December Desert Dust

DECEMBER 2011 - DESERT DUST - PAGE 1

PAGE 2 - DESERT DUST - DECEMBER 2011

OASIS SHRINERS604 Doug Mayes Place

Charlotte, NC 28262-8410

704-549-9600

Editor: Richard [email protected]

Phone: 704-549-9600Direct: 704-650-3000

All Editorial, Advertising, and Change of Address content should be addressed to:

Desert Dust is published monthly by Oasis Shriners,

604 Doug Mayes Place,Charlotte, NC 28262-8410

Advertising Rates Provided On Request

Elected Divan and Board of Directors

John A. Sullivan PotentateH. Mike Cook Chief RabbanFred Laxton Assistant RabbanW. David Sumpter, III High Priest & ProphetTodd Ham Oriental GuideWilliam M. Harward, PP TreasurerJames F. Rorie Recorder

Appointed Divan

Johnny King 1st Ceremonial MasterMike Neaves 2nd Ceremonial MasterBuddy Ellis DirectorJohn D. Burgess MarshalRodney Morgan Captain of the GuardShea Fadel Outer Guard

THE POTENTATE’SMES S AGE

Last month a mother shot and killed herself and five children. The news played it for a week. That same week a young man with a form of MS, who Doctors had said would not survive his first night as a new-born, donated $17,500 to Shriners Hospitals. Caine Russell present-ed the check in front of 100 of the players, coaches, and Shrine volunteers at our Greenville hospital. Later that week, on Thanksgiving night, a football signed by the players of both teams was “auctioned” for $1,000, all going to our hospitals. And in Seatle a young lady named Megan Johnson, who has been through 29 surgeries at Shriners Hospitals, made her yearly rounds through the city passing out blankets, socks & underwear to the homeless. This year she was joined by over 25 volunteers. Lady Jacki Whipple flew to Bul-garia to see a young orphan child she and Noble Jason plan to adopt. She will be a Shriners Hospital kid, just like her brother Brady. I’ll bet you didn’t see those events on the news. My point is that while we are bom-barded by stories of the bad things hap-pening around us, we have to search for the good. As this year comes to a close and we prepare to celebrate the

birth of Christ, look for the good. It may not be as exciting, but is certainly much more rewarding. Congratulations to Potentate-elect Mike Cook and Lady Cathy. I know

you will both serve Oasis well. My Lady Judy and I plan to spend some time in warmer climes once Noble Mike becomes Po-tentate Mike. Our RV sat idle for most of the past year, and it is our method of get-ting away. The Oasis Camping Club has been our own per-sonal oasis, giving us the opportunity to be not Potentate, but John & Judy. If I begin thanking everyone who has helped through the year we would have to add pages. You know who you are,

and you know that you have my eternal gratitude for what you have done for us. I feel every Potentate deserves to be left alone by the previous years’, so 2012 will be a year that we will not be active in Oasis business. I hope our paths cross next year, and if I can help you in any way, just drop me a note or call.

Thank you for allowing Judy and I to serve you.

God Bless.

JOHN SULLIVAN


Imperial Sir Alan W. Madsen of Charlotte, N. C. who will head Shriners International and Shriners Hospitals in 2012 – 2013, is a great supporter of the children at Shriners Hospitals. He called Courtney McLaughlin “a remark-able young lady who is typical of the 124,000 children and young people who were treated at Shriners Hospitals in 2010.” The Imperial Sir said, “Courtney’s story has been an inspiration to all of us.” Imperial Sir Al will be installed as Imperial Potentate of Shriners In-ternational at the 138th Annual Imperial Coun-cil Session July 1-5 in Charlotte. He will be

the fi rst Imperial Potentate to be elected from Oasis Shrine Headquarters in Charlotte. He was Oasis Potentate in 2000. Highlights of the fi ve-day session will be the pomp and pageantry of the installation itself, a three-mile-long parade which will include some 100 colorful clowns and hundreds of funny little cars, beautifully groomed horses, drum and bugle corps units, motorcycles, singing groups and other striking performers. The splendor and beauty of the parade itself will call attention to the work and support Shriners give to their 22 hospitals for chil-dren internationally. Imperial Sir Al Mad-sen and his wife Lady Jan retired from their Char-

Shrine organization as we know it today,” Madsen said, “and as a result we have children like Court-ney whose health and physical condition have been restored by dedi-cated doctors at Shriners Hospitals.” “As a group, there is no limit to the work and energy Shriners are will-ing to give to the crippled and burned child. It is a great spiritual life,” Mad-sen said. President Franklin D. Roosevelt said it well in 1937 when he spoke to a group about Shriners Hos-pitals. He said, “You are not contributing to charity when you support the chil-dren in Shriners Hospitals, but you are contributing to the building up of a sound nation.”

lotte-based business Cor-porate Staffi ng several years ago to devote full time to their work with the Shrine and the chil-dren at Shriners Hospitals.

RESTORED LIVES The Imperial Sir is well known for his devout support of Shriners Hos-pitals and for the children whose lives have been re-stored there. “Since 1922 when our fi rst hospital was built,” he said, “supporters of our hospitals have provided, by their gifts and contribu-tions, the opportunity for nearly a million children to lead more normal and productive lives. “Inspired leaders of the Shrine and Shriners Hospitals have been the building blocks of the IMPERIAL SIR ALAN W. MADSEN

2011 EVENTS CALENDAR

Sunday, December 5th............................Santa Day Party

Saturday, December 17th.......................Christmas Party & Offi cer Installation

Saturday, December 31st........................New Yearʼs Eve Party

COME JOIN US!Call: John Caudle 704-763-1646

Frank Redies 704-451-8106

The Mecklenburg Shrine Club

5200 MECKLENBURG SHRINE CLUB RD, CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

SHAG NIGHT 1ST & 3RD Friday Night

~ At 138th Imperial Council Session July 1 – 5 in Queen City ~

Charlotte’s Own Al Madsen, Oasis Potentate in 2000,

Will Be Installed Imperial Potentate


This is the seventh annual Oasis All Star Shrine Classic football game and it was one to behold. Despite a few glitch-es that Chairman Noble Corky McClure handled behind the scenes, everyone came and left being impressed with the profes-sional way it was conducted. This game had all the elements that make any game exciting...the grandstands were full, the weather was outstanding, and we had hard-hitting action, fumbles, interceptions, and great returns. However, the most exciting aspect was the last minute scoring by both sides. It was a classic!

The N.C. players took off in the fi rst half scoring over and over again as if this was going to be a cake walk over S.C. The two missed extra points that didn’t seem to be an issue as it appeared that N.C. could score at will; however, it would later be de-termined that those 2 points would be the game deciding factor. The coaches for S.C. should be com-mended, as they sure knew the right words to say to motivate their players. They came out prepared for the second half with de-termination and repeatedly, answered any

rally N.C. could produce. The Oasis Patrol was there and full color. Patrolman Noble Butch Cowan escorted the game’s Hospital Ambas-sadors; King Michael Kirk, and Queen Sierra Bird as they received a check for our Hospitals for Children in the amount of one million dol-lars...yes folks, that a one with six zeros. In the stands were our Poten-tate, Illustrious Sir John Sul-livan and Lady Judy, most of our Divan, 2011 Grand Master and Noble Lou Ledford and Lady Susan, and two Imperial Of-fi cers, Imperial Outer Guard, Jim Smith and our soon to be Imperial Potentate, Sir Al Madsen.

– S E V E N T H A N N U A L –

ALL STAR GAME

SC WINS!

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8


Eddie Warren was dealt a diffi cult situa-tion at an early age, but he refused to let it keep him from following his passion. Eddie was born with two deformed legs that would prevent him from ever being able to walk. His great-grand-mother suggested that Eddie and his mother, Wanda, visit Shriners Hospitals for Children® — Springfi eld because of the hospital’s exper-tise in prosthetics. Ed-die and his mother met with David M. Drvaric, M.D., chief of staff at the hospital and were

taken away by the per-sonal care and attention they received. “The environment at Shriners Hos-pital was truly incredible,” said Eddie’s moth-er. “When you walk into the building, you get the feeling that everybody genuinely loves what they do.” When Ed-die was 11 months old he had surgery to amputate both of his legs so he could be fi tted for

the prosthetics. Eddie always had a strong passion for sports, but was hesitant to partic-

ipate in them. His mother inspired him to believe anything was achievable in life, which led Eddie

CONTINUED ON PAGE 23

to start playing football at the age of ten. It proved to be good advice. By his

junior year at Sa-copee Valley High School in Maine, Eddie played de-fensive end and kicker for the foot-ball team, shooting guard on the bas-ketball team and was a fi rst baseman and pitcher for the baseball team. All of Eddie’s team-mates looked up to him because of the hard work and resilience he dis-

played every day in

practice. In July of 2010, Eddie’s proudest mo-ment occurred when he was selected to the Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl Classic to play the kicker position. The game not only features the best high school football players in the state of Maine, it also benefi ts Shriners Hos-pitals for Children®. Eddie would be playing for the same organiza-tion that helped make it possible for him to play the sport he loved. With fi ve min-utes left in the game,

Eddie Warren takes in some kicking practice. At the Maine Shrine Bowl, he scored the longest extra point of any Maine Shrine Bowl game.

EDDIE WARREN PROVES THAT ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE

On the cover with Oasis Potentate, Illustrious Sir John Sullivan is Kaylee Higdon of Leeds, Alabama. Kaylee just happened to be at our Hospital for Chil-dren in Greenville, S.C during the time two Oasis events were taking place. One there was a check presentation from the pro-ceeds from “Shooting With Caine,” and the Oasis All Star players, some 80 plus were taking a tour of our hospital. Kaylee was born 2 months premature with what has been described as “Amniotic Band Syndrome.” Although this was never been confi rmed, however amniotic band syndrome is a rare condition caused by strands of the amniotic sac that separate and en-tangle digits, limbs, or other parts of the fetus. This constriction can cause a variety of problems depend-ing on where strands are located and how tightly they are wrapped.The developing fetus fl oats in amniotic fl uid in the mother’s uterus. What keeps the fl uid around the fetus and in the uterus is a sac. This sac has 2 layers which are stuck together: the outermost layer which lines the uterus is called the “chorion”, and the layer closer to the fetus is called the “amnion”.It is believed that amniotic band syndrome occurs when the inner membrane (amnion) ruptures, or tears, without injury to the outer membrane (chorion). The developing fetus is still fl oating in fl uid but is then ex-posed to the fl oating tissue (bands) from the ruptured amnion. This fl oating tissue can become entangled around the fetus. The incidence of amniotic band syndrome is 1 in 1200

to 1 to 15,000 live births. The cause of amnion tearing is uncertain and is consider a chance event. It does not appear to be genetic or hereditary, so the likelihood of it occurring in another pregnancy is remote. The complications from the amniotic band syndrome can range from mild to severe. In mild cases, a band may be-come wrapped around digits (fi ngers or toes) of the fetus. This can result in amputations of the fi ngers or toes, or syndactyly of the fi ngers or toes. Syndactyly is a condi-tion where the fi ngers or toes become fused together, or webbed, which can be treated surgically after birth. Am-niotic bands attached to the face or neck can sometimes cause deformities such as cleft lip and palate.In other instances, a band can be wrapped around a limb (arm or leg) resulting in restriction of movement leading to deformities such as clubbed foot. In more severe cases, an amniotic band can become extremely constrictive lead-ing to decreased blood supply and possible amputation of the limb.The most severe, and life-threatening complication of amniotic band syndrome is if a band becomes wrapped around vital areas such as the head or umbilical cord. Constriction to the umbilical cord or other vital areas can result in fetal death. Each case is unique, multiple strands may be en-tangled around the fetus, and the severity can range from mild to life-threatening depending on where the bands are constricting and how tightly they are wound. If there is evidence of amniotic bands, a detailed ultra-sound test should be done to assess the severity and avoid a misdiagnosis. Amniotic bands can be diffi cult to detect by ultrasound because of their small size, so it is important to have your case reviewed by someone knowledgeable in amniotic band syndrome. The individual strands are often hard to see on an ultrasound, and typically the condition is detected indirectly by the constrictions and swelling they

cause to limbs and other parts of the fetal anatomy. Misty, Kaylee’s mother says; “I knew something was wrong but no one would listen. I am so thankful to my mother-in-law because she knew someone that was a Shriner. Since being accepted, everyone at Shriners Hospital for Children has been spectacular and don’t know what we would have done without them.” Kaylee, is bright and cheerful, has an older brother 10 years old and a younger sister 4 months old. When we approached her to have a photo opt with our poten-tate, she jumped at that opportunity. Kaylee goes back to our hospital in a few weeks to be fi tted with a pros-thetic. Speculation is…nothing will hold her back. As our Potentate, Illustrious Sir John Sullivan fre-quently states; “Again we see what is right.”

KAYLEEON THE COVER


So you never know if that was your feet/e y e s / h a n d s , or someone else’s. Richard is married to Lady Tracee Ivey, and has three children and three grand-children. He enjoys study ing the Bible and

can quote scripture to match most ministers. Cooking, shooting guns, fi shing and foot-

ball round out his hob-bies. Richard, besides all the above mentioned items, also sells real es-tate. Please let him know what you think of the new look for 2011 of the Desert Dust when you see him. I have trusted the position to Richard this year and could not have found a more professional, fun Noble to have named.

Again, we see what is right in Oasis.

I hope you have en-joyed the Desert Dust this year. It has been a labor of love, and the main labor behind it is our Editor, Richard Ivey. Richard took the reins in January and ran with the idea of producing a new look for Oasis, and judging by content, he has suc-ceeded! There were days early this year when he would phone me ten to twelve times

per day with new ideas. I rarely said no, he had done his research and was on track. We have produced as many as 32 pages in full color this year, and the photog-raphy has been stellar. Oh and the paper itself is 25% larger in size, the better to see the im-ages. So you know that Richard is the Des-ert Dust Editor. He is also an accomplished photographer, having

photographed two U.S. presidents, and the of-fi cial CEO portrait for Bank of America. As a bit of a shutterbug my-

self, I can tell you that a lot of Richard’s tal-ents with a camera lie in the processing. He is a whiz at Photoshop.

By John Sullivan

faces of O A S I S

Richard Ivey

Call Capt. Fred Barkley 828-244-1074or Jeff Willhelm 828-495-4706

PHOTOGRAPHY UNIT IS VERY MUCH LIKE THE

MARINE CORPSTHEY ARE LOOKING FOR

A FEW GOOD MEN/NOBLES

Shriners Village is the Web-based community created exclusively for the Shriners family. Fraternity members and their ladies can visit www.shrinersvillage.com to find information about Shriners Hospitals for Children®,fraternal programs, membership, temples, Shrine-related events and breaking news.

The website contains useful fraternity documents for nobles to download, such as the Fez Owners Manual, Membership Toolkit, Shriner Primer, Shrine Protocol and a pamphlet about the history of Shriners International. In its short existence, Shriners Village has become the communication engine for Shriners International.

“Given that there are 325,000 nobles all over the world, Shriners Village is a fantastic outlet for the fraternity to relay information to its nobility,” said Jack Jones, executive vice president of Shriners International. “It is also a great way for Shriners to learn from one another so they can help their temples succeed.”

Shriners Village also has an Events section with information about temple fundraisers and other activities. Any registered user has permission to post an event on the events calendar by clicking on the “Events” tab and then fi nding the “Events Calendar” on the left column of the page. To add an event, use the “Add Event” tab and then click the “Submit Event” button after the form has been fi lled out.

The Shriners Village development team will be adding new features to the website on a regular basis. One of the features will be member profi les, where nobles can upload photos and their information similar to Facebook. This new addition will make it possible for Shriners to fi nd and contact other members. Also in the works is a new forum feature which will allow nobles to share ideas and thoughts in a private discussion area.

Visit www.shrinersvillage.com and register so you can be a part of Shriners’ virtual community.

OSSEP11BPOT

Become Part of the Shriners Village Community

www.shrinersinternational.org


The term bean counter is often used negatively to describe an overly zealous or fastidious accoun-tant, although other fi nancial controllers may also fi t the description. While an accountant/CPA might be asked to perform a thorough inventory of his or her company’s assets, only a bean counter would literal-ly count the number of beans contained in the com-pany kitchen’s pantry. A fi nancial bean counter may also scrutinize each department’s budget to fi nd any form of potential waste, no matter how insignifi cant or nominal it appears to be. Project managers often fear the appearance of a bean counter, since budget cuts and lengthy audits could follow close behind. On December 3, 2011, Mr. Robert E. Gresh-am Jr. became Grand Master Gresham. Yes, G.M. Gresham is an inactive Certifi ed Public Accountant, also known at times as a “Bean Counter,” who has worked for Service Distributing Company since 1976. There, he held titles such as Vice President, Chief Financial Offi cer, and most recently President.

He was recently appointed by 2010 Grand Mas-ter William L. Dill to serve as the new Chairman of the Board of Directors for Whitestone Ma-sonic & Eastern Star Retirement Community. G.M. Gresham has been a Mason for 32 years and is a member and Past Master of Albemarle Lodge #703, a member of Shallotte Lodge #727, a 33rd degree member of the Scottish Rite (Val-ley of Charlotte), a member of the York Rite, and a member of the Oasis Shrine. G.M. Gresham currently lives in Mt. Gilead with his wife Caro-lyn. They have 2 children and four grandsons.

BEAN COUNTER TAKES THE HELM

His accolades and titles held in and outside his profession, from his church, the Stanly County Chamber of Commerce, Stanly Memorial Hospital, First Citizens Bank and Trust, etc., as impressive as they are, are too numerous to list. One, however can-not be overlooked...in 1993 he was elected President of the North Carolina Association of CPA’s. Bean Counter...Maybe? Here are a few others... John Grisham. While this red-hot novelist is well known for being a lawyer prior to his writing career, what is less well known is the fact that his fi rst degree was in Accounting from Mississippi State University. It wasn’t until later that he went to law school and watched a 12-year-old rape victim testify and inspire his fi rst novel. Kenny G. The famous soprano saxophone play-er graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Washington with a degree in accounting. Although he’d already been playing semi-professionally since high school, he wasn’t sure he’d make in the music world so accounting seemed like a much safer bet. Bob Newhart. This funny man got his fi rst job out of the army working as an accountant in down-town Chicago. He claims to have invented his own system for balancing the petty cash—when the drawer was short, he replaced any missing money from his own pocket. When his boss accused him of not using sound accounting practices, he decided to try something else. Ironically, it was while he was working as an accountant that he began doing his famous telephone routines. Tim DuBois. You might not know this name right off the bat, but he’s known as The Singing Ac-countant. He’s written many a hit country song, in-cluding “Love In The First Degree”, “She Got the Goldmine, I Got The Shaft” and the Vince Gill hit “When I Call Your Name.” While currently the head of Arista Records, he taught accounting at Owen University for many years. Walter Diemer. Another name you might not recognize, he worked as an accountant for the Fleer Corporation in the 1920’s. However, in his spare time he tinkered with recipes until he invented a little something we know today as Bubble Gum. J. P. Morgan. This famous fi nancier and banker began his early career as an accountant on Wall Street. But after his father died and left him the family business, J.P. Morgan went on to become a banking and corporate pioneer. He began buying distressed businesses, in particular railroads. Walter L. Morgan. A name well known in the business world, Walter L. Morgan was a CPA—and

BEAN COUNTER TAKES THE HELM BEAN COUNTER TAKES THE HELM

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9


IT’S OFFICIAL...

POTENTATE ELECT FOR 2012,

“H. MIKE COOK”

South Carolina wins the game with a score 25-24. The real winner...the chil-dren at Shriners Hospitals. Yes, every player for N.C & S.C. are winners; with their strong legs, they provide weak ones with the ability to walk. Congratulations Noble Corky and all those who partici-pated...by the way Corky; where is my hundred dollars?

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4While every child’s situation is unique, a general overview of cleft lip and palate treatment includes the following:

Cleft lip and palate is a serious condition. Shriners Hospitals for Children is committed to improv-ing care for children with cleft lip and palate through a compre-hensive coordinated program of clinical excellence, teaching and research. We need your help to continue this important work - please go to www.donate2SHC.org today and give what you can for kids.

$17,500...WOW Caine Russell, 21 yr old multiple Sclerosis victim raises $17,500 for the Shriners Hospital in Greeneville. Caine with a heart or gold, is pictured here presenting the check to Hospital Administra-tor Randall Romberger. The football players from the Oasis All Stars as well as the Hospital staff gave him a standing ovation. The Russell’s have agreed to host the tournament again next year and promises to raise even more money. And get this...Caine isn’t

or hasn’t ever been one of our patients. One amaz-

ing young man, within an amazing family!

Potentate John Sullivan, Imperial Sir Al Madsen,

and Potentate Elect for 2012 H. Mike Cook

ALL STAR GAME


Judy and I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Th ank you all for the love, support and kindness you have shown this year.

May God continue to bless you.

BEAN COUNTER TAKES THE HELM

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 is considered the father of the mutual fund in-dustry. His fund—The Wellington Fund—be-came the fl agship fund of the Vanguard Group, the second largest mu-tual fund company in the world. When he died in 2000 at the age of 102, he was the oldest living accountant and CPA. Arthur Blank. To-day best known for own-ing the Atlanta Falcons football team, he started his early career as an ac-countant. But he worked part-time in a hardware

store and along with another employee went on to found Home De-pot, the famous chain of hardware stores. This little company made him a billionaire—and his accounting know-how taught him how to spend it. Josiah Wedge-wood. Wedgewood, the famous potter, if you don’t know the name then ask your wife as you might be eating off his plates—he invented what we now call Cost Accounting. Thanks to

a lucky combination of an embezzling clerk and a depression, Josiah was forced to come up with a system of tracking bot-tom line costs and profi t. He used this system to determine the costs of his product, and was only one of hundreds of potters to survive the de-pression. Matthew. (Greek - meaning ‘gift of Yah-weh’) Matthew also called ‘Levi’ is probably the most famous of all. He was a tax collector by occupation. Jesus called him to be one of his disciples, when was at a tax offi ce. Matthew wrote the fi rst book of the New Testament. Grand Master Rob-

ert Gresham Jr. might have been referred to in the past as a “Bean Counter,” but he is in no way nothing less than a proven leader. It has been said; “You can’t know where you’re going, unless you know where you’ve been.” This is a variant of the quote attributed to George Santayana-”Those who are unaware of history are destined to repeat it.” [This is the quote, which, I believe, appears on the frieze at the entrance to the main library at the University of Colorado.] Anyway, the theme of acknowl-edging the antecedents and preceding events of one’s existence as guides

to the future is well-de-veloped in numerous are-nas. The Platonic ideals of always being in a state of becoming, of build-ing on that which went before in order to more fully realize the future, is one early example. The American transcenden-talists, especially Emer-son, spoke at length about the necessity to grasp the past as a guide to the fu-ture. Wordsworth talked at length about the “ach-ing joys and dizzying raptures” of past youth which informed his life as a man maturing and establishing his way in the world. In modern psychological and be-haviorist dialog, the na-ture vs. nurture argument

touches on the role of past events as causal in current or future events. Most every major reli-gion has traditional rites and sacraments which are rooted to the past and which provide a sense of time and place for adher-ents. The continuation of those time-worn rites en-sures a certain amount of connectedness to the cer-tain past in an uncertain future. As to an unequivocal source of the quote, I am afraid I am not much use. However, we can rest as-sured that Grand Master Robert E. Gresham Jr. has the experience, the integrity, and profession-alism to lead all Masons anywhere.


Shriners Hospi-tals for Children® is proud to participate in the 123rd Annual Tournament of Roses Parade, Monday, Jan. 2, 2012, in Pasadena, Calif. The Shriners Hospitals for Children float entitled, “Soar-ing for Kids” will be among the many floats, bands, and equestrian shows seen by millions of specta-tors around the world.This year’s Tourna-ment of Roses theme “Just Imagine...” cel-ebrates the power of imagination, inspi-ration and determi-nation to encourage people to reach higher and try harder. “The Tournament of Roses’ theme em-bodies the same spirit of hope and achieve-ment – of overcom-ing seemingly insur-mountable obstacles and achieving more than believed possible – which our patients display every day,” said Douglas Max-well, president and CEO of Shriners Hos-pitals for Children. “We are proud to be associated with an or-ganization that shares our belief in the pow-er of the human spirit, and to have this op-portunity to share our

message with such a vast audience.” J.R. Martinez, the injured soldier who won ABC’s “Danc-ing With the Stars” contest this week, is preparing for his next big role: Grand mar-shal for the Pasadena Tournament of Roses parade. Martinez under-went 33 surgeries af-ter his Humvee trig-gered a land mine in Iraq in 2003 and he suffered burns over much of his body. “To be able to participate in such an iconic American tra-dition is such an hon-or for me,” Martinez said at a press con-ference at the tourna-ment headquarters in Pasadena earlier this month. “I always knew if I found ways to stay positive, if I found ways to maintain a great attitude, if I found ways to contin-uously make a choice to want something better for myself...to make the most of this second opportunity to help those around me, good things would happen,” he added at the time. “J.R. Martinez is an inspiration to us all and a natural fit for

our theme “Just Imag-ine,” Rick Jackson, president of the Tour-nament of Roses said in a statement. The festival began in 1890 and features flower-covered floats, marching bands, equ-estrians and, since 1902, the Rose Bowl college football game, produced by the non-profit Pasadena Tour-nament of Roses As-sociation. The Rose Parade will be broad-cast live by: ABC, NBC, Hallmark Chan-nel, HGTV, KTLA-CW and Univision. Don’t forget to tune in on Jan. 2, 2012, at 11 a.m. EST.

EMPLOYEES, VOLUNTEERS

AND SHRINERS CAN JOIN IN THE CELEBRATION!

Decorate the Float: To sign up to deco-rate and for further information, contact Shriners Hospital for Children — Los An-geles public relations department at [email protected]. Feel free to invite your friends and family to help decorate. Note: all volunteers must be over 13 years of age to participate.

Shriners Hospitals for Children to Participate in 2012 Tournament

of Roses Parade

Want to Attend the Rose Parade?Rose Parade grandstand tickets can be purchased from Sharp Seating online at www.sharpseating.com or by calling 626-795-4171. Note: For you die-hards, you do not need tickets to the Rose Parade unless you want to sit in the grandstands. Arrive early to watch along the parade route for free.

J.R. MARTINEZ


The 2011 Oasis Shrine Circus had another record breaking year in attendance and revenue. The at-tendance at the six performances totaled over 11,000 adults and children watching the Jody Jordan World Circus. Again this year, the Cabarrus Arena was packed to capacity for both performances with over 200 extra chairs had to be set out. The circus generated a net income of $150,000 from donations and ticket sales from sources such as the Oasis Mom’s and Pop’s Program, telemarketer and entry gate sales. We had businesses and individuals who donated their tickets back to us to distribute to adults and children with physical and intellectual disabilities, in addition to church groups, nursing homes and to people who could not afford a ticket. Our Oasis Shrine Circus’ mission is to not turn anyone away from seeing the circus be-cause of their fi nancial reason. Following is a list of the Nobles and Ladies that helped out at the circus this year and quite a few were at all six performances. I apologize if I left anyone out.

Thanks to All!Rodney Morgan, Oasis Circus Chairman

OASIS PATROL COLOR GUARDTim Daniels

Peter SchuetzBob Saye

Gary Taylor, PPBrandon Watson

Pat SaulsberyJohn Suddreth

Bob RichardsonBrad Orr

Dave Campbell

OASIS CLOWNSRobert Bickel (BoBo)

French Harvey (Cuzin Wilbur)Barry Winecoff (Toyo)

John Farris (Farris Wheel)Mark Murphy (Shortcake)

Ron Lebold (Jazz)Ted Shiver (Ted-E)

Alex Bass (Sax)Gerald Loftin (Doodle Bug)

Al Clegg (Poppi)Joe Kilough (Hobeau)

Truett Harrelson (Stripes)David Lovingood (Copy)

Ted Kale (Scooter)James Self (T Bear)Jim Beggs - visitor

OASIS GATORSDavid Bowman

Ken JarrettDavid BumgardnerAllen Leatherman

David CrawleyRichard Ellenburg

OASIS HOSPITALITYDink & Lucille Moss

Howard & Edna PrevetteJoyce Clegg

Harold & Susan DavisHoward & Shirley KeyesCharles & Colene RussellRolla, PP & Mary RogersDavid & Judy Bowman

OASIS BANDJohn V. Elder, PPBoyce RobertsPaul BlosserShea Fadel

Tommy WaltonAllen JonesEarl BeckamGattis BullardBill Robertson

Thomas SellersRussell Hodge – visitor

OASIS SHRINE CIRCUS 2011

OASIS DIVANJohn SullivanH. Mike CookFred Laxton

Jim RorieBill Harward, PP

Johnny KingMike Neaves

Johnny BurgessBuddy EllisShea Fadel

Rodney Morgan

TICKET TAKERSSam Settle

Ron DellingerGordon Ellis

OASIS OFFICELori Prockup

Wendy Rosales

PHOTOGRAPHY UNITSteve Jordon

PICTURESC. Lee Abernethy


November 12 forty-six people boarded a ship in San Juan and headed south towards Barbados. Once there Jim Turner and I toured a Masonic Lodge (Grand Lodge of England) and sat in a Masters chair which was hand carved from mahagony in 1790. Forty-four lodges meet there, and while there are no Shrine temples on the island it is evident that Masonry is thriving.

While we cruised we also celebrated birthdays, Ladies Judy Valentine, Edna Privette, anniversa-ries, Noble Al and Lady Martha Gaylord, Noble Danny and Lady Judy Chandler and a honeymoon, Noble Terry and Lady Chastiti Jordan. Few gliches, fl at seas and a fair amount of rum... that pretty well sums it up!

Cruising to Barbados...

As the year draws to a close, Susan and I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone for the friendship we have been shown while working on the Hospitality Team. Susan and I have waited for her retirement and that day

fi nally came this year. Our plan is to take some time off, travel, and spend quality time with the grand kids. Meanwhile we will be around some next year, but we’ll be on the opposite side of the bar.

Again, thank you for your

kindness.

- A NOTE FROM -Harold & Susan Davis

Harold & Susan Davis


WWW.CLICKLIBERTY.COM

Steve Lee, Internet ManagerProvost Guard

Scott McCorkle, OwnerDrum & Bugle

Rick McLemore, Sales ManagerProvost Guard

9028 E. INDEPENDENCE BLVD., MATTHEWS NC 28105 704-708-8000

“On the square pricing”

ON ALL BUICKS AND GMCS!Special Pricing

(ST. LOUIS) -- On Saturday, Oct. 22, of-fi cials at Shriners Hos-pitals for Children-St. Louis dedicated its hospital building in the name of the late Mr. A.B. Hudson, a Kansas businessman and Shri-ner who left his more than $60 million estate to the international hos-pital system. His dona-tion is the largest in the hospital system’s nearly 90-year history. While the donation has been made to the Shriners Hospitals for Children international system, the contribution was honored at the St. Louis hospital because

it was the closest to Mr. Hudson’s heart, having been a life-long Kansas resident. Douglas E. Max-well, a Chesterfi eld resident and Chairman of the Board for the hospital system, as well as national offi cers Jeff Sowder of Wichita and John Cinotto of India-napolis, were also pres-ent to mark the occa-sion. “It humbles us to know that someone of Mr. Hudson’s ac-complishments had the lifetime desire to leave his estate to Shriners Hospitals for Children,” said Maxwell. “He is

a most honorable man and I wish I had known him personally.” Michele Rothe, daughter of Mr. Hudson, said the event would have made her father happy. “Dad was very proud to be a Shriner and the accomplish-ments they made as-sisting children requir-ing medical care,” said Rothe. “I am proud that my dad’s life desire was to leave this gift to Shri-ners Hospitals for Chil-dren and I know that his friends and I are also very happy to be part of his legacy and the abil-ity to contribute to pedi-

A.B. HUDSON HONORED...$60 MILLION GIFT

atric specialty care.” Members of Mr. Hudson’s family said they were incredibly

moved and impressed by the hospital and the ceremony, a highlight of which was a tour of

the hospital led by Ad-ministrator John Gloss and 14-year-old Patient



My daughter Courtney was born on December 20, 1995, in Lowell Massachu-setts. She was born with dislocated hips, dislocated knees and two club feet. We were told that she was never going to be able to walk, crawl, sit up or stand. Courtney and I, with the help of her older brother Cameron, were determined to prove everyone wrong. The doctors intro-duced us to a little black wheelchair with a long pole for an adult to push it. I told them to put it away because if Courtney started using the chair that is probably where she would have stayed. After many appointments Courtney was diagnosed with Arthrogryposis which is a condition that affects several joints and muscles in her body. Courtney has

been fitted for foot/leg brac-es and casts since she was eight days old. In 2005, Courtney was playing on an all boys base-ball team in Black Moun-tain, N. C. She had two fantastic coaches, Coach Shane and Coach Barry. They both quickly learned about her medical history and said “If she wants to play, she is going to play.” They both took great care of her and became mentors and great family friends. Coach Barry had recently become a Shriner, and he introduced our family to Howard Keyes from the Oasis Shrine. Howard got Courtney all set up with Shriner’s Hospital in Greenville, S.C. At Shriner’s the en-tire staff is wonderful and they can make a difficult situation a lot easier. Dr.

Jon Davids was Courtney’s doctor and he followed Courtney’s care from the very beginning until just recently. Courtney has had many braces made for her through the Prosthetic and Orthotic department at Shriner’s. There are two men that have taken care of Courtney, Dave Benson and Phil Lis have become very familiar faces and they make the patients comfort-able and always make them smile. They have been in other areas of the hospital and if either of these men see us they always remem-ber us and make Courtney laugh. In January 2010 Courtney had a major sur-gery. Dr. Davids gave us all the possible outcomes. This surgery was extremely risky and the worst scenario

SHE’S MY MIRACLE CHRISTMAS BABYBy Amy Clark, Courtney’s Mother

would be that her leg would be amputated at the knee. As a mom, I was scared and didn’t want her to have the surgery, but Courtney wanted it even knowing the risks. She told me, “We just have to give this to God, He will guide the doctor, and however it turns out it will be His way”. She said “I

will be the same Courtney regardless of if I have both legs or not.” The surgery was a great success and her recovery was excellent. We were all very relived. Courtney is an amaz-ing girl; her outlook and personality have been a big part of her success. I tell people that I have learned

“We are blessed to be a part of the Greenville South Carolina Shiner’s family.”

so much about strength, determination and faith from Courtney. She’s my miracle Christmas baby. Courtney is still a patient at Shriner’s and we know that she wouldn’t be where she is today without all the people mentioned above and the rest of the Shri-ner’s staff.

OASIS SHAG CLUB/SOCIETY OF TARHEEL SHAGGERS

SHAGGIN’ SATURDAYS @ Stanly County Shrine Club2nd and 4th Saturday Every Month

For More Information:Patty Blackmon 704-723-6282

Scott Gwyn 704-888-8361

Hors D’oeuvres Provided by Club Members

35781 City Lake Rd. Albemarle, NC 28001

DOOR COVER:MEMBERS $5 • NON-MEMBERS $7

BYOB – LIQUOR ONLY • HALF-HALF DRAWING

HOUSE DJ 8PM – MIDNIGHT: GENE HENSLEY7 PM – FREE BEGINNER SHAG LESSONS

DID YOU PLAY IN A HIGH SCHOOL COLLEGE BAND?

IF SO WE NEED YOU!THE OASIS TEMPLE BAND

Give us a call!Captain Doug Teague...............828-381-8415Director Paul Blosser................828-310-68041st Lt. Allen Jones......................336-313-0346Ill. Sir John Elder, PP, PC...........336-883-0403


PERSONAL ESSAY CONTEST FOR MEMBERS OF SHRINERS INTERNATIONALEssay contest is part of Shriners International’s 140th anniversary celebrations

The World Loves A ClownCome and join us and put a smile on the face of a child!

Stars Of The Oasis Shrine Circus

Shrine & Community Parades

Social Gatherings that Include Your Wife

Individualized Instruc� ons on Makeup & Costumes

Contact Secretary Rick Bean for informa� on and a pe� � on

980-581-0401 or email: [email protected]

OASIS SHRINE CLOWNS Accep� ng New Members

No Experience Necessary

Ac� vi� es Include:

Personal Essay Contest for Members of Shriners International Essay contest is part of Shriners International’s 140th anniversary cel-ebrations. We know that ev-ery Shriner has a story to tell and with the 140th anniversary of Shriners International quickly approaching in 2012, this is the perfect time to refl ect on our rich history. We cannot think of a better way to do so than by learning about the men who have made this organization so well-loved and re-spected. We would like you to share your story in the Shriners Interna-tional Personal Essay Contest. The essay should be a story from your

life as it relates to being a Shriner. A personal essay gives readers an intimate glimpse of the author’s experience, observations, thoughts or feelings. The indi-vidual stories of our members make up the history of our organiza-tion, and by preserving them on paper you will help us tell the story of Shriners International.Both Shriner and non-Shriner judges will read all submissions anonymously and vote for the top three essays. Winners will receive plaques, pins, and both individual and temple will be acknowledged at the 138th Imperial Session in Charlotte, NC, July 2012, in the presence of their fellow nobles. The top three

essays will appear in a commemorative an-niversary coffee table book that will also pre-miere at Session. What are some of the qualities of a good per-sonal essay?• Refl ective • Creative • Heartfelt • Humor • Truth • Genuineness • Nostalgic • Inspirational

RULES AND GUIDELINES

1. Your essay must be typed and double-spaced. 2. It must not exceed 1500 words. 3. All essays must be non-fi ction. 4. You must be a Shri-ner in good standing.

5. You must not in-clude any personal names in your essay. 6. Each applicant must only submit one essay. It must be the original work of the submitter. 7. Each applicant must complete an ap-plication form. 8. Please spell-check your essay and use proper grammar. 9. A panel of person essay contest judges decides which entries win. Three entries will

be chosen. All deci-sions will be fi nal. 10. By submitting an essay, you acknowledge that it has not been pub-lished before, and that it will become property of Shriners Internation-al. By submitting your essay, you give permis-sion to Shriners Inter-national publish your essay and/or parts of your essay, regardless of whether your entry is chosen as a winner. You also agree and un-derstand that you will

receive no compensa-tion, payment, or roy-alties from publication of your essay, and that you agree to promptly execute any release necessary to allow pub-lication by Shriners in-ternational. 11. Shriners Interna-tional has the right to announce the winners of the contest by any manner in which it deems appropriate. 12. Entries must be received no later than January 31, 2012.

For 12 years Noble How-ard Prevette and Lady Edna have delivered blankets to our Shriners Hospitals for Children. The blankets, do-nated by The Textile Com-pany from Rhonda retail for over $40.00 are super warm and cozy for the kids.

Over the years, Howard estimates that he has de-livered over 1,000 blankets.

Once again, we see what is right with Oasis.

BLANKET DELIVERY


Above: Patient ChantellLeft: Lucie Lessard, M.D.

Chantell is not your typical university student.Most young people have not had to balance multiplereconstructive facial surgeries with their studies, butChantell has done so with remarkable optimism. She was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, with asevere form of Treacher Collins syndrome (also known as Franceschetti-Zwahlen-Klein syndrome), which affects 1 in 10,000 babies. It is a rare genetic disorder characterized by head, skull and face deformities that include abnormal facial bones and eyelids, a prominent nose, and a very small retruded jaw and chin. Like Chantell, children with the condition generally show absent, small or unusually formed ears and, in some cases, defects in the middle ear that cause hearing loss, the absence of ear canals and of the external ear. Chantell also could not eat or chew properly because of her abnormal jaws. The lengthy process of recreating Chantell’s facebegan at the age of 6. Using bone from Chantell’sown skull, Lucie Lessard, M.D., plastic and craniofacialsurgeon at Shriners Hospitals for Children® - Canada and McGill University Health Centre, worked on reconstructing her eyelids and orbits (the cavities where the eyes are located), working from under the scalp to minimize scarring.

The Gift of HearingIn 1996, Chantell underwent another procedure,receiving a Bone Anchored Hearing Aid (BAHA). Afirst in eastern Canada and the United States at thetime, the BAHA gave Chantell her first chance tohear properly. Since then, thanks to the support of theShriners organization and of the Daughters of the Nile,Dr. Lessard has been able to implant BAHAs in nearly100 children.

Developing Her JawboneReshaping Chantell’s jaw proved to be a lengthyprocess, requiring cutting-edge orthodontics. AfterChantell wore braces to straighten her teeth,Dr. Lessard arranged for the surgery to be done byher former professor Leonard Kaban, M.D., of Shriners

Hospitals for Children — Boston and Harvard University. At 17, Chantell underwent a complex technique called distraction osteogenesis, with a distractor device custom-made for her jaw by Dr. Kaban. Then came the long process of daily adjustments to lengthen and grow her jawbone over several months. Dr. Lessard and Dr. Kaban communicated weekly to ensure that Chantell’s jawbone reached the desired target length. Chantell is now in university studying arts and social work. She also takes time to help promote the Canada hospital. She is proud to have represented Shriners Hospitals for Children at regional temple events and the 2010 Northeast Shrine Association meeting.


Above: Linping Zhao, Ph.D., (right) and David Morris, M.D.,(middle) use 3-D imaging to create a surgical plan for a patientwho has cleft lip and palate.

Shriners Hospitals forChildren® - Chicago is among a handful of hospitals around the world, and one of the first in the U.S., to use three-dimensional (3-D) virtual surgery in the operating room. The technique is improving the odds of successful outcomes in cleft lip and palate surgery by allowing surgeons to perform a “virtual” surgery before bringing the child to the operating room. 3-D images are used with sophisticated software that allows the cleft lip and palate team to see the child’sface and bone, and tissue structures before the surgeryand after. Many potential problems in completing thesurgery can be worked out prior to the actual procedure, and various modeling techniques allow the team topreview not only the physical integrity of the outcome,but also how the child’s face will look. Virtual planningis a signifi cant improvement because it gives surgeons a way to design a more accurate surgical plan.

Transferring the Virtual Plan into RealityLinping Zhao, Ph.D., a biomedical engineer at ShrinersHospitals for Children — Chicago, explained, “It isgreat to do the surgery virtually using software in mycomputer and come out with a good plan, but the key isreally how you transfer the plan to the operating room,so the surgeon can actually see it, follow it and even useit like a ‘ruler’ in real time. We have larger monitors, andfrom that we can show the virtual surgical plans either inthe operating room for surgeons or in a conference roomfor other clinicians on the team, and for children andtheir parents.

“We have even sent the surgical plan andcorresponding designs to medical device manufacturers to make custom implants, and special surgical templates like ‘cutting guides’ and/or ‘repositioning guides,’ which are essentially patient-specific patterns for where to make the bone cuts and where to reposition the bones.”

Technology Continues to ImproveSurgical TechniquesWith the help of engineers like Dr. Zhao, simulations can now be performed in the operating room so surgeons can choose the best procedure from a number of options. “Every day the technology is getting better and better,” said Dr. Zhao. “I’m very excited to have been working on this for the past decade. It’s wonderful – it really can help children and make their life better.”


The Lexington Shrine Club held their monthly meeting and installation of Offi cers at Tricia’s Catering in Lexington, NC, Tues. Nov. 15. Offi cers for 2012 are from left to right; John McCutcheon, President; Martin Holder, Vice President; Thomas Jolly, Jr., Secretary; Edgar Wilkerson, Treasurer; and Oasis Past Po-tentate John Elder, installing offi cer.

$60 MILLION GIFTCONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

Ambassador Katie La-dlie, who just this sum-mer recovered from a leg amputation and is learning to use her new prosthesis. More than

20 patient ambassadors and their families par-ticipated in the tour, along with members of the hospital’s manage-ment team and staff,

to share their stories of the important and life-changing work at our hospital. Patient Ambassa-dor Grace Rossow rep-resented the hospital’s patients and families during the ceremony.

“Shriners Hospital has changed our lives and the lives of nearly 95,000 kids at this hos-pital alone,” said Grace. “If it were not for peo-ple like Mr. Hudson, we would not have such a wonderful hospital to

provide us with our ‘second family’ and all the opportunities we are able to make for ourselves as a result.” Nearly 20 of Mr. Hudson’s family and friends traveled to St. Louis from various

parts of the country for the ceremony. Mem-bers of the Shriners fra-ternity from Missouri (Moolah Shriners), Il-linois (Ainad Shriners) and Kansas (Arab and Abdallah) attended as well.


OASIS CAMPING CLUB

What a great week-end in Mt. Airy!! May-berry Campground wel-comed the OCC on the weekend of Oct. 20-23. Twenty-eight camping sites were home to the club for these days, and several guests joined us for meals on Friday and Saturday evenings. The occasion for this camp-out was our Potentate’s Appreciation Weekend which also coincided with our annual busi-ness meeting. Many campers ar-rived early in the week so as to take in the beautiful fall foliage in the area. Thursday evening was open for club members to take in local cuisine. On both Friday and Sat-urday, many campers became well acquaint-ed with the Mayberry-style as they toured the area, taking in more of the “good eats” and shopping in the quaint town of Mt. Airy. One of our campers was even spotted getting a haircut at the famous “Floyd’s Barbershop”--no names mentioned, but his Lady’s name is Ann Richardson!! On arrival, each camping unit was provided a packet of information about the area and cou-pons for shopping dis-counts, courtesy of the local Chamber of Com-merce and Lady Judy Valentine. Our Friday evening

meal, which was served to 59 people, consisted of President Ron and Lady Judy Valentine’s homemade chili, with tossed salads, sand-wiches, and desserts being provided by club members. Lady Judy Valentine presented each couple with a Hal-loween treat bag, con-taining an assortment of candies and novelties for the season. Some campers were spotted wearing what appeared to be “false teeth” and gorgeous “plastic” jew-elry shortly after receiv-ing their bags!! There were also door prizes for a lucky few of the ladies who were pres-ent. As the evenings in Mt. Airy became a little cool, a bonfire was en-joyed by many campers after the meal. Our weather was great for the weekend, but was a little on the “nippy” side on Sat-urday morning when President Ron called to order and conducted the OCC annual busi-ness meeting. Election of officers for 2012 was held, with the follow-ing being elected: No-ble Don Lee, President; Noble Michael Smal-ley, Vice-President; Noble John Schwab, Secretary; Noble Dwight (Buzz) Benson, Treasurer; and, 5 Di-rectors—Nobles Stew-art McMeekan, Buddy Stephenson, Bob Har-

well, Ron Valentine, and Illustrious Sir John Sullivan. Saturday evening was special!! To show appreciation to the club for help to and sup-port of the Potentate this year, Illustrious Sir John and Lady Judy provided the catered meal of barbecued ribs and chicken with all the trimmings to 65 members and guests!!! Club members pro-vided desserts. After the meal, the drawing for the White Mountain Ice Cream Freezer was held. Noble Buddy and Lady Patricia Ste-phenson were the lucky winners. Speaking of ice cream freezers, President Ron and his Lady Judy served up over 100 cups of their homemade ice cream at the ice cream socials this weekend! These ice cream socials have become a trademark of the 2011 OCC Camp-outs! And, again, with a “nip” in the air, a roaring bonfire warmed everyone. Marshmal-lows were available for roasting both nights, but there were few tak-ers. Seems like there was something better being offered—name-ly, thick, thick “roast-ed baloney”, as it was called!! (Pretty darn good, and I don’t even like “baloney”!) The OCC wel-comed six “first-time” couples who have all been members of the club for sometime but

have been unable to join us at a camp-out until now. These mem-bers are: Noble David and Lady Judy Bow-man, Noble David and Lady Carolyn Craw-ley, Noble Larry and Lady Brenda Huffman, Noble Allen and Lady Doris Leatherman, Noble David and Lady Glenda Morrison, and Noble Roger and Lady Pam Walters.

Just two weekends later, November 4-5, there were several mem-bers of the OCC who at-tended the Hickory Fall Ceremonial. Spotted outside the convention center, dry camping in the back parking lot,

were six camping units. Three others were stay-ing at Indian Springs Campground, located just west of Hickory. And, several other club members stayed in lo-cal hotels. Friday and

By Judy Valentine



After leaving a board meeting two weeks ago, there in the middle of the street, my hawk eyes spot-ted a pair of Carolina blue handle Channel-Locks...there they were just wait-ing for me. What a great fi nd as these pliers were the large ones, but I need to respond quickly before someone else gets them. Traffi c racing by me on all sides as I was stuck in the left lane of a four-lane road, and no way to ma-neuver to a curb or drive-way quickly. My only hope was the center turn-ing lane 100 yards ahead...on popped the emergency hazard blinkers and out to retrieve my prize I went. This was one of those re-ally nice pair of Channel-locks, about $18!

One quick lesson; remember the game we use to play while driving around, “Hit the old couple...it’s worth 20 points?” Well, the game is still active with the youth of today. However, they believe bump-

ing an old overweight white man with a 2,000 pound automobile is worth 20 points...if he bleeds...you get an bonus of 5 extra points. So if you can’t run like a ga-zelle, then take a taxi to cross the street, because after risking my life for a pair of $18 pliers I realized eight to ten thousand dol-lar trip to the emergency room isn’t as exciting as I originally thought. Never-theless, feeling pretty ex-cited about my new pliers, I turned to return to my truck. Then about half way back, a black man in a relatively new light blue Explorer pulled in front of my truck as if he was going to block my exit...got out and started to-wards me. I just knew he was going to tell me those were his pliers and in my

mind I knew they weren’t. Pliers like these come from a commercial work truck, not a passenger ve-hicle. Another option that also ran through my head was he would say he saw them fi rst. None of which was going to suit me and put me in a position to de-fend my prize with an end result of getting mad. I jumped in my truck; tak-ing off before he could reach me...we both stared at each other, he in almost disbelief. Then the worst happened, dang it...I got caught by the traffi c light and here comes my oppo-nent. He pulled up along-side of me and out of the corner of my eye, down came his window. OK, I thought here it comes; I’m going to get angry and say some things I don’t want to. I rolled down my window and he said; “Hi Noble, I thought you might be broken down and needed some help.” Boy did I feel like crap. After a brief and friendly exchange of words we drove off, with a cloud of disappointment fi lling my truck. I just prejudged

this man, this Bother, this Noble, on nothing but the fact he was “black.” He was dressed better than I, his car was newer, cleaner, and by its appear-ance cost many thousands more than my truck, yet I still found a way to label him...I was ashamed. All this started me thinking about the recent changes in Masonry, as we now accept and rec-ognize the Prince Hall Lodge as Free and Ac-cepted Mason. Yes, some of you will go to that great courtroom in the sky and plead your case as you will never accept a black Mason, but I have to chal-lenge you with this. Have you ever heard of the Tuskegee Airmen? The Tuskegee Air-men were an elite group of African-American pilots in the 1940s. They were pioneers in equality and integration of the Armed Forces. The term “Tuske-gee Airmen” refers to all who were involved in the Army Air Corps program to train African Americans to fl y and maintain com-bat aircraft. The Tuskegee Airmen included pilots,

Prejudice Over Pliersnavigators, bombardiers, maintenance and support staff, instructors, and all the personnel who kept the planes in the air. The primary fl ight training for these service members took place at the Division of Aeronau-tics of Tuskegee Institute. Air Corps offi cials built a separate facility at Tuske-gee Army Airfi eld to train the pilots. The Tuskegee Airmen not only battled enemies during wartime, but also fought against racism and segregation thus proving they were just as good as any other pilots. Racism was com-mon during World War II and many people did not want blacks to become pilots. They trained in overcrowded classrooms and airstrips, and suffered from the racist attitude of some military offi cials. The Tuskegee Airman suffered many hardships, but they proved them-selves to be world-class pilots. Even though the Tuskegee Airmen proved their worth as military pilots, they were still forced to operate in seg-

regated units and did not fi ght alongside their white countrymen. The men earned the nickname “Red Tail An-gels” since the bombers considered their escorts “angels” and the red paint on the propeller and tail of their planes. In March 1942, George Roberts, Benja-min Davis Jr., Charles BeBow Jr., Mac Ross and Lemuel Custis received silver wings of Army Air Force pilots. These men completed the standard Army fl ight classroom in-struction and many hours of fl ight time. Receiving their silver wings marked a milestone in being the fi rst African Americans to qualify as military pi-lots in any branch of the Armed Forces. By the end of the war, 992 men had gradu-ated from what was called then Negro Air Corps pi-lot training at Tuskegee; 450 were sent overseas for combat assignment. During the same period, about 150 lost their lives while in training or on combat fl ights. These

Th ermal Belt Shrine Club Offi cers - 2012 -

Left to right: Installing Offi cer: Oasis Oriental Guide; Todd Ham, Noble Alex Bass; President, Noble Leonard Hollifi eld; Vice President, Noble Wayne Bumgardner; Secretary and Noble Wayne Millis; Treasurer.

Mail & Computer Services Made Easy...!

Complete Direct Mail Marketing Solutions

704-335-9907 • www.alphamail.com

Mailing Services• Inkjetting & Labeling• Inserting & Folding• Sorting & Handwork• Product Fulfi llment

Computer Services• Barcode• Carrier Route• Merge/Purge/Dedupe• Data Entry & Mail Lists

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

GEORGE POWERS


black airmen manage to destroy or damage over 409 German airplanes, 950 ground units, and sank a battleship destroy-er. They ran more than 200 bomber escort mis-sions during World War II and never lost a bomber. They gain such a repu-tation that many of the bomber pilots requested these black pilots over the white. So here lies our di-lemma...when you be-came a Master Mason you were given a book to guide your steps and your actions. Not just any book, you were given a Bible and nowhere in it does it speak of Greek heaven, Jewish heaven, Chinese heaven, or any other nationality in the form of heaven. It does say we are all from the same Creator. Interesting fact...if you believe the Bible then you have to ac-cept that God created all things, His thinking, His plan, is beyond our com-prehension. If God has a plan then He knew who would carry the cross for His Son, Jesus. That designation was Simon of Cyrene, a black man. This year Oasis re-ceived our first black Noble and his name is George Powers. Noble George currently holds membership in two Lodges in the Winston-Salem area, and is active in many others. He also holds the office of Junior Deacon in one of those Lodges, and frequently pro-tems many positions in several Lodges. His wife reports he is either at a Lodge meeting or at a practice most nights of the week. He is also a mem-ber of the Winston-Salem Valley, Scottish Rite, and

participates in degrees for the Reunions. He is most likely one of the most ac-tive Freemasons in North Carolina, truly being de-voted to the Craft.

In addition to his Masonic participation, George is a member of Oasis Tripsters Unit, be-ing the first black member initiated, ever. He actively and frequently transports patients to the Greenville and Cincinnati Hospitals. He assists in coordinat-

ing the volunteer drivers for the Triad region, and takes this effort very seri-ously. He is Captain Elect of the Oasis Scooter Pa-trol, and very active in this Oasis parade unit. He is one of a few mem-bers who has not missed

a single parade since he joined. Those who would decry him because of the color of his skin would do well to make every effort to be as good a Mason as he is. Although I did not sign his petition, I can proudly say I would have

been honored if he had asked me to do so. As we enter this Christmas season, let us all reflect on whence we came. As one day all man-kind will be together and stand before that throne. And to think this all start-ed over a pair of pliers.

Prejudice Over PliersCONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE


MEMORIALS, HONORS & DONATIONS TO THE HOSPITAL ab

Blaise Shiver Dawn DelkJames N Fisher James N FisherBlaise Shiver Janis ByersBlaise Shiver Jeanne LockmanGeorge D Cannon Oasis Temple BandBlaise Shiver Warren & Beck Shiver

HONORSDONOR IN HONOR OF

Mr. Jimmy A BarneyMr. Wayne Hilliard

100 MILLION DOLLAR CLUB

MEMORIALS

DONOR IN MEMORY OF

Ron & Kaye Bach “Duke” Beal & Markie S SiskNoble Neil Johnson Allan R LatorreBlaise Shiver Anna BrooksRon & Kaye Bach Austin McReeBill & Jane Stanley Betty McClureRodney & Rita Morgan Bob HoneycuttBuddy & Patricia Stephenson Charles A LambertRodney & Rita Morgan Charlie LambertTed Shiver Charlie TiptonRon & Kaye Bach Christine Rudisill ChampanRon & Kaye Bach Darlene StannerTri-County Shrine Ladies Auxiliary Diane Rathbone NewtonHerb & Virginia Ball Dorothy ToolFloyd Burton Dot BurtonRon & Kaye Bach Dr. William WhittenNed & Linda Cline Edward Max KellyRon & Kaye Bach Frank CliffordRodney & Rita Morgan George LedbetterRodney & Rita Morgan Gordon BrownMary B Neece Hazel T StaffordBuck & Dottie Kirk Herbert L McClureRon & Kaye Bach Jack F HovisMary Caroline Spencer Jack LutzRon & Kaye Bach Jack LutzCatawba Lodge 248 AF & AM Jack LutzAl & Janet Madsen Jack LutzRandolph Shrine Club Jacksie DavisRon & Kaye Bach James “Jim” BarnesLexington Shrine Club Jerry HuntNancy D Wilson Jerry Lee FrodgeAl & Janet Madsen Jerry NicholsonSam & Barbara Morris Joan KiserRodney & Rita Morgan King Carol BurlesonRon & Kaye Bach Madge BeattyRon & Kaye Bach Mae Bell “Granny” LaneRon & Kaye Bach Maledia ColeRodney & Rita Morgan Marie HuneycuttRodney & Rita Morgan Mark ChavisRandolph Shrine Club Pat WilliamsonEddie & Elizabeth Norris Paul BrownJames & Rebecca Moretz Paul BrownRobert & Barbara Oliver Paul BrownJD & PE Sherwood Paul BrownJanelle Yates Paul BrownWilliam Keller Pearlie ThronRon & Kaye Bach Rachel Jerleen BeanMary B Neece Ralph Aldin WallinRodney & Rita Morgan Reginald Hall, SrRodney & Rita Morgan Rev. George LewisRon & Kaye Bach Rev. Morrison L (Bill) BaileyRon & Kaye Bach Ron DowellRandolph Shrine Club Ronald McDanielRodney & Rita Morgan Ruth HesleyRon & Kaye Bach Tommy LittleBill & Jane Stanley Viola RamseyMary B Neece Virginia Ann DeichRon & Kaye Bach Wayne Blackwelder

Allan C JohnsonAubrey L Clegg, Jr

Bennie R StuttsBenny Tate

Bobby & Irene McMinnBush Carpet Cleaning

Charles T JonesClyde H HendricksDavid L WarwickDouglas S Younts

Edmin & Sharon PhillipsEdmund B Cook

Edward E RobersonErnest H HudsonFred L Sherrill, JrFree L Sherrill, JrGeorge D Cannon

George W SimpsonGerald T FlowersHorace L Van Hoy

James D Beckom, SrJames G BrownJames W DavisJoe R KetchieJohn R Stone

Jules S TepperJune D Allen

Kahlil E KardousKevin R Dennis

Martin & Christine Oehler, JrMary Jane VoeltnerMichael A JohnsonMichael G Lackey

Mountain Creek Baptist Church

DONATIONS

Perry N Rudnick EndowmentRichard K Garrison

Roger W MillerRudolph L BinderTeddy D JoynerTimothy D RossTom Gowan, Jr

Troy L DayUpton J Barrett

Wesley C McIntyre, JrWilliam O Fowler

William T McCurryZeb L Parrish, Jr

Avery County Shrine ClubBlue Ridge Shrine ClubEast Burke Shrine Club

Gaston County Shrine ClubHendersonville Shrine Club

Lexington Shrine ClubMoore County Shrine Club

Oasis Golf ClubOasis Hillbilly Clan & Parade Unit

Oasis Keystone KopsOasis Mountain Buggies

Oasis Ritual CastPiedmont Shrine Club

Smoky Mountain Shrine ClubStanley County Shrine Club

Statesville Shrine ClubThermal Belt Shrine Club

Tri-County Shrine ClubWhite Plains Shrine Club

Winston-Salem Shrine Club


1The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.2He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.3He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.4Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.5Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine en-emies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

- Psalm 23

As the sun sets in the west to signal the closing of the day, so will it rise in the east to mark a new day.

PLEASE REMEMBER THE FAMILIES OF THESE DEPARTED ONES IN YOUR DAILY DEVOTIONS.

PASSED WITHIN THE UNSEEN TEMPLE Reported In December 2011 Desert Dust

CREATED DIED

18514 Given B. Webster, Sr. Camden, SC 09/25/1965 11/01/2011

27354 Clarence T. Martin Greensboro, NC 08/16/1922 11/29/2011

CAMPING CLUBCONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

Saturday nights’ enter-tainment were well at-tended by OCC mem-bers. Many of the la-dies were in attendance at the Ladies Breakfast on Saturday morning, where Lady Judy Sul-livan was the Guest of Honor. Lady Judy Val-entine was the emcee for the breakfast. While the ladies were doing breakfast, many of the OCC men were getting ready for the parade.

This year, Noble Jerry and Lady Hilda Brittain provided their restored 1956 Mack truck for use in the pa-rade by the camping club, with OCC mem-bers riding in the bed of the truck! Along with our members, the OCC was proud to have riding with them Illustrious Sir Winfi eld Beroth, PP of Oasis Shrine Center and Illustrious Sir Phil (Kill-er) Davis, PP of Alee Shrine Center in Savan-

nah, GA. Illustrious Sir Phil provided the great music and entertainment on Friday evening. Af-ter the parade, many of the OCC members were spotted in the audience at the Ladies Auction, held in the Oasis Hospital-ity Room at the Grande Plaza. The auction, which was spearheaded by Lady Judy Sullivan, was quite a success, net-ting $8,000 for the Shri-ners’ Children’s Hospi-tal in Greenville, SC, for the purchase of rehab equipment. During the auction, President Val-

entine presented a $500 check to Lady Judy as a donation from the Oa-sis Camping Club. The barbecue being served during the auction was provided by OCC mem-bers Noble Larry and Lady Brenda Huffman, owners of the P.O. BBQ in Hickory. To fi nish out the 2011 Oasis Camping Club year, approxi-mately 20 camping units spent 3 nights at James Island County Park, near Charleston, SC, on Dec. 8-11. The camping trip to James

Island was arranged by President Ron particu-larly for everyone to see the Holiday Festival of Lights there in the park. Spectacular! Breathtak-ing! Many OCC mem-bers had children and/or grandchildren along to see the over 700 differ-ent light displays! Fun was had by all, as Santa was always around, and there was plenty to do and see, not only in the park, but also in the his-toric town of Charles-ton. Our OCC Ladies Night and Installation of

Offi cers for 2012 will be held on January 4, 2012, at the Riverview Inn in Gastonia. Members will be receiving more infor-mation on this. It has been the pleasure of President Ron and Lady Judy Val-entine to write the OCC monthly articles for the Desert Dust for the past two years. Beginning with the January 2012 issue, we will no longer be doing this. Thanks for all the positive com-ments concerning our articles during the past 2 years!

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLECONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

Eddie’s team scored a touchdown and he was brought in to kick an extra point to tie the score. Because of three straight penalties called on his team, the extra

point would be kicked from 40 yards. Right be-fore Eddie was about to kick the ball, the whole stadium began chanting “Eddie, Eddie, Eddie!” “The situation was so

intense, I was practical-ly brought to tears,” said Eddie. “I couldn’t even look after I kicked it.” The football went through the uprights and the whole stadium erupted. According to Eddie, even the coach from the opposing team

rooted for him. The kick would be one for the history books – it was the longest extra point in any Maine Shrine Lob-ster Bowl game. “The game wasn’t about winning or los-ing,” said Eddie. “It was about the kids and

helping the organization that means everything to me.” Eddie, 19, currently plays on a semi-pro New England football team. In addition, after seeing fi rst-hand as a patient the life-changing work Shriners do for children,

Eddie plans on joining the fraternity along with his step-father. As for his future, Eddie plans on having a career in sports where he can inspire kids and let them know that de-spite obstacles, anything in life is possible.


Documents

December Desert Dust