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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are pleased to congratulate the members of the
4Ainad Shriners on the occasion of the organization's 100th
5anniversary in 2012; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Ainad Shriners was created on May 8, 1912, with an
7initial membership of 105; however, an initial committee of 35
8businessmen discussed the possibility of joining a new
9organization within the Masonic Fraternity in order to promote
10fun and fellowship during a meeting on April 19, 1912; by
11December of 1913, the group's membership had increased to 259;
12the group was granted a charter into Shriners International on
13May 13, 1913, becoming temple number 130 in the United States
14and the 4th of 5 temples in the State of Illinois; the
15organization was named "Ainad", after the Arabic word for
16"obstinacy", by the Imperial organization; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Thomas L. Fekete served as the first Ainad
18potentate (leader) of the Ainad Shriners, serving as temporary
19leader until the charter was issued on May 13, 1913; he then
20served as the Illustrious Potentate for the charter year of
211913; the Shriners met regularly at the Scottish Rite Temple at
2214th and College in East St. Louis, and at numerous other
23locations in St. Louis and East St. Louis, from 1912 to 1923;

 

 

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1the organization began construction on the Shrine Center in
2June of 1922 and finished construction by September of 1923;
3the building still stands at 609 St. Louis Avenue in East St.
4Louis; the building was dedicated on November 24, 1922 and
5remains the largest auditorium in the city; throughout the
6building's 90-year history, countless public and charitable
7events have been held there; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Ainad Shriners have had numerous committees to
9provide additional support for the activities of the growing
10membership, including by-laws, charitable, entertainment,
11hotel, membership, transportation, and special functions of
12the membership; the organization utilizes an open forum for the
13creation of initiatives, with the Potentate appointing special
14committees to investigate an idea or solution to an issue
15regarding the membership; the creation of committees to
16investigate and solve internal issues is still done today; and
 
17    WHEREAS, On March 18, 1924, Major Frank L. Reardon
18addressed Ainad Shriners on behalf of the United States
19Department of War, requesting the permission to use Ainad
20Temple as a mobilization point for infantry and artillery
21regiments in times of war; during World War II, the building
22was used as a mustering, or gathering of units, prior to
23departure for the European or Asian theaters for battle;
24incoming units would drill in the building's auditorium and

 

 

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1basement; during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, the United States
2Army established a communications unit at the temple; the
3building was also a regional headquarters for Civil Defense
4until the mid-1970s; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Ainad Shriners has supported local charities
6throughout southern Illinois; the Shriners have provided
7support to numerous local and national organizations,
8including the Boy Scouts of America, the Elks Club, Knights of
9Columbus, the St. Clair County Humane Society, the St. Clair
10County Tuberculosis Society, the United Jewish Relief Fund, and
11countless others; the organization's members have helped many
12people who have been affected by natural disasters; in 1923,
13the Shriners supported the newly-created Shriners Hospital in
14Shreveport, Louisiana, which was created in response to the
15rapid spread of polio and other pediatric and orthopedic
16medical issues; and
 
17    WHEREAS, On June 1, 1924, the Ainad Shriners band, drum
18corps, and patrol units participated in a parade for the sole
19purpose of dedicating the opening of Shriners Hospital for
20Crippled Children, formerly located off of Kingshighway in St.
21Louis; the units provided entertainment following the
22dedication ceremonies; today, 22 Shriners Hospitals for
23Children are located throughout North America; the hospital
24system provides medical care for burn victims, spinal cord

 

 

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1injuries, cleft lip and pallet, and numerous other pediatric
2and orthopedic medical issues; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Today, Ainad Shriners is the ninth largest temple
4of 195 Shrine centers throughout the world; with a membership
5of approximately 4,600, Ainad is the largest of the five Shrine
6centers in Illinois; during the late 1970s, its membership grew
7to as many as 10,000 throughout Southern Illinois; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Over the past 100 years, Shriners have been active
9throughout Southern Illinois in parades, festivals, paper
10crusades, and membership ceremonials; Ainad Shriners are all
11Free Masons who reside in virtually every community of Southern
12Illinois and are active in most every type of business,
13profession, and field of endeavor; and
 
14    WHEREAS, The members of Ainad Shriners exemplify the
15application of the Masonic teachings of truth, brotherly love,
16helping others, and affirming that all mankind is created
17equal; and
 
18    WHEREAS, The Ainad Shriners will celebrate its 100th
19anniversary with a year of public events, including parades in
20Effingham and Belleville, membership drives, and circus shows
21in Belleville, Waterloo, Jerseyville, Olney, Salem and
22DuQuoin, and events at numerous festival and homecomings

 

 

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1throughout the State; therefore, be it
 
2    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
3NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
4we congratulate the members of the Ainad Shriners on the
5occasion of the organization's 100th anniversary, thank them
6for their dedicated service to the people of the State of
7Illinois, and wish them success and happiness in their future
8endeavors; and be it further
 
9    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
10presented to the Ainad Shriners as a symbol of our esteem and
11respect.