Monday, September 12, 2011

Tonight I became a Shriner!

I will start this note with the proper salutation for the event: Selam aleikum!” - which means, “Peace be with you!”  I am proud of all my accomplishments as a travelling man (Freemason), but tonight, I became part of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (A.A.O.N.M.S.) for North America, better know as the Shrine, and that is very, very special to me. I am so proud that I just walked across the cold sands-ceremony. TRANSLATION, I became a Shriner… so I join the Shriners International - Kena Temple/Mosque in the Oasis of Fairfax, Desert of Virginia! In 9-12-2011 it was my first meeting as a Noble! I joined the shrine to help and to support a running network of more than 20 hospitals that offer special treatment for children at no cost. Seriously, at no cost. For more information, or to request the support of the shrine visit our site: http://www.kena.org/about.htm.

What is a Shriner? Is the type of organization that attracts some of the best physicians, nurses, lawyers, professional, politicians, truck drivers, dentists, contractors, heads of state, movie stars, generals, clergymen and accountants!



Yes, we are the guys who have those parades with the wild costumes and funny little cars; yes we are the guys who wear those funny red hats. Each has experienced an aspect of Shrinedom. By the way, the shrine is consider the World's Greatest Philanthropy enterprise.

On my first meeting and since the moment I got to the Shrine/Temple I felt like I was home!  The camaraderie, deep friendships, good fellowship and great times shared by all Shriners make me feel like I was home... You may not know that all Shriners share a Masonic heritage: Each is a Master Mason in the Freemasonry Society.
  
There is approximately 400,000 of us, “Shriners” today!  We gather in chapters, throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Republic of Panama. There are 22 Shriners Hospitals for Children providing care for orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate. These hospitals have helped approximately 835,000 children — at no cost to parent or child — since the first Shriners Hospital opened in 1922. I will like to say thank to my brother, Noble-Carl Weaver for his support and for the opportunity to serve in this capacity!

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