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Local Shriners honor members, welcome Imperial officer

Organization plans fundraising campaign for air conditioning

From left: Robert Baranik, Past Potentate of the Jaffa Shriners, and Jordan Settle, newly installed Potentate of the Jaffa Shriners chat with Imperial Sir Jeffrey L. Sowder of Shriners Inter­national. Sowder was the keynote speaker Saturday at the Jaffa Shrine Center. Mirror photo by Gary M. Baranec

The Jaffa Shrine organization has grown into one of the most well-known and respected organizations in the community. On Saturday, the Shriners honored several of their own and announced a major fundraising campaign, all while welcoming a special guest — Imperial Sir Jeffrey L. Sowder.

Sowder is a member of the Board of Directors of both Shriners International and Shriners Hospitals for Children. He will be named Imperial Potentate of Shriners International in July 2019.

The afternoon event kicked off with the Shriners recognizing 16 members who received 50-year pins.

“We have a great group of 50-year members,” said Fred Imler, one of the 50-year pin recipients. “Many of them who I’ve been associated with here have been workers devoted to the cause of the Jaffa and our philanthropy and our fraternity.”

The pin ceremony was followed by the announcement of a $1.8 million capital campaign to raise funds to install air conditioning in the main auditorium of the Jaffa Shrine Center. This would allow the Jaffa to hold fundraisers, events and entertainment year-round in the auditorium.

The presentation concluded with remarks from Sowder.

“It’s been amazing. It’s been nearly 20 years since we’ve had an Imperial officer here at the Jaffa,” Chief Rabban Jordan Settle said.

“He’s a tremendous public speaker,” Settle said. “And he’s our future leader of Shriner’s International. Having him come here, especially to do the 50-year pin ceremony for all of our recipients, was fantastic.”

Sowder emphasized the importance of the work the Shriners do.

“I hope they understand the urgency that we need to increase membership within our fraternity so that we can do more good for kids … to help take care of them when they’re in our hospitals,” Sowder said.

He also recognized the 50-year pin recipients.

“These are the men that set the foundation 50 years ago,” Sowder said. “There’s a number of men in that group that I know that have been mentors to everyone that’s come after them and have set the baseline for how we all should live our lives.”

Sowder spoke highly of the Jaffa Shrine and all the work that its members have done for the community.

“I’d just like for everyone to know what a great shrine temple the Jaffa Shriners are. This is one of the premier shrine temples in the United States, and I’ve had the opportunity to work with a great number of them, and everyone in this community ought to be proud of what this temple represents.”

The Shriners are looking forward to what the new year has to offer in terms of opportunities for new members and efforts made toward the campaign goal.

“We have a lot of great officers who were installed here at the Jaffa, and we are looking forward to having a great year and looking for membership in 2019,” Settle said.

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