Prad!!

[Hessian]

Looks like it was quite a turn out...I finally got a chance to enjoy it after missing it for homecoming/Reenactments for years.

Lots of stuff to see/do....good job Calvert Marine Museum!

Parade...um...what is it with hundreds of shriners from Baltimore??? Can't we find coast guard? Oldest Crabber? Officers from Pax River?
The line of Boumi temple guys just never seemd to end. (who came up with the middle-east theme anyway? (that doesn't win points in my book)...sand suckers and towel heads don't impress me as being very Benevolent....time to rename the outfit.

Weather was great...large crowds...I hope the crafters made some $$-helps to have community activities like that.

Keep it up Prad!

 

[Bertha Venation]

Originally posted by Hessian
sand suckers and towel heads don't impress me as being very Benevolent

I much prefer people of different lands, cultures and languages to flag-waving American bigots. May as well take a spectacular dump on your Bible or on the flag, Hessian.

 

[jazz lady]

Originally posted by Hessian
what is it with hundreds of shriners from Baltimore??? Can't we find coast guard? Oldest Crabber? Officers from Pax River?
The line of Boumi temple guys just never seemd to end. (who came up with the middle-east theme anyway? (that doesn't win points in my book)...sand suckers and towel heads don't impress me as being very Benevolent....time to rename the outfit.

Wow, such ignorance from such a supposedly "learned" man. I would expect that from a teenager who doesn't know any better.

Who the Shriners are.

They're one of the biggest charitable organizations in the world and are part of the Masonic organization. In North America, there are over 500,000 members. Shriners Hospitals for Children is a network of pediatric specialty hospitals, founded by the Shrine, where children under the age of 18 receive excellent medical care absolutely free of charge.

 

[Hessian]

What a surprise.

I thought we encouraged Bertha to return to California to count chads and restore socialism???

"I much prefer people of different lands, cultures and languages to flag-waving American bigots."
wow....then leave!...you would do very well in a sand sucking country (for about ten minutes).

OK Jazz, I'll bite....why the Middle East fixation? Its like Britain with their utter fascination with India (and it really screwed them up).

I am aware of the Shriners efforts and their broad spread...I know they have given selflessly for years....just why the "Chinese band & Gong show" act? I am far more likely to contribute to an Organization that reflects western values than one that mimics eastern.

 

[jazz lady]

Re: What a surprise.

Originally posted by Hessian
OK Jazz, I'll bite....why the Middle East fixation? Its like Britain with their utter fascination with India (and it really screwed them up).

I am aware of the Shriners efforts and their broad spread...I know they have given selflessly for years....just why the "Chinese band & Gong show" act? I am far more likely to contribute to an Organization that reflects western values than one that mimics eastern.

History of the Shriners

In a word, it was fun. An exotic counterpoint to the perceived stodginess of the regular ritualistic Masons. It also garners attention - who doesn't recognize the red Fez-wearing group in the parade?

But focusing on the wild costumes shouldn't lead to overlooking the serious nature of the organization and all the good they do in the world.

 

[Hessian]

Excellent site...just read through the evolution of the Shriners & ties to masons.

Let me shift topic slightly....I sense that America's altruistic behavior is shifting. The generation that belonged to the Ruritan Club, Elks, Moose, VFW, Knights of Columbus etc...is graying and fading. I know all things can's stay the same but do you sense that the shriners are also facing a slow decline as less of the younger generation is getting involved? I know that a number of these organizations will last...but the "community-involved" mentality is not strong among the x-generation crowd...thus decline.
Thoughts?

Thank you again for the site reference...and your volunteering spirit.

 

[jazz lady]

Originally posted by Hessian
Excellent site...just read through the evolution of the Shriners & ties to masons.

Let me shift topic slightly....I sense that America's altruistic behavior is shifting. The generation that belonged to the Ruritan Club, Elks, Moose, VFW, Knights of Columbus etc...is graying and fading. I know all things can's stay the same but do you sense that the shriners are also facing a slow decline as less of the younger generation is getting involved? I know that a number of these organizations will last...but the "community-involved" mentality is not strong among the x-generation crowd...thus decline.
Thoughts?

Thank you again for the site reference...and your volunteering spirit.

You're welcome.

It is not just the Shriners facing a slow decline; all of them are. If you go to any of their meetings, you will see the same theme running rampant through them all: How DO we get the next generation involved?

Changing the perception of these organizations as "old fuddy-duddy clubs" will be hard to overcome, but not impossible. I believe the Moose have had the most success, with the Elks not far behind. The Masons, including all of the branches including Shriners and Scottish Rite, are appealing less and less to the gen-x crowd.

I lifted this quote from the Moose International site that explains how they decided to "reinvent themselves":

Who Are We?

In the early 1990s, the Moose organization decided to rethink the entire idea of what a fraternal facility and its programs need to be about in the 21st Century-de-emphasizing our Social Quarters, and placing greater emphasis on programs designed to appeal to every segment of our members' families in facilities called Family Centers. These members - responsible men and women and their children, make the Moose program strong and active in communities all across North America.

While our focus is changing to better serve the family at the Lodge, the commitment to the Moose fraternity's missions remain as strong as ever. Lodges and Chapters across the fraternity contribute to Moose-sponsored programs such as Mooseheart and Moosehaven, and also to people in their own communities through Community Service initiated by members of the Lodge.

I think they've found the key.

 

[Kizzy]

Great site Jazz!

My sister stayed at a Shriner's Hospital for about 3 weeks. My sister was born with 2 fingers on each hand and her arms do not extend at all so they gave her aids to assist her in everyday living. I just verified with my grandmother that it was Shriner’s Hospital in Baltimore, but the site doesn’t mention Shriner’s Hospital in Baltimore at all.
I guess it was about 15 years ago.