Twenty Five Years Ago By Sam Black September started Yaarab’s Hospital Crusade Kickoff. The goal was set at $ 275,000. Many of the 10,800 nobles who did not participate with the circus, were asked to show their support for the cause. Rome Shrine Club held their annual Football Classic on September 19, between Pepperell and Model High Schools. The game has a history of 38 years with Rome hosting for the last 13 years. At a dinner meeting, held at Red Lobster Restaurant within weeks after the game, the restaurant management picked up the entire cost of the banquet for 50 guests and also purchased a $ 500 ad in the football program, of which went to the Hospital Crusade. Shrine Hospital patient Christopher Marshall and J.T. Glisson were both diagnosed with severe club feet. They were told they would never walk again. After two operations, at age 3, and three years in casts, Chris not only learned to walk again, but became the youngest pilot to fly across the United States at age 10. In 1927, J.T. Glisson, at age five months, was the first patient at the Shriners Hospital in Greenville with severe club feet. He spent nine years at the Greenville Hospital. He decided that he would ultimately become a Shriner, an artist, and a Christian father. He attained all of his goals and even made a recent visit to Yaarab Shrine as a Shrine Ambassador from Morocco Temple. He ultimately led an expedition to South America for the National Geographic Society. A Sunday, non-Sectarian Thanksgiving Service (Shrine Sunday – November 22, 1987) was held at Valley Brook Baptist Church. Yaarab Shrine’s Chaplain, Dr. James C. Bryant, and Basharat Editor, was the pastor of Valley Brook Baptist Church. Wedding and Formal World held a Ladies President’s Council Fashion Show on November 7, 1987, honoring First Lady Shirley Padgett. Yaarab Temple Oktoberfest ballroom dance was held, Saturday, October 10, 1987 from 9 p.m. to 12 p.m. Music was provided by “The Yea-Rabs”. A “polka contest” was held and a German dinner was served. The Ballroom Dance was held on November 14. It was designated as a Thanksgiving Harvest Ballroom Dance with music provided by “The Yea-Rabs”. A Halloween Costume Party was held during the Country Western Dance on October 24, 1987 from 9 p.m. to 12 p.m. The music was provided by “The Blends”. There was another Country Western Dance on November 28, 1987. It was announced that there would be no dances held in December due to all the Christmas parties held by clubs and units. Parades were held in Cedartown on October 3, Calhoun and Dalton on October 10, and Doraville followed on November 28. The 1987 Family Photo Album named “Yaarab Temple Simitar” was delivered to the Temple Office for pick-up starting the week of 11/2/1987. Extra copies would be available for sale for $ 15.00 each. Membership Corner By Lee English With 2012 half behind us and planning for 2013 already underway, sometimes we get so busy with daily routines that we neglect to notice things that are not in the forefront of our lives. One of those things is the number of members in Yaarab Shrine. Sadly, we cannot continue to lose membership at our current rate without it affecting our ability to serve our great Philanthropy. For several years, Yaarab has been acutely aware of the membership problem. Your membership team has been trying to impact the decline through outreach and communication. Although we have not been able to stop the decline in our numbers, we can only imagine where we would be if nothing had been done. A staggering number of nobles decide to quit each year. Are we failing them somehow? We probably are. Maybe we should think about that. We will continue with the programs that we have put in place this year. One major program that we have been unable to make any progress with is mentoring. This should already be happening, but we have apparently gotten out of this habit over the years. Our top and second line signers should be taking up this mantle. As the body of active members has evolved from the men that helped us grow to our peak, to those who are now following in their footsteps, we may have forgotten one very important duty, education. When a Master Mason makes the decision to expand his Masonic journey and travel with us on the path that leads through our Desert, we have a duty and an obligation to teach and prepare him so he is ready for the challenges ahead. As newly initiated nobles, many don’t know what to do next. Neither did most of us. There is usually at least one man in each of our beginnings that took us under his wing and taught us how to be a Shriner. He was your mentor, and now probably one of your best friends, too. He not only showed you what to do and how to do it, but he kept you informed about what was going on and when to be there. This process does not take very long. Within a year, this noble will have developed a love for the Shrine and the people in it that will motivate him to not only bring in new members but it will also sustain him through the pitfalls that come with any organization this size. Hopefully now you are asking, “What can I do?” In a perfect world we would have a group of active mentors that would strategically cover all of Yaarab, but we do not have that. That means it is left up to us as individuals. It takes very little time and a commitment to share your knowledge with a few brothers that already want to be just like you “when they grow up”. You are already living the life of a Shriner. Why not take someone along with you. Our winter ceremonial will be coming up soon, and we hope you will attend and help to welcome our new Nobles into our fraternity. You could make the difference in whether they stay involved or never come back.
SPECIAL THANKS To all the generous people who graciously gave their dollars to help in the redecorating of the Imperial Room……I thank you from the bottom of my heart! Work is continuing on with this project but we hope to be finished soon. We would like to hold an Open House upon completion. An email will be sent to all Clubs and Units giving you the date and time. Hope to see you there. God Bless, First Lady 2012, Pat Rager POTENTATE’S FAREWELL TO 2012 “NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY” WATCH FOR INFORMATION IN DECEMBER’S <strong>BASHARAT</strong>!
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