Editorial Note: Tradition versus Change – Together we are winning!

Editorial Note to the Editorial Note: This is my May 2010 Lee County Newsletter article. Its not as long because in the newsletter I included some photographs from the ball. I was a day late on mailing it out due to running out of black toner and having to wait for more to arrive. I usually try to get it in the bulk mail on the Tuesday one week before our regular club meeting night which is the first Tuesday of each month. The original intent of the club newsletter was to serve as a meeting notice for our regular meetings. Ten years ago or so the late Milton Collier asked me to turn this meeting notice into a full blown newsletter and it has been part of my life ever since.

I guess as long as I stay away from controversial subjects everyone is happy. I am tempted to tackle various topics just to get a "rise" out of folks. Sometimes I feel I am repeating myself with too much "Rah Rah Go Shriners" rhetoric. I feel people are numb to the message that we true believers often repeat. It's hard to get people to look up from their busy lives and see the truth behind the work Shriners Hospitals do for children. It's not just about funding our efforts to aid children but more of a total awareness of how important these orthopedic and burn centers are to families all over the world.

I find that the women usually are the first to read my newsletter. Sometimes I think that many of the men bypass reading it, especially when they ask about an even that was clearly and boldly detailed in the latest issue. Oh well, Shriners are human too. I personally feel that if we, as Shriners, could find a way to "officially" involve the women our fraternity would profit greatly. The women involved with our club and Hamasa Shriners are our greatest asset. The men and our children truly benefit from their participation. The "Together we are winning" is a quote from our 2010 Potentate at our last meeting held in Tupelo.

So here is my latest offering to my mailing list, all 377 of them. I did have a lovely onion frittata this morning made with Shriners vidalia onions, yum.

Tradition versus Change - Together we are winning!

If you missed the 2010 Hamasa Potentate’s Ball you missed a good time. It was reminiscent of traditional days of old with a large hint of things to come. This was most likely the last Potentate’s Ball to be held in the historic Hamasa Shrine Temple Theatre ball room in Meridian. The path is laid for our new Hamasa Shriners home in Marion, MS bordering Meridian. We are facing balancing the traditions of the past with moves into the future. Our Hospitality was the perfect example of this balance. We had an old-fashion hospitality before a ball even with all the similarities of days long gone; but, it was different. Like I have said several times before the days of the Shriner being the “drunk-mason” is over. I remember all too well of attending a Shrine Club meeting and seeing several men obviously inebriated past the point of reason. I have also talked to others that had the same experience. It took a lot of convincing to get me to return to our club and participate and it was the statement of no more “drunkenness” that got me involved. At this hospitality there was a bar but no one was drunk or unruly; I guess some of us are just too sweet to drink alcohol anymore. We did laugh a lot and have a good time which made people remark that we needed to have more of these Shriner occasions.

The Potentate’s Ball was likewise enjoyable; nobles in tuxedos and ladies in lovely outfits. There were introductions, presentations, dinner and dancing with all the traditional trappings of a Hamasa Potentate event. No one was drunk and everyone was glowing with happiness, especially since our entertainment was a Shriners Hospital patient, Justin Shows, another one of our success stories. We still enjoy our traditions but our hospitals and Shrine children are more the primary focus. In my conversations with other nobles, topics such as traveling to Cincinnati and Shreveport with children and the upcoming fishing rodeo at the Noxubee refuge on May 22nd were discussed. We have to remember that our fraternity was founded on fun and philanthropy.

Next year we should have our ball in a new building. You will not want to miss this historic event. I have visited several Shrine Clubs all throughout the Hamasa territory and I have found ladies and nobles of the highest quality that care for our cause and very pleasant to socialize with and enjoy their fellowship. The days of the “drunk-mason” are gone and our clubs are family orientated now, so feel free to invite your friends. If you really want to experience a true Hamasa Shriners event, come to our fishing rodeo on May 22nd. We are doing everything we can to maintain those good traditions from the past as well adapt to the future.

There are opportunities for everyone to get involved. Not only the fun-filled fishing rodeo on May 22nd, but a historic statewide ceremonial on June 5th at the Wahabi Temple in Jackson were all three Shrine Centers in Mississippi will join together for a major Shrine event. Then on June 15th Hamasa will meet at the Starkville Shrine Club for a stated meeting which will include the gun drawing. Being a Shriner is still a high honor and actually seeing what we do for the children of the world will make you proud to be involved. If you are presently involved, be sure to invite someone to join us and if you haven’t worn your fez lately, gather up your better half and join us for fun and philanthropy, we are winning together.