Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine 
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The
Shriners,
A.A.O.N.M.S. or
Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, established in
New York City in 1870, is an
appendant body to
Freemasonry. The organization is best-known for the
Shriner's Hospitals for Children they administer and the red
fezzes that members wear.
Contents History 
Walter Millard Fleming
In 1870, there were several thousand Masons in Manhattan. Many of these Masons made it a point to lunch at the Knickerbocker Cottage at a special table on the second floor. There, a particularly jovial group of Masons would meet regularly and discuss the idea of a new fraternity for Masons stressing fun and fellowship over ritual. Two of the table regulars,
Walter M. Fleming, M.D., and William J. Conlin, an actor with the stage name
William J. Florence, took the idea seriously enough to act upon it.
William Florence
Florence, a world-renowned actor, while on tour in
Marseilles, was invited to a party given by an Arabian diplomat. The entertainment was something in the nature of an elaborately staged musical comedy. At its conclusion, the guests became members of a secret society. Florence took copious notes and drawings at his initial viewing and on two other occasions, once in
Algiers and once in
Cairo. When he returned to New York in 1870, he showed his material to Fleming.
Fleming took the ideas supplied by Florence and converted them into what would become the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (A.A.O.N.M.S.). While there is some question about the origin of the Fraternity's name, it may not be a coincidence that its initials, rearranged, spell out the words "A MASON."
The group adopted a Middle Eastern theme and soon established "
Temples" meeting in "
Mosques" across the
continent. Another Masonic group, the
Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm (known colloquially as the "Grotto"), adopted a similar theme in
1890. The Middle Eastern theme was popular at the time and alluded to the mystery and ceremony of the
Arabian Nights, with its elaborate parties and frolic.
Membership
Despite its theme, the Shrine is in no way connected to
Islam. It is a men's fraternity rather than a religion or religious group. Its only religious requirement is indirect: all Shriners must be Masons, and petitioners to Freemasonry must profess a belief in a
Supreme Being. In order to further minimize any confusion with religion, the use of the word "Temple" to describe Shriners' buildings has now been replaced by the phrase "Shrine Center," although individual local chapters are still called "Temples."
Until 2000, before being eligible for membership in the Shrine, a person had to complete either the
Scottish Rite or
York Rite degrees of Masonry, but now any Master Mason can join.
Modern Shriners 
A Shriner in an iconic miniature car participating in a
Memorial Day parade
The Shriners often participate in local
parades, sometimes as rather elaborate units: miniature vehicles in themes (all sports cars; all miniature 18-wheeler trucks; all fire engines, and so on), an "Oriental Band" dressed in cartoonish versions of Middle Eastern dress; pipe bands, drummers, motorcycle units, Drum and Bugle Corps, and even traditional brass bands. Some Shrines sponsor and participate in an annual circus in their city.
Community service and charity 
Statue at Shriners Hospital in Portland, Oregon
The Shriners are committed to community service and have been instrumental in countless public projects throughout their domain. They also host the annual
East-West Shrine Game which is a college
football all-star game. Once a year, the fraternity meets for the Imperial Council Session in a major North American city. It is not uncommon for these conventions to have 20,000 participants or more, which generates significant revenue for the local economy.
The Shrine's
charitable arm is the Shriners Hospitals for Children, a network of twenty-two
hospitals in the
United States,
Mexico and
Canada. It was formed to treat young victims of
polio, but as that
disease was controlled, they broadened their scope. They now deal with all
pediatric cases, most especially with
orthopedic injuries and disease and
burns. The Shrine has pioneered new treatments for these conditions.
There is never any charge for treatment at a Shriners Hospital. There is no requirement for
religion,
race, or
relationship to a Freemason. Patients must be under the age of eighteen and treatable. Local Shrine temples most often provide free transportation to the nearest hospital. In 2002, a mascot named "Fez Head Fred" debuted, primarily to visit their children's hospitals.
In 2005, Shriners Hospitals approved 37,755 new patient applications, attended to the needs of 123,385 patients and provided the following free of charge:
- 228,261 radiology procedures
- 305,455 outpatient, outreach and telemedicine visits
- 67,735 orthotic and prosthetic devices applied
- 24,627 surgical procedures
- 227,857 occupational therapy treatments
Shriners Hospitals' total budget for 2006 is $649 million, of which $616 million is targeted for operating expenses (including $33 million for research) and $33 million for buildings and equipment expenditures. During the 84-year history of the Shriners Hospitals, approximately $7.6 billion has been spent to operate Shriners Hospitals, and over $1.73 billion has been spent on construction and renovation.
[1] References- ^ Shriner's Hospitals for Children
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