AnnualReport2020

It may have appeared to be a risky move, but the couple knew it was right for their family – and for the fraternity. “As the culture is changing, we need to embrace the idea of family involvement,” Mandii said. For Matt, the benefits of being a Shriner are clear. The fun and fellowship, combined with work on behalf of the philanthropy, are attractive. But for a family with young children, something had to give. “For us to be a part of events, Shriners just had to be family-friendly,” Matt said. Change was slow, the couple admits. “We had lots of support from our nobility, ladies and our El Zagal family,” Matt said, “but it didn’t come easy for all.” So how do you go about making a fraternity – by definition, an organization for men – inclusive and enjoyable for families? Matt and Mandii had a two–pronged strategy. One, they could leverage their own experience to help families feel included and welcome. And two, they could link the fraternity’s larger purpose – improving the lives of children – to the organization’s everyday activities. “Shriners Hospitals for Children is all about the kids,” Mandii said, “and we can embrace kids in the Shrine.” To make it work, the couple agrees, takes effort. “You have to be very intentional,” Mandii said. “You have to put the same type of effort you would in planning for regular Shrine events into planning activities for younger people.” This means thinking like a parent, the Sturlaugsons said. Rather than just saying “Kids Welcome” at the bottom of an event agenda, the couple recommend complementing the men’s and women’s schedules with a fully developed kids’ schedule. Where will the young people be? What will they be doing? Who will be responsible for them? And what will they eat? The real key is communication, they said. Parents can relax and enjoy themselves when they know that their children are safe and having fun.

The Sturlaugsons said their temple’s approach to welcoming kids is working. In the beginning just a couple of children would turn up, and now it’s anywhere from a dozen to three dozen. At El Zagal’s ceremonials, Matt said, the younger set is making up an average of 10% of attendees. “Parents love it,” Mandii said. “They can come and have fun – and they don’t have to come up with money for a babysitter.” The benefits of a family-friendly temple and fraternity are evident. Matt said his temple’s membership has been consistent or growing for the past seven years and that their average age is skewing younger. In addition, the openness has created a vibe that draws in all types of people, Mandii said. “There are single nobles, and grandparents who are raising their grandchildren,” she said. “You won’t know what you have until you create an environment where they want to come." Inspiration and Passion Are the Passwords Zor Shriners had a decision to make. An important issue with a big price tag needed nobles’ input and approval. But Zor serves a huge area. How would they manage hearing from nobles across an area covering about two-thirds of the state of Wisconsin? Enter the Imagineers. The fastest- growing unit within Zor, the Imagineers are nobles who love to be creative, improve communications and use technology to solve problems. They put their heads together – remotely – and came up with a plan, deploying technology to create five tiled stations throughout the state (in addition to the temple) so that nobles could participate in the meeting and vote without driving long distances. The satellite stations were a success, said Imagineers founder Steve Livernash. “Through technology, we were able to reach everyone who wanted to attend.” Imagine that! The “Imagine that!” catchphrase has become a guiding philosophy for the unit. As a sort of information technology team, the Imagineers

cheerfully lead less experienced nobles into a future that is more and more digital. The unit fills a need within the fraternity. “A lot of new nobles, they want to be tested,” he said. “So we started this unit that skews a little younger, guys who are in the groove with electronics. Every other week, members log in using the meeting app Zoom. The tool is a huge benefit for nobles who have family obligations and live far from one another. Without technology, many may not be able to participate. Sometimes wives and other family members even join them on the call. “It’s a very carefree atmosphere,” Livernash said. “We love to talk about, ‘What does Zor need next?’” Imagine that! Some ways the units, only four had a social media presence. With the Imagineers’ help, now nearly 40 groups are on Facebook serving their communities, Livernash said. In addition, the Imagineers use social media to connect with members of other temples. ZEPHYR : The social media activity helps generate meaningful content for the temple’s monthly magazine. Reaching clubs and units across the state helps make Zor news more community-driven. They post each new Zephyr on all the clubs’ and units’ Facebook pages, which helps keep pages active and offers another way for members to participate. Divan and committee meetings presented more opportunities for Imagineers to make life easier for nobles: ZOOM: “Some nobles live five hours from the temple,” Livernash said. “Why should they drive 10 hours for a one- to two-hour meeting? It doesn’t make sense.” Now they meet using Zoom. SLACK: With leaders only seeing one another a dozen times a year, meetings would run very long as people gathered information needed to conduct business. Imagineer and Imagineers are helping Zor communications: FACEBOOK: Of 45 clubs and

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