ShrinerMagazineFall2021

A Message from Your Imperial Potentate

DEAR FELLOW NOBLES,

I am so honored and thrilled to have the oppor- tunity to serve our great fraternity as Imperial Potentate. Lady Debby and I look forward to working with all of you, and to having a wonder- ful time together. One of the lessons of the past year is not to take things for granted – not even something like Imperial Session that has taken place nearly every year since it was first held in 1876. Being able to gather together again as one huge Shriners family for the 2021 Imperial Session in Houston, Texas, in July was definitely something to celebrate – and we did! As Shriners, we have so much to celebrate. This Imperial year will mark the 150th anniversary of our fraternity, and the 100th anniversary of our philanthropy, Shriners Hospitals for Children. Those are truly remarkable milestones, and we plan to showcase, honor and celebrate our his- tory and achievements, as we look forward to an amazing future. It was wonderful to be able to gather in person in Houston for Imperial Session! I am honored and humbled by your continued trust and confidence in me – and for the opportunity to serve another year as President and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Shriners Hospitals for Children. The entire leadership team, including the members of the joint boards, executive teams and local board members, is focused on strengthening, protecting and preserving our philanthropy, as well as working to ensure that Shriners Hospitals for Children will continue to be a leader in pedi- atric specialty care far into the future. As this Imperial year begins, we are still coping with the COVID-19 pandemic. We remain hope- ful that, despite variants of the virus, the situation will improve. I thank and commend each of you for continuing to do your best for our patients and families day in and day out, regardless of the complex and difficult circumstances. DEAR FELLOW NOBLES,

The Shriners organizations are unique in many ways – I believe we should also celebrate how incredibly special it is to be a Shriner. We need to reach out to our brothers, sons, grandsons, uncles, neighbors and friends to encourage them to be a part of our global family and broth- erhood, and share in our commitment to one another and to making the world a better place. We are also blessed to be part of an organiza- tion that allows us to create activities that suit our individual interests. And, while we are a very diverse group in many ways, we all share the same passion for our missions, which makes it possible for us to do great things.

William S. “Bill” Bailey Imperial Potentate, Shriners International

Yours in the faith, William S. “Bill” Bailey

A Message from the Chairman of the Board of Trustees

One day, we will prevail over this deadly dis- ease. In the meantime, thank you for your hard work, and for staying focused on our mission of improving lives. This year, we will continue making the neces- sary adaptations to our various locations to meet the expectations and requirements of today’s health care industry and to improve the delivery of care to our patients and families. We will also begin to implement our new brand, Shriners Children’s, which clearly and distinctly indicates who we are and what we do. As always, our decisions will be guided by what is best for our patients and what will allow us to provide our unique, life-changing approach to health care to more kids in more places for many years to come.

Jerry G. Gantt Chairman, Board of Trustees, Shriners Hospitals for Children

Yours in the faith, Jerry G. Gantt

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SHRINER MAGAZINE: PRIDE AND TRADITION