SHRINERS
INTERNATIONAL

WHY JOIN?

Wondering what Shriners are all about? It’s simple. Being a Shriner is a life choice foremost to have fun and stand for integrity, upholding our Masonic tenets and service to others. Commitment to your brothers, to fun and our philanthropy is central to lifelong fellowship as a Shriner.

Shriners find their best selves through building their own fun and fellowship experience. Yes, adulting and fun do go together. You can do both with Shriners. When you focus on fun, every activity transforms into fellowship.

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FUN - CLUBS and UNITS

What is your brand of fun? Competitive gaming? Sports? A pick-up game with your friends? How about an interest in brewing? Do you rally at the racetrack? Maybe, it’s a talent you enjoy sharing or is it lending a helping hand? Shriners build fun around a central interest and the possibilities are limitless. You are the creator of your experience as a Shriner. Bring your ideas and join in fun with a purpose for the ultimate fellowship.

Shriners have access to a wide variety of locations to have fun including at the temple (chapter), clubs and units. This allows you extended reach to participate as we have nearly 200 temples and over 7,000 clubs and units. Have a new idea to have fun? Great, start your own club or unit geared toward your specific interests. Our fraternity is made up of men of integrity from all walks of life, and our chapter clubs and units reflect that.

Areas to have fun and fellowship include:

Sports
& Adventure

Volunteer
Services

Musical Performing
& Parading

Professional
Development

Leisure Activities
& Recreation

Social
Gatherings

Sports
& Adventure

Volunteer
Services

Musical Performing
& Parading

Professional
Development

Leisure Activities
& Recreation

Social
Gatherings

To Help More.

To Be More.

OUR PHILANTHROPY

Shriners International founded Shriners Children's as its official philanthropy in 1922. The organization, which began as one hospital, is now a world-renowned healthcare system with locations in three countries. The fraternity continues to support this unique healthcare system.

As a member, you are part owner of the healthcare system and a key contributor towards improving the lives of children across the world. With this privilege, you have the opportunity to experience fellowship while you serve on the board of a local Shriners Children's facility, transport patients to the facilities; volunteer, and facilitate events to raise awareness and donations for the healthcare system.

Shriners Children's is a unique healthcare system with a reputation for finding answers and giving families hope. At our locations in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, children receive specialized care and rehabilitation for congenital and acquired orthopaedic conditions, acute burns, spinal cord injuries, cleft lip and cleft palate, and neuromusculoskeletal conditions and injuries, regardless of the families’ ability to pay or insurance status.

Shriners Children's is committed to conducting high-quality, innovative research in the areas of burns, orthopaedic/musculoskeletal and neurological injury and disease in order to improve the care and quality-of-life of children with these conditions.

Since opening our first hospital in 1922, the healthcare system has improved the lives of more than 1.5 million children.

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VALUES AND MISSION

Every Shriner believes in:

Brotherhood

Shriners are members of a brotherhood of men committed to family, engaged in ongoing personal growth, and dedicated to providing care for children and families in need.

Family

Many of our activities involve family, promote shared values and help develop next-generation leaders. Groups for women and children, emphasizing personal growth, fun and friendship, participate with Shriners.

Leadership

Shriners count among our ranks presidents, senators, business leaders, professional golfers, music stars, astronauts and race car drivers. We are leaders in our personal lives. Our unique brotherhood helps good men become better — at home, at work and in business.

Giving Back

Shriners Hospitals for Children (dba Shriners Children's) was founded in 1922 to provide excellent specialized medical care for children, regardless of the families’ ability to pay for services. Shriners' philanthropic efforts help support the international healthcare system's locations and pediatric medical care.

HISTORY OF SHRINERS INTERNATIONAL

It all started in Manhattan in 1870 when some members of what’s considered the world’s oldest fraternity – Masonry – were hanging out at their favorite tavern. They often discussed the idea of a new fraternity for Masons, in which fun and fellowship would be stressed more than ritual.

MASONIC BROTHER'S VISION LEADS TO GLOBAL INFLUENCE

Two Masons — Walter M. Fleming, M.D., and Billy Florence, an actor — took the idea of fun and fellowship for Masons, and ran with it. Florence came up with the idea for a Near Eastern-themed fraternity after attending a party thrown by an Arabian diplomat.

When Florence returned to the U.S., he explained the theme to Fleming, and the two men began laying the foundation for the Shriners fraternity, which was officially named the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and informally known as Shriners of North America. Today the fraternity’s name is Shriners International.

Fleming added the structure, drafting the fraternity’s name, initiation rites, rituals and rules. Together, Fleming and Florence designed the fraternity’s emblem, devised a salutation and determined that the red fez with the black tassel, (with the name derived from the city of Fez, Morocco), would be the group’s official headgear. The fez is worn by Shriners at official fraternal functions.

The first Shriners International chapter, Mecca Shriners, met in New York City in 1872.

As word got out about the new organization, membership grew rapidly and in the early 1900s, so did the call for establishing an official charity.

In 1919, the Imperial Potentate-elect (President-elect) proposed establishing a hospital to provide medical care at no cost for children with orthopaedic conditions.

A committee explored the idea and concluded there should not be just one hospital, but instead, an entire healthcare system throughout North America that provides pediatric orthopaedic medical care regardless of the families’ ability to pay. The first hospital opened in Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1922.

Today, Shriners International is a fraternity with nearly 200 chapters in several countries, and thousands of clubs around the world. Members are known for their compassion for others, and for being active participants in their communities. Shriners, through their generosity, fundraising and assistance to those in need, truly help make the world a better place.

SHRINERS INTERNATIONAL