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Aleppo Stewards Cook Up A Donation

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Being a Steward isn’t just about cooking hot dogs, although who doesn’t love Aleppo hot dogs! Shriners and spouses are able to work together at all kinds of events – from the great shows that are open to the public, to Aleppo events like the circus, ceremonials and other fraternal activities.

At the September Heads of Units meeting, a check for $10,000 was presented from the Aleppo Stewards to Illustrious Dave Veo, Potentate of Aleppo Shriners. This donation was from proceeds from concession sales and generous tips earned by the Stewards.

Why do we give money back? For the same reason that every Shriner volunteers at Aleppo. We do it for the child who has a life-changing accident who needs the specialized care offered at only the facilities under the Shriners Children’s banner. Getting these kids from where they are to where they need to be costs money… a lot of money, and we’re doing what we can to give that child the life they deserve.

For every hot dog, every soft pretzel, candy bar, and soft drink we sell at our concession a few cents go to the Aleppo Stewards. From those funds, our volunteers get many fraternal event admission fees covered, uniforms, holiday parties and more. Most importantly though, we are committed to donating back to the Aleppo Shriners Children’s Transportation Fund, the Aleppo Heritage Fund, and other needs in our fraternity.

We are always looking for people to help, and even if you belong to a parading unit, being on our list of helpers is allowed. This is the one “unit” that you can join without interfering with your other fun… we’ll make it work. To join the Stewards or to learn more email [email protected].

We help kids live their dreams.

Masonic Family Fun Day

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Masonic Family Fun Day was a great event put on by Grand Lodge of Masons in Massachusetts. There was plenty of food and games and activities there for all ages and an awesome museum to tour. Amongst the appendant bodies of Freemasonry were some of the Aleppo Shriners Units.

The Aleppo Fire Brigade Provided their “Mini Fire Engines” to help with getting people from the parking lot to the event (we were on a grass runway). They did an amazing job helping everyone.

If you have never seen the American Heritage Museum in Hudson MA, you’re missing out on a hidden gem and a huge part of history. One of the best treats was a chance to drive a real tank around the museum’s obstacle course.

The Aleppo Minutemen presented the Colors at the opening ceremonies. With the Aleppo Medical Corps combined with Grand Lodge Medical Corps we had a First Aid Tent and a good crew composed of both units. This was a combined effort to make sure the public that in attendance was safe and if needed prompt medical attention could be provided.

I would like to thank RW. David Maxim, RW. Jerry Bergeron, RW, Kevin Hamel, Wor. Craig Erickson, and Wor. Ed Burg of Grand Lodge Medical Corps for their help on this day and allowing us the opportunity to work an event together. The Aleppo Medics on staff were Capt. Patrick Ventola, Lt. Mitch Shair and Sgt. John Robinson.

Aleppo Medical Corps does have several certified instructors that do CPR, First Aid, AED training as well as other First Responder classes. We do travel and can bring the classes to your lodge or facility. If you are interested in hosting or having a class, please send an email to [email protected] with the subject line “training.”

Colonel’s Corner

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Now that the summer is officially over, September is the official start of the Masonic year as well as the cool weather. The Aleppo Units were extremely busy with Tour of Duty Parades in the month of September. Starting with Labor Day, we had a successful rainy parade in Marlborough, followed by the Northeast Shrine Association Parade on Saturday, September 17th in Bangor, Maine. We came back home to Massachusetts to have a Double Header the following weekend. On Saturday, September 24th we were in the Chester, NH 300th Anniversary Parade and the next day, Sunday, September 25th we joined with the 8th District Grand Lodge of Massachusetts Masons in Weymouth for the Irish Heritage Parade. Finally, on Sunday October 2nd we were at the Annual Roslindale (Boston) Parade. In Roslindale, It was really great to see Noble Michael Segal on the sidelines.

Chief of Staff, Ernie Pearlstein has set up two Parades for the month of December. On Sunday, December 4th we are returning to the Merrimac, MA Santa Parade, and the following week, Sunday, December 11th we’ll be at the Boston North End Christmas Parade.

Chief of Staff Ernie has done a fantastic job putting our Aleppo Units on the streets this year. Thank You Ernie for a job Well Done!!

Upcoming Events include:

*On Tuesday, December 6th, the Aleppo Swing Band Holiday Party.

*Chief Rabban Charlie Diminico and Lady Jo have announced their Potentate’s trip for 2023. A Bermuda Cruise aboard the Norwegian Pearl leaving out of the Port of Boston on May 19th – May 26th. Contact Charlie for details.

Reminder: every 1st Wednesday of the month we hold our Uniform Units Meeting in the Harvey J. Waugh Fez Room @ 7:00 pm.

See You There!!

Thank You: Colonel David A. Fink

Water Buffalo Degree

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Water Buffalo Degree

Everyone remembers the Flintstones. Young or old, you have seen or heard at least a reference or seen an episode of them. On Saturday, August 22nd at 8:00 am, we conferred the Water Buffalo degree on 92 candidates, representing six different states, at the first annual Aleppo Loyal Order of Water Buffalo degree. The degree was a blast for all of those in attendance. This is going to be a once-a-year event for Aleppo, and we are hoping to make it just as fun as this last time.

The degree was first used in Sioux City, IA at the 2016 mid-winter convention of the International Shrine Clown and later in Canada in March 2018. The degree was then spread to other Shrine Centers. There are fun things like Flinstone Bowling, everyone has a Water Buffalo name created just for them, and there is even a secret greeting that you learn once you have received the degree.

I would like to send a huge thank you to the following people and Nobles who, without their help, this would not have been made possible: Kristie DeCola, Steve Dalrymple, and others. We also can’t forget the degree team from Guiding Light Olympia Lodge #808 that put on the degree for us: Mike LaRocco, Berdj Agopain, Mike Corrado, Miles Maier, Tony Candreva, Ryan Ludde, and Mitch Goodkin. These brothers and Nobles are the reason we had so much fun and fellowship at the event.

We at Aleppo now have a Loyal Order of Water Buffalo Lodge and I pose to you all, “Are you a Water Buffalo?”

We will be planning to hold the degree again next summer, so please keep an eye out for further information.

A New Home for the Aleppo Archives

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By John Wilder, Historian

At the January Ceremonial, we were pleased to unveil to the Nobles and guests, the new Aleppo Archives Museum Room. It was only about a year and a half previous that your Historian started working on compiling Aleppo’s
historical records and memorabilia into an archives. The Archives first displayed a selection of memorabilia at the Fall 2017 Ceremonial and has set up a display at each since, as well as at the widely attended MasonicCon in Attleboro.

This past Spring, there was discussion of renovating some of the rooms at the Shrine, and an offer was made to split the large mezzanine storage room and let the Archives use half as a museum room. This would be ideal as it would allow us to move the collection out of the old liquor storage room off the lobby which was partially open to the garages. The work was completed over the summer, and moving into the new room commenced in the Fall.

Work was slow, as your Historian was also taking this as an opportunity to reorganize the collection which had grown more quickly than anyone had expected; most was in the storage room, but some had spilled over into the Minutemen’s unit room (of which your Historian was conveniently Captain). Plans were designed to furnish the room to allow for organized storage space, but more importantly, for plenty of display space.

Many hours were spent during evenings before meetings, early mornings before parades, on weekends, and on the occasional day off of work. The room was painted, filing cabinets and shelves moved in, permanent display shelving installed, display cases moved in and repaired, shelves filled with books and fezzes, displays made and then rearranged, and every empty wall space filled with photos hung using a wire rail system so they could be swapped out with ease.

The new museum room includes memorabilia from Aleppo as a whole and the various units and clubs, Aleppo’s homes and events, Imperial Sessions, fezzes from various units, officers, and candidate fezzes throughout the years, as well as a collection of uniforms, Shrine and Masonic literature, and a large collection of photos and paperwork covering every era of Aleppo’s history. We plan to have the room open and available to Nobles and friends at every Ceremonial and major Shrine event.

We are very fortunate to have had great support from so many Nobles and friends since we first started our work. It would be impossible to list the endless individual donors and units who have contributed items to the collection, but we would like to specifically thank those who provided furnishings for the museum room: Keith MacKinnon of the Cambridge Masonic Temple Collection, Col. Richard Bartlett and Lt. Col. David Fink, Richard Perry, Cliff Critch, Doug Dodge, and John Ralston. A special thanks to our office and building staff who put up with the Historian’s rummaging and provided much assistance and advice.

The greatest thanks must go to Illustrious Harlan Woods. It was, then, Chief Rabban Woods who first listened to my offer to digitize some old photos. Upon his installation as Potentate one year ago, he officially appointed me Historian of Aleppo Temple. He secured me storage space, and then it was his idea to have a museum room, even adding the detail of having a window and glass door so that even if the room was closed, Nobles could still see
the displays. Thank you Harlan.

Believe it or not, we still have some empty display space! If you have items or information to contribute, please reach out to the main office or directly to our Historian at [email protected].