January 2014 recap

Well, January 2014 has come and is almost gone and the Chinese New Year is in a few days. It will be the year of the Horse starting on January 31st. Gong Xi Fa Cai (Mandarin) and Gong Hey Fat Choy (Cantonese)!

Our daughter, Anna, was here for a week from the Monday after New Year. She was lucky that she was able to make it out of Newark (her flight was delayed for 2 hrs) and then Toronto (more than 1,000 flights were cancelled that Monday and Tuesday). She was able to get some rest while here and also watched a Winnipeg Jets game. They lost but she still had a wonderful time. She bought a Jets hoodie and a Jets flag which she will put up in her cubicle at the hospital. She's been doing 12 to 16 hrs shifts, overnights, weekends, etc. at Warren Hospital.

On the right is a picture Anna posted on facebook basically stating that a resident's life is eat (a few minutes), sleep (a few hours) and work (a lot of hours). She said that she cannot wait until she gets to her 2nd year in residency this coming July so that she is no longer at the "bottom of the ladder".

Early this month, we held a meeting of the Khartum Shriners Membership Committee. There is a lot of work to be done by the Membership Committee. Khartum is participating in the Pace Program: Setting the Pace for a Strong Future, a Membership initiative of Shriners International. We will hold the Kick-Off Meeting for the Pace Program on March 28 & 29. Illustrious Sir Randy Rudge, Director, Membership Development, Shriners International, and Illustrious Sir John Archer, Membership Development Specialist, will be here to facilitate the Kick-Off Meeting. We will also hold a Mini-Ceremonial (Cold Sands) on March 28.

We also held a meeting of the Grand Lodge Youth Services Committee. There is also a lot of work to be done by this Committee in encouraging Lodges to undertake youth and family-related projects.

On January 20, we installed the 2014 Officers of Cyrus Council No 2, Cryptic Rite. I am humbled to be appointed as the Steward. The Council meets five (5) times during the year.








This month, the Associate Matron of Queen Winnipeg Chapter No 1, Order of Eastern Star (OES), and I have started planning for our year in the East. If we are elected to do so, we will be installed on April 10.







April 10 is the same evening when Manitoba Sovereign Consistory, Scottish Rite, will confer the 31st Degree. As the 1st Lt Commander of the Consistory and the Coordinator for that Degree, I requested our Commander-in-Chief to move the date to April 24 so I can be there. That request was approved.

On January 25, Khartum Shriners held their Installation of 2014 Officers at the Khartum Shrine Centre.
In the picture is Illustrious Sir Rick Holberg, 2014 Potentate, and First Lady Georgette Holberg. Illustrious Sir Rick's theme is "Building for their future" (the children's future) while Lady Georgette's is the Dragonfly.

L to R: Illustrious Sir Jack Hooper, Recorder; Noble Alvin Allard, Oriental Guide; Noble Jack Hildebrand, Assistant Rabban; Illustrious Sir Rick Holberg; Noble Brian Terin, Chief Rabban; Noble Chibu Uson, High Priest & Prophet; and Noble David Lapp, Treasurer.
I am humbled to serve as this year's High Priest & Prophet. I look forward to serving Khartum in this capacity and also continue as Membership Committee Chairman.

Here is a picture of the MW Grand Master, the Potentate and their Ladies before the Potentate's Reception, which was also held at the Khartum Shrine Centre. L to R: MWB/Noble Doug Webster, Grand Master; Lady Valerie Webster; Lady Georgette Holberg; and Illustrious Sir Rick Holberg, Potentate and CEO, Khartum Shriners.

The Oriental Band in their very colorful garb played the most beautiful music this side of the world.

The Fife & Drum Corps escorted by the Patrol also performed at the Reception.

The Pipes & Drums with the Potentate and First Lady pose for this wonderful picture after their performance at the Reception.

At the Dinner after the Installation, Illustrious Sir Jack Hooper, Recorder, presented, on behalf of the Divan, to Illustrious Sir Rick Holberg, Potentate, a step ladder/stool as part of the tools and implements of his office. The said ladder will be used to ensure that the Potentate is seen by the audience when he is speaking behind a podium or rostrum.

Our distinguished visitors that day and evening were L to R, in front: Noble Scott Midstokke, High Priest & Prophet, Kem Shriners (Grand Forks, ND); his Lady Bernice Anderson; Illustrious Sir Ken Eskdale, Potentate, Wawa Shriners (Regina, SK); and his Lady Betty Eskdale. We are glad to learn that our visitors made it back to their homes safe and sound the day after the Installation. They were on the road before the highways were closed due to very severe weather and road conditions (white out).

For more pictures of the Potentate's Installation, Reception and Dinner, click on this.