CORNWALL, Ontario - The Northeast Shrine Association recently held its mid-winter meetings, in Cornwall, in preparation of their upcoming Fall Field Day to be held, in the city, from September 19 to 21.
About 1600 delegates from 15 Shrine centres in the association will be attending the convention which, among other matters of business, will include a friendly competition among the various clubs.
Events features pipe and drum band competitions, motor car racing, golf, and clown competitions, among others, explained Rory MacLennan, past potentate, Karnak Shriners, Cornwall Club.
“It’s all in fun; for bragging rights. At the end of the day we get together for a big parade.”
The public is invited to come to the Civic Complex and enjoy the festivities. The event also serves to make people aware of the Shriners and work they do to provide children’s hospitals across North America, said Wayne Lachut, Imperial Marshall.
“We want to make the public aware of the hospitals. We don’t just wear funny hats and drive funny cars.”
The Shriners are beginning construction on improvements to the Shriners Hospital for Children in Montreal, in May, said Lachut, with the official corner stone laying, on September 21st immediately following their fall field day. “It’s going to be a wonderful facility.”
The hospital, the only one of its kind in Canada, has already helped several children from Eastern Ontario.
Since 1920 the Shriners have funded and build 22 hospitals, (including eight orthopedic and four burn hospitals) across North America.
“We take care of kids at no cost to the families, said Lachut.” For further information on the Shriners, visit www.shriners.org.
