The Red fez will be popping up all over town this weekend as Shriners celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Border Shrine Club.
Founded in 1927, the Border Shrine Club merged groups on both sides of the border.
It is the only international group within the thousands of Shrine clubs throughout the world, explained local Shrine secretary/treasurer Bruce Holmlund.
To mark this anniversary the club is hosting a weekend full of events culminating in a banquet at the Fort Frances Curling Club tomorrow featuring Imperial Potentate Charles A. “Tad” Claypool.
“He’s the number one Shriner in the world. He has jurisdiction over 3,000 clubs in 191 centres and it is quite a big deal that he is coming here,” Holmlund enthused.
This is the first time a Shriner of his rank will have ever attended events in our area.
Approximately 170 people are also slated to attend the celebrations from shrine clubs throughout the region. Locally, Holmlund estimates there are 50 members from both sides of the border in the local club.
Festivities will include a parade in International Falls Saturday starting at 10:30 a.m. that travels from downtown to the Smokey Bear park.
New members from International Falls will be initiated later that afternoon, a golf tournament is scheduled for 8 a.m. Sunday at Kitchen Creek Golf Course and there will be a fish fry at Sunny Cove at 4 p.m.
The Shriners are best known for funding children’s hospitals that specialize in child orthopedic or burn care. Local clubs raise money for the 22 international hospitals so that children can access this health-care free of charge.
However the local chapter has also pledged $10,000 over the next 10 years to the Riverside Health Care “Care Close to Home” campaign.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
