Mention the word “Shriners” to someone in the street and, if you’re lucky, you might get a vague acknowledgment of clowns, funny tassled hats and maybe mini motorcycles.
What you’re unlikely to find is an awareness, let alone any appreciation, that the Shriners is a serious, philanthropic fraternity that spreads across North America and annually raises more than $850 million to provide free, expert medical care for children in one of its 22 hospitals and health care facilities.
In B.C., although the Shriners have a lab at BC Children’s Hospital for kids with walking disorders, the organization’s nearest hospital is in Portland and they recently opened a state-of-the-art children’s hospital in Montreal.
At a Richmond golf club on Saturday evening, some of the local men helping keep those facilities operating “moved up the line” at the Shriners’ B.C. and Yukon chapter’s annual “installation.”
And the wife of Steve Whiteside — the Shriners’ newly acclaimed “potentate” or president of the chapter — feels it’s a good time for people to realize the work of the historical organization.
“He’s been doing this for 20 years and wanted to go “up the line” and do even more amazing work,” said Dorie Whiteside, of Hamilton, east Richmond, who spends as much time as her husband helping the Shriners with their charitable work.
“Shriners do incredible work and not enough people know what they do.
“At certain times of the year, it takes up most of our free time; but it’s free time well spent and you can’t put a price on seeing the great work that is done for children.”
The first chapter of the Shriners met in New York City in 1872. And as membership grew, they spread across the U.S. and by the early 1900s, into Canada, Mexico and Panama. Today, there are approximately 309,000 Shriners throughout the U.S., Canada, Germany, Mexico, Philippines, Puerto Rico and Panama.
Shriners Hospitals for Children was founded in 1922 with the goal of providing expert medical care for children, with no financial burden to the patients or their families.
If you’re interested in becoming a Shriner, go online to bcshriners.com.
