine of North America is
the Imperial Potentate, who is elected for a one year term.
As we close out another Grand Lodge year, we can certainly He is like the President and CEO of a company. At the local
look forward with great anticipation as Masons are “being the Temple level, he is called the Potentate and has the title of
difference.” I hope you can feel the momentum, as I do, that “Illustrious Sir”.
we are representing our Fraternity and its teachings in the A Shriner is known as a “Noble “who is a member in good
community at large. Philosophically we have the key to unit- standing of any Temple.
ing our communities, our States, our Country and the world The fez is one of the most recognizable symbols of Shriners
by exemplifying our Masonic tenets with all we meet and in- International and was adopted as the Shriners’ official head-
teract. We meet on the level and part on the square. We may wear in 1872. Named after the city of Fez, Morocco, the fez
not always agree but we maintain civility and respect toward represents the Arabian theme the Fraternity was founded
each other. See you around the Fraternity. on.
For years to come, the Shriners and their Hospitals for
Al Jorgensen Children system will continue to operate and maintain the
Sovereign Grand Inspector General “World’s Greatest Philanthropy.”
Orient of Washington For more information on becoming a Shri-
ner, please contact any one of the four
Shrine Centers in Washington.
SHRINERS INTERNATIONAL Fraternally,
Ill. Sir Gale H. Kenney
A SHORT HISTORY Potentate 2017
Nile Shriners
On August 13, 1870, the “Shrine” was founded by a group http://www.nileshriners.org/
of Masons in New York City. The Grand Lodge of New
York had made some recent changes in the Blue Lodges
that had eliminated the use of alcohol at Lodge Meetings. Order of the Amaranth
Several Brothers, Meeting at Knickerbocker Cottage, a res-
taurant located at 426 Sixth Avenue, New York, decided to
form a new Fraternity in which “fun” and “fellowship” would
be stressed more than ritual work, so the Shrine was found- The order of the Amaranth is a co-education-
ed. The new Fraternity would be based on an Arabic format, al, fraternal organization for Master Masons
because travel to the Middle East was popular at that time. in good standing and their female relatives.
The first Chapter (Temple) established in the United States, Amaranth promotes and encourages the
Mecca Shriners, held its first Meeting in New York City on practice a principles of Truth, Faith, Wisdom,
September 26, 1872. This “fun” and “fellowship” continued and Charily in everyday life, through traditional
until 1920 when at its Annual Imperial Session in Portland, rites handed through the generations. We share time and
Oregon, the membership unanimously passed a Resolution friendships through some traditions as well as modern func-
to establish, what at the time, was called the Shriners Hospi- tions, adventures in travel and participation in community
tal for Crippled Children system. That name has since been events throughout Washington, the US and many countries
changed to Shriners Hospitals for Children. The first hospital around the world.
in the system opened in 1922 in Shreveport, Louisiana. It
provided pediatric orthopedic care. Today, we have twenty- Our “Courts” work together to raise funds for the American
two Hospitals for Children, specializing in orthopedics, cleft Diabetes Foundation to support research in finding better
lip and palate, burn care, and spinal cord injury, where a child management of Diabetes, improved treatments and to find
can receive care regardless of the family’s ability to pay. a cure. We also raise funds for Scholarships to help our
youth further their education.
The Shriners were founded as The Ancient Arabic Order of For more information visit us at www.amaranth.org
the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (A.A.O.N.M.S.) in 1870 but
on July 5, 2010 changed its name to be Shriners Interna- You are never too old to set a new goal or dream a new
tional. If you rearrange the letters A.A.O.N.M.S., it spells “A dream
Mason”. In order to be a Shriner, a member must first be a
Mason in good standing in his Jurisdiction, with the excep- Respectfully submitted,
tion of the Jurisdiction of Arkansas. Ginny Docker
Grand Royal Matron the Order of the Amaranth
There are currently approximately 250,000 Shriners in 196
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