Shriner Magazine - Summer 2023

Timeline

Noble Charles Bovaird, who spearheaded the creation of the retention awards program, presented the Rookie Noble Award, along with its Rookie Noble Passport, at Aleppo's January Ceremonial. At this point, members of Aleppo were eligible to earn the award.

Bovaird presented the Master Noble Award, along with its Master Noble Passport, during Aleppo's January Ceremonial, making it so that members of this temple could earn the distinction.

The Master Noble Award and the Rookie Noble Award concept were presented at a global gathering of Shriners in Tampa, Florida. Nobles representing over 50 temples expressed an interest in the two retention awards.

January 2017

March 2017

January 2018

March 2018

October 2018

The award concept was presented to temples in the region at the Northeast Shrine Association’s Midwinter Meeting in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

The idea of the Master Noble Award was presented at the regional level during the Northeast Shrine Association’s Midwinter Meeting in Rutland, Vermont. The Master Noble Award concept was presented to temples in the region during this event so they could potentially implement it.

“I was just at our annual re-enlistment dinner looking around — there were a couple hundred there, all whom I know because I’m a Shriner,” he said. “A couple of them were from my Masonic dis trict, but I knew from being part of the Masons and the Shriners, and that’s pretty cool — you are genuinely happy to see them.” Over the years, temples across the U.S. and Canada have implemented these two awards, giving the awards an international presence. “Mainly, it’s the camaraderie that you get from a shared experience. I’ve met people all over the world because of being a Mason,” Brown said. “One of the things that has cemented me as a Shriner is I’ve always been interested in the hospitals, especially Boston, because it is here, and I live about a 10- to 15-minute drive to Boston Shriners Children’s, and it’s really cool to be helping kids like we do there.”

A Masonic Influence “In 2010, I received something called the Master Mason Rookie Award from the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, which was an award that was implemented to bolster engagement,” Bovaird said. “I became a Master Mason in March 2009, and after that, I had one year to complete the requirements for this award. I became more active in Freemasonry, getting more involved with my lodge and visiting several lodges in the area.” He then borrowed the idea of the Master Mason Rookie Award and adapted it for the Shriners by creating the Rookie Noble Award. “The Grand Lodge of Massachusetts offers a similar award called the Master Builder's Award, which is like the Rookie Award, except it is open to all members of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, regardless of how long they have been a member. I took this award and trans lated it to the Shriners by creating the Master Noble Award,” he said. As of spring 2023, Aleppo has presented more than 40 of its mem bers with these awards.

Rookie Noble Award The Rookie Noble Award, which is available to Shriners in their first year, is designed to give new nobles extra motivation to be active in the fraternity and to support Shriners Children’s. To earn this award, nobles must fulfill requirements like joining committees, units and clubs, as well as participating in events like ceremonials.

Master Noble Award The Master Noble Award was created for all members of Aleppo regardless of tenure. It is similar to the Rookie Noble Award, and has also produced a positive response, as more than 30 members of Aleppo have completed its requirements.

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