Shriners

HEY, TODAY IS STL DPB'S 12TH ANNIVERSARY 

More from the St. Patrick's Day parades. I don't completely get Shriners, and they are probably fine with that. A little mysterious, after all.             

Shriners are an offshoot of the Masons. I looked it up once but I don't remember the differences. We see them at public events zipping around in these little yellow trick cars, making noise on customized Harleys and wearing fezzes. Their themes and nomenclature are mostly Arabic but, if I recall correctly, the fez is Turkish and was in common use until banned by Atatürk in the early 20th Century. 

They look kind of silly but they they do good work. The group has a chain of hospitals providing free medical care for children with complex orthopedic problems. There is one in our city. That's wonderful.