During the event, members of the Bermuda Shrine Club participate as parade marshals, providing assistance with crowd control and logistics. They also participate in the ceremony by carrying the ceremonial sword and providing a guard of honor. The Bermuda Shrine Club’s involvement in the event emphasizes its commitment to supporting and preserving Bermuda’s cultural heritage.

The Bermuda Peppercorn Annual Ceremony and the Bermuda Shrine Club share a common goal of helping children in need. On one hand, this ceremony demonstrates the importance of tradition, history and the preservation of heritage. On the other hand, the Bermuda Shrine Club’s focus on helping children looks towards the future. The Peppercorn Annual Ceremony reinforces the importance of historical and cultural preservation while the charity work done by the Shrine Club reinforces the values of care and compassion for others.

In conclusion, the Bermuda Peppercorn Annual Ceremony planners and the Bermuda Shrine Club are two organizations that share a deep sense of history and community service. Both organizations are a testament to the values held dear by the Bermudian people and serve as a source of inspiration for future generations.

For more information on the Bermuda Peppercorn Annual Ceremony and upcoming events, visit the Lodge St. George No. 200 G.R.S. or the Mecca Shriners.

Greetings my Brothers!

This is Eric Morabito, “The Walking Man,” checking back in on Fez Friday.

Khartum Shriners

The Shrine fez bearing the name Khartum, so familiar to many people in Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario today, was relatively unknown until 1905 when Khartum Temple was introduced, established, and chartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, through the efforts of members of the Masonic Order, Scottish and York Rites and the Shrine of North America. Thus, the name “Khartum,” taken from the chief city in Sudan, became Temple No. 95 in the Shrine of North America and the fifth Temple to be chartered in Canada.

As membership rapidly grew throughout the Shrine of North America, the Imperial Shrine officers recognized that Shriners had to have a mandate that would keep their membership united in a common purpose. Thus, in 1922, the Shriners Hospitals for Children was established, known as the “World’s Greatest Philanthropy.” Its mandate was to set up and maintain a network of hospitals for treating children with orthopedic or burn injuries. In 1923, Khartum Shriners proudly sent their first three patients to the Twin Cities Shrine Hospital for Children for treatment at no cost to the children or their families.

In earlier years, as the membership of Khartum grew, meetings were held at several venues throughout Winnipeg. Before moving into its current premises, the Temple was located in the former Ashdown residence at 529 Wellington Crescent, noted for its prestigious charm, beauty, presence, location, and historical significance.

In 1937, Khartum was given jurisdiction over the Lakehead and Northern Ontario areas, which extended the Temple’s jurisdiction from the Saskatchewan border to approximately 120 miles east of Thunder Bay.

In 1949, the Winnipeg Unit of Shriners Hospital for Children was built and in operation shortly afterward. This was the pride of Khartum and was, no doubt, one of the main reasons for its membership growth as loyal and committed members served and supported the Shrine philanthropy. With the introduction of the Canadian universal medicare system, the Winnipeg Unit of Shriners Hospital for Children was turned over to the Manitoba government in 1977.

Khartum also introduced the Stop Burns Injuries Program, which provides fire-prevention educational services to school children and public service to senior residences and other organizations interested in preventing burns injuries.

Our philanthropy has been further enhanced in Khartum by recognizing children in need of our services with the introduction of the Khartum Patient Transportation Fund, a registered charity. The fund has enabled Khartum to triple its patient load of children requiring and needing our no-cost medical services.

We recognize and proudly salute the support received from our various Shrine units operating out of Winnipeg and our Shrine clubs outside the city. All members of these units and clubs stand proud and tall for the many contributions in terms of time, effort, and resources to the Shrine of North America and the communities, towns, and cities they represent.

Over the past several years, many fund-raising initiatives have been introduced and well supported by hardworking and committed nobles and their ladies who assist our whole organization in general funding operations and helping children who cannot help themselves.

In 2000, the Temple moved into its new and permanent home at 1155 Wilkes Avenue in Winnipeg, where it services the needs of its members and offers first-class facilities to the public for meetings and other functions and events.

Khartum Shriners and their ladies remain fiercely proud of the contributions and services we provide through our obligations and commitment to the “World’s Greatest Philanthropy.”

Greetings my Brothers!

This is Eric Morabito, “The Walking Man,” checking back in on Fez Friday.

Sphinx Shriners

Recognizing the need for a new Temple, nineteen Nobles gathered at the Masonic Club of Hartford (clubrooms in Hartford Masonic Temple) to form a new Shrine Temple to serve Central Connecticut. In 1896, the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (A.A.O.N.M.S.) was still a comparatively young fraternity, having been established only twenty-four years previously. Its formation came about at a meeting held on June 16, 1871, by thirteen Knights Templar and eight 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Masons, at which the decision was made to form Mecca Temple of New York City. Within a year, the planned fraternity had become a reality.

At the meeting held at the Masonic Club of Hartford, names of the following Nobles were recorded in the proceedings: Frank D. May, Rial Peck, James Jarman, H. B. Philbrick, Charles Andrus, William Marchant, and Sidney Clarke. Rial Peck was appointed as Chairman and James Jarman as Secretary. The first step was to submit an application to the Imperial Council for a Charter. Next month, a delegation from Hartford visited Pyramid Temple to propose relocating it to Hartford. Unsurprisingly, the motion was soundly defeated. However, permission was granted to allow the Hartford delegation to proceed with the plan to form a new Shrine Temple in Hartford. Sphinx was then chosen as the name of the new Temple.

At a meeting held on July 13, 1896, the members were notified that a Charter had been granted to the Sphinx Temple. In 1896, two Ceremonials were held in Hartford, the first on April 27, 1896, and the second on October 15, 1896. Imperial Potentate Harrison Dingman, assisted by Imperial Recorder Benjamin Rowell, presented the Charter to Illustrious Sir Rial S. Peck at the second Ceremonial held at the First Company Governor’s Foot Guard Armory. Sphinx was the seventy-third Temple established in North America. By the close of 1896, Sphinx Shriners had a membership of 414 Nobles. During its first five years of operation, membership grew to 723 members. The Sphinx Shrine Band was formed in 1899. It is the oldest continuously operating band within the realm of the Shriners fraternity. Sphinx Oasis Club, the first Shrine Club created by the members of Sphinx Temple, was founded in 1902.

Looking to the future, Sphinx Shrine is actively seeking new members who will continue to support Shriners Hospitals for Children® and build upon the many accomplishments of the past 120 years. Connecticut Freemasons deserve the privilege of becoming Shriners.

Greetings my Brothers!

This is Eric Morabito, “The Walking Man,” checking back in on Fez Friday.

El Zaribah Shrine Temple

On February 10, 1896, a group of Masons was issued a dispensation to form the nucleus of a new Shrine Temple. On June 24 of that year, a charter was issued to El Zaribah Shrine Temple in an area identified as the Arizona Territory. El Zaribah is said to be translated into “Hunter’s Paradise.” Soon after the charter was issued, a band and a patrol were formed to comply with Imperial Council’s requirement that every Temple was to have such units.

El Zaribah Nobles Riding Horseback in a Parade

Greetings my Brothers!

This is Eric Morabito, “The Walking Man,” checking back in on Fez Friday.

India Temple

On May 2, 1893, well before Oklahoma gained statehood; the Imperial Council granted dispensation for a Shrine Temple in Oklahoma City. With the ritualistic work performed by the Ararat Temple from Kansas City, MO, India conducted the first ceremonial in Oklahoma, creating seven new nobles on May 22, 1893.

The following year, on July 25, 1894, a charter was issued establishing India Temple as the 65th Temple to be organized. Along with thirty-eight names affixed, the original charter now hangs prominently in the Divan Conference Room at the Temple. When Oklahoma gained statehood on September 16, 1907, the India Temple had 553 members with a jurisdiction encompassing the entire state. They now share the state with the Akdar Temple in Tulsa, and the Bedouin Temple in Muskogee, chartered in 1912. The India Temple Jurisdiction now covers thirty-seven counties in Oklahoma, with concurrent jurisdiction in seven more counties.

India’s rich and colorful heritage has touched and left its influence on two centuries and two cultures, territorial and state. Through the hospital transportation program, they are now creating and building on a legacy that will live on, manifested in the bodies of healthy and productive children.

In addition to the Shriners Hospitals, India’s 19 Clubs and 36 working/parade units participate throughout the 44 counties to help various civic, cultural and approved social programs. These Nobles present an inspiring Shrine parade for the public enjoyment and can ensure the success of a homecoming, civic activity, celebration, parade, or other community activity.

These Nobles and their enthusiasm prove that “IT’S GREAT DAY TO BE A SHRINER”!