Assistant Rabban Leadership Conference

By Ben Martin

Tonya and I , along with Jimmy Moser are attending at the Assistant Rabban Leadership Seminar in Tampa, FL this week. Funded by Kosair for Kids Charities out of Louisville Ky, this seminar was designed to prepare upcoming leaders (both husband and wife) for their year as Potentate and Lady.  We’ve covered topics such as Financial Stability, the importance of a 5 yr. plan and plan transparency for upcoming Divan members, sustainable fundraising, and events.

It is exciting to hear how our philanthropy is adapting to market conditions and making long term decisions based on data. Our patient count and recognized patient care continues to grow and get international acclaim. We’ve expanded our hospitals outreach and we are helping more kids by having outpatient clinics, which in turn drives the costs to treat per child down!  Our hospitals are alive and well and I have full confidence in the team surrounding this direction.

Our Temples are a great part of the Shriners Children’s strategic growth plan and at the Temple level, we need to continue to focus on raising money for the hospitals, but also on recruiting, retaining, and relating to our membership. Our Nobles are becoming vastly different in ages. We have men of the “average Shriner age” (around 70) but also men joining in their 30’s. We should continue to adapt our events, communication methods and the way we do business around these changing demographics.

One of the great parts of a seminar like this is hearing all the successful Shrine fundraisers and events shared with us by the other Temples represented here. As for Tonya - Every night has been filled with all the things she’s learned about event planning, protocol, mentorship and how our ladies are the backbone to what we do. Today she was a part of Lady Judy Burkes, Do’s and Don’ts Fashion Show…. Look out ladies – she has some new ideas coming!

 

Lastly and most importantly, EVERY Shriner is a Mason. We all took the exact same obligations at the altar. As Shriners, let us never forget these obligations to our fellow Shriner/Mason brothers. We are all on the level and we should always treat our fellow brothers with dignity and respect, and especially Brotherly Love. Be a part of the solution in a way that shows you are a Mason first and foremost.