What a wonderful beginning to the Nile 2015 year! There were 150 in attendance at the Installation of Officers. We were competing with the Seahawks but your support was certainly appreciated. As we launched the new Nile year, we had a Potentates Ball, and again we had a great participation with 90 in attendance, and a great time by all. Nile was fortunate to include this year, the Winter Pacific Northwest Shrine Association session. It gave us the opportunity to showcase the Nile facility and grounds. We had 105 Nobles in attendance and I once again want to thank the Nobles of Nile for the support of this event. You are a very important part of this Shrine and I can't help but appreciate each and every one of you.
Our busy schedule continues, in February the Club and Unit Seminar hosted by Chief Rabban Noble Don Lane was a success. The program is an important key to help Clubs and Units grow and prosper.
The Nile Mexican Riviera Cruise is fast upon us. We leave for San Diego on the 6th of March and return the 14th. Upon return, the Daughters of the Nile Installation of Officers will be held on the 15th of March and the Ladies Oriental Shrines Installation of Officers will be held on the 29th of March.
Please be aware of the date change for the March Stated Meeting. The new date is Wednesday March 18th rather than the 11th. It will be an open meeting, ladies invited. It will feature an evening with the Knights of Columbus as our guests complete with a buffet dinner of Irish stew, Corn Beef and Cabbage, plus the Tara Academy Irish Dancers to entertain us.
Let's talk about April; again we have an energetic month to look forward to. Saturday April 4th is the Annual Kids Easter Egg Hunt at 11:00 a.m. All kids are invited. Then we kick off the 2015 Parade Season with two parades in April. Saturday April 11th is the LaConner parade, and then Saturday April 18th is the Oak Harbor parade. Following the parade in Oak Harbor there will be a barbeque on the beach presented by the Whidbey
Island Shrine Club and the Nile Truckers. Please plan on attending this fun afternoon. Not enough variety? Spokane Shriners Hospital for Children is having an open house April 11th and 12th, plus their Board meeting is on the 13th.
Hooray, hooray the Month of May! Sunday May 3rd will be Nile Shriners first Ceremonial of 2015, candidates check in at 8:00 a.m., first section starts at 10:15, then a Lunch in the Picnic area for everyone. The second session will follow lunch. Saturday May 9th is the Irrigation Festival in Sequim. It is one of the largest parades in Washington. The next Wednesday, May 13th, will be the Niles Stated Meeting for Nobles only.
There will be a program preceding the meeting. For the ladies, "Lady Karen's Luncheon" will be on Saturday May 16th at noon. The theme will be "Some of my Favorite Things", plus the drawing for the Alaska Cruise for two will be held and some lucky couple will be big winners. If you haven't heard, there will only be 100 tickets sold, and your chances of winning are
good. Yes, the tickets are $100 each, but the odds of winning are good. Speaking of winning possibilities, the Nile Golf Ball Drop is close (July 26th), so please support this fund raiser. Only $5.00 per ticket and all proceeds go to "Shriners Hospital for Children". Saturday May 23rd will be the Ski to Sea Parade in Bellingham. This is a wonderful event and always exciting.
And in closing, remember to support your local Shrine Club. That is where it is "happening". You have the chance to renew old friendships or make new ones. They are lively, active and offer the possibility of becoming involved in a positive way. This is your Nile, be a part of the fun and the world's greatest Philanthropy, Shriners Hospitals for Children.
In order to do this most effectively, I made a Golf Club Members group list in my email contacts based upon the 2013 Golf Club Directory. Unfortunately, in a number of my emails to the membership many of your names "bounced back" as undeliverable. As a result, I had to delete perhaps as many as one third of your email addresses from the contact list.
We are selling Golf Ball Drop tickets for $5.00 each and could use your help with sales. Booklets of tickets can be checked out at the Nile office. The event will take place on July 26th at 2pm. All proceeds go to the "Shriners Hospital for Children" and can be advertized as that.
We are only selling 100 tickets for a cruise for two to Alaska out of Seattle on Celebrity Cruise Line for $100 per ticket. Drawing is at the Ladies luncheon on May 16th. All proceeds go to the General Fund.
