Norman Conley Potentates Messages for the 2019 year

Pictures at http://www.normanconley.com/pote.htm

February Topics article

I am honored and humbled to have been elected to be the Potentate of Midian Shriners for the 110th anniversary of Midian. You will see signs of that celebration on clothing and memorabilia this year.  The banner that I will hang is also a representation of Maya Stela glyphs that were erected in front of temples.  Our ‘Silent Messenger’ has names and dates on it so there is precedence at Midian for such a ‘monument’.  My love of Archaeology of the Maya and the Great Plains Native Americans will be evident as the year goes by.  We have some tremendous history in our domain we can be proud of.  It is Likely that Midian’ jurisdiction has the largest single prehistoric settlement in North American hiding beneath the surface just east of Arkansas City along the Walnut river spreading to at least the golf course in Winfield.

The Monument (Stela) transcribes to “110 year period ending June 9, 2019 erected by Shrine Brother ‘Illustrious Sir Norman Conley’”.  On the banner it celebrates the 110th anniversary and the action words for my reign.  Transform, Adapt and Innovate.  These are not original as the Shrine Board of directors for our hospitals is initiating these actions.  First Transform is a process not an event.  ”If you change the way you look at things the things you look at will change.”  Wayne Dyer 

Next is Adapt.  H.G. Wells “Adapt or perish, now as ever, is nature’s inexorable imperative.”    Here we see the analogy of fraternities like the Elks and IOOF disappearing.  The Shrine will not do that but will not be the same organization that it was when I came into the fraternity 33 years ago. 

Finally Innovate.  Tom Peters’ “Excellence always.  Innovate or die”  Here we will do the best with what we have to work with.  I plan for growth and for the long range. 

Midian Shriners are a fraternity of men who share obligations that include squarely meeting on the level.  As such we need to work toward reducing our dependency on ‘Brick and Morter” .  We have seen so many of our centers fold trying to keep the meeting place open when it is the men who make out Midian Shriners that is important and not the location of our meetings.  As such our Long Range Property management committee made up of Divan and subject matter experts looking at the system and not just the buildings to make a successful plan to move forward.  We know now that our warehouse is a liability and too large for our membership.  Under Rick Brown, warehouse master, we will continue to downsize and clean out the material that is stored for no reason except that we have always done it that way.  If we will no longer have a traditional circus then some of the circus material can be sold. 

 

Our grand old lady is now 50 years old and showing her age.  We have Cast Iron water pipes that are leaking and being replaced a piece at a time.  Our fundraising has fallen short for 2019 but the building still requires our attention and the energy consumption continues to be expensive.  We appreciate donations to the building fund to help with the upkeep of the Midian Shrine Center.  We as a board thank you or your unit for supporting the building fund. 

Lady Debbie is very modest and has some great ideas for Midian.  Her project will be to reduce the smoke odor in the Oasis and continue to work on the Scimitar room lighting and the elevator and under stairs bathrooms with the help of Midian. 

 

Hope you make it out to our 2019 New England Adventure presentation and that you learned from the Unit and Club Indoctrination or Launch Party.

I want to congratulate the elected divan and welcome the appointed divan.  The smartest divan that Midian has ever had… Ill Sir Jay Danler said he had the best Divan.. 

 

(Penny you pick the picture…)

 

February Topics article

I am honored and humbled to have been elected to be the Potentate of Midian Shriners for the 110th anniversary of Midian. You will see signs of that celebration on clothing and memorabilia this year.  The banner that I will hang is also a representation of Maya Stela glyphs that were erected in front of temples.  Our ‘Silent Messenger’ has names and dates on it so there is precedence at Midian for such a ‘monument’.  My love of Archaeology of the Maya and the Great Plains Native Americans will be evident as the year goes by.  We have some tremendous history in our domain we can be proud of.  It is likely that Midian’ jurisdiction has the largest single prehistoric settlement in North America hiding beneath the surface, just east of Arkansas City along the Walnut River, spreading to at least the golf course in Winfield.

The Monument (Stela) transcribes to “110 year period ending June 9, 2019 erected by Shrine Brother Illustrious Sir Norman Conley.”  On the banner it celebrates the 110th Anniversary and the action words for my reign:  Transform, Adapt and Innovate.  These are not original as the Shrine Board of Directors for our hospitals is initiating these actions. 

First Transform is a process, not an event.  ”If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at will change.”  Wayne Dyer 

Next is Adapt.  H.G. Wells “Adapt or perish, now as ever, is nature’s inexorable imperative.”    Here we see the analogy of fraternities like the Elks and IOOF disappearing.  The Shrine will not do that, but will not be the same organization that it was when I came into the fraternity 33 years ago. 

Finally Innovate.  Tom Peters’ “Excellence always.  Innovate or die.”  Here we will do the best with what we have to work with.  I plan for growth and for the long range. 

Midian Shriners are a fraternity of men who share obligations that include squarely meeting on the level.  As such, we need to work toward reducing our dependency on ‘Brick and Mortar.”  We have seen so many of our Centers fold trying to keep the meeting place open, when it is the men who make our Midian Shriners important and not the location of our meetings.  As such, our Long Range Property Management Committee, made up of BOD and subject matter experts, are looking at the system and not just the buildings to make a successful plan to move forward.  We know now that our warehouse is a liability and too large for our membership.  Under Rick Brown, Warehouse Master, we will continue to downsize and clean out the material that is stored for no reason except that we have always done it that way.  If we will no longer have a traditional circus, then some of the circus material can be sold or redistributed. 

 

Our grand old lady of a building is now 50 years old and showing her age.  We have cast iron water pipes that are leaking and being replaced a piece at a time.  Our fundraising has fallen short for 2019, but the building still requires our attention and the energy consumption continues to be expensive.  We appreciate donations to Midian to help with the upkeep of the Midian Shrine Center.  We, as a Board, thank you or your unit for supporting Midian. 

Hope you make it out to our January 24th  2019 New England Adventure presentation and that you learned from the Unit and Club Indoctrination or Launch Party.

I want to congratulate the elected divan and welcome the appointed divan.  The first to have a member of Midian become the Imperial Potentate.  Imperial Sir Jeff Sowder’s name will now appear in the Topics … Illustrious Sir Jay Danler has set a high bar for performance that we plan to reach in 2019.  Thank you Illustrious Sir.. 

 

March Topics article

‘Midian Rocks’ and the Divan is solid.  I am proud of you all.  Fun and Fellowship to report on included great participation presenting Shrine Bowl High School Player Certificates as reported on social media.  I want to thank all of the members and their ladies who are supporting the certificate presentations for the Touchdowners.  This year as you Shriners and ladies are turning out in significant numbers representing the Shrine.  It is good to have a young person come up and say "I like your hat".  Such was the case at NWHS, where Treasurer Emeritus Bob Bulman presented his grandson with a certificate, he and I were ask about the Fez and we explained what we do.  Keep up the good work team. We had a great Super Bowl event with a nice gift to the Plane of mercy fund at the end of the day from Aides and from the Keystone Kops.  Glenn Davis, liaison for Barber County, planned and accomplished the bus rental and trip to Kiowa Kansas to support the Barber County Shrine Club’s Calf Fry (and chicken strips and libations).  Legends are made on trips like that.  We came home with $1000 presentation to the Plane of Mercy in memory of Lady Jill Palmer and a gift of $100 from noble David Wolgamott to the Plane of Mercy fund plus a $1000 donation to the Building Fund.  By the time you read this we will have reached our goal to buy a ‘Midian Shriners Est. 1909’ brick for the courtyard at the DeMolay International Headquarters in Kansas City.  This is the Imperial Potentates project for 2019.   I ask about my 1960 DeMolay membership records and they say before 1980 they are on microfiche…. Who still has Microfiche readers???     

I attended the memorial service for Bob Brown veteran Patrol member.  I was overwhelmed by emotion seeing Captain Kyle and Noble Brian West follow the casket in and salute it.  Then when Noble Steve Towns did the Masonic memorial at the Casket it brought back memories of that service at my Father’s graveside.  One of his Climax Masonic Lodge brothers saying to me ‘You know your father would be proud of you becoming a Mason’.  That was the beginning of my Masonic journey.  I do not like funerals but appreciate celebration of life events.

Monumental events like the ribbon cutting of the new Newton Clinic Tele-health center only happen a few times in a decade.  "Midian Shriners in Wichita are excited about the potential of Telehealth in Newton providing quicker and cost-effective care for our Shrine patients, This is a partnership that our center needs in order to be better stewards of care for our young people.  The rapid increase in 'points of care' within the Shriners Hospital system is welcome to those of us whose geographical areas include a great deal of rural space. Midian's domain stretches from Greenwood, Elk, and Chautauqua Counties in SE Kansas to the western border of Kansas and Colorado.  We are proud to be able to help young people receive the medical treatments they need.”

I want to thank my lady Debbie for the decorations on tables and counters around Midian with clever signs.  You might want to take time to read them.  There was one that only was in place for 3 hours and it ‘disappeared’ from the Men’s Room.  It said ‘I would agree with you but then we would both be wrong’.  Ah me, If only they knew they were taking social security money from a person on a fixed income.  Poor Lady Debbie.

A report on the Dodge City Shrine Club circus will be in Next Month’s topics with pictures.  Your potentate traveled to Abadallah in Kansas City to attend their Potentates Ball after attending Trustee Emeritus Bob Giesen and lady Judy’s wedding.

I have a vision of a 'cable tow' rope that the Shrine Candidates can hold on to when they walk at ceremonial.  I have seen Kem Shrine in Grand Forks ND use the cable tow during their candidate’s parade at ceremonial and thought it is something to do at Midian. Parade season is here.  Get out there and show you’re a proud Shriner.

 

Hope you make our 2019 New England Adventure.

 

 

 

April Topics article

We have a new column in Topics authored by Trustee Lou Sheets on what is happening with the Trustees.  I think you will enjoy the information including an Emergency Action Plan for Midian and the modernization to the elevators.   

 

An explanation of the Monument (Stela) that is posted on media celebrating the 110th anniversary of Midian Shriners is included here.  The 110th anniversary Stela sits beside my picture in Topics.  I also am showing the Imperial Stela that was placed on one side of the three sided monument for Imperial Sir Jeff Sowder.  The third side had symbols of his service as a past Potentate and a past Grand Master of the grand lodge of Kansas.  You can look at what any significant calendar date looks like in hieroglyphics: https://maya.nmai.si.edu/calendar/maya-calendar-converter  If you want to see what your Maya name would be in Maya you can look here: https://www.horoscope.com/us/profiles/mayan/index-profile-mayan-sign.aspx   

The Dodge City Shrine Club circus was cold and we were ‘snowed in’ according to the Kansas Dept. of Transportation.  The Pictures were posted on Facebook.  2019 was the first time since DCSC began doing circus that one of the performances was cancelled. The performance at noon was in the blizzard and there was an audience.   In the afternoon only three people showed up so the performance was cancelled, but we were there to support DCSC. 

Your potentate traveled to Omaha to attend the Tangier Potentates ball.  By the time you read this we will be getting ready for Midian’s “Maya Fantasy Ball.”  Lady Debbie worked very hard on Ball table decorations, but the cryptic hieroglyphics around the room are this Potentate’s doing.  You will see the definition of the glyphs in this publication.  The guests got an extra glyph at the bottom of their invitation that is an open hand spreading seeds.  That open hand glyph means ‘sacrifice.’  We will have a Ceynote (well of sacrifice) for them to self-sacrifice (donate) to the Transportation fund.  It was a tradition that honored guests of the Maya were to sacrifice after being treated like royalty… We will accept Cash, Checks or jewelry that we will re-sell and donate funds to the POM for all who wish to enjoy good fortune.  Envelopes for the diamonds will be provided…

 

Now we had the St. Patrick’s Day parade and party.  There are lots of great memories from both of these.  We hope you had fun.  The Grand Lodge of Kansas annual communication was attended by a representation of Midian officers and nobles.  We welcome MW Dale Morrow, Midian member, to the high office of Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of AF&AM of Kansas.  We are waiting for him to parade as the MW Grand Master in his Wheat-whacker….  We presented MW Dale Morrow with his Grand Master’s fez at the March Stated meeting.  We look forward to the GM’s attendance and your attendance at Imperial Session in Nashville.

Come up and enjoy the fellowship in the Oasis.  We hope you make our 2019 New England Adventure.


 This Imperial Stela is topped with the Imperial Sirs pin and to paraphrase the glyphs they read a “One year period starting July 3, 2019 celebrating Shrine Brother Imperial Sir Jeff Sowder”.  Past Potentate

Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Kansas


 

May Topics article

First Lady Debbie and I want to thank all of you for supporting the 2019 Potentates Ball.  Thanks to my beautiful talented lady Debbie who worked very hard on Ball table decorations and the aides for putting them up.  The cryptic hieroglyphics around the room were your Potentate’s doing.  The venue and the food were outstanding.  We were entertained by “Saving Rain” with Kenny Nordstrom on Base, Jena Fox on keyboard and vocal and lead vocal and guitar Whitnie Means.   Thanks to Brianna Davis and Bill Koch for their dance exhibition.  All of the attendance by past and present leadership was heartwarming and something we will always treasure.  We want to Thank Imperial Sir Jeff Sowder and Lady Cheryl for attending.  We had nineteen potentates in attendance.  It was also the reunion of the ‘class of 2018 counterparts’.  Chief Aide Jerry and Lady Susan led an amazing group of Aides in making the visiting nobility welcome and making sure that the attendees were checked in, the venue was decorated wonderfully and what was more amazing it was torn down before midnight.  Then we went over to the hospitality room to have a drink and pizza.  You can see pictures on line and some here in the Topics.  Congratulations to Kristin Martinez for winning the Mike Seltzer string of pearls given away at the Ball.  It went well with her blue formal.  Our neighbors Bob and Cindy Ainsworth attended along with my cousins.  Bob and our neighbor Ron Means saved our basement when a hot water line broke while I was down at the venue getting ready on Friday of the ball.  Bob and Ron helped Debbie get the water off and they replaced line.

 

“The story of this ball theme started 61 million years ago when an asteroid crashed into the earth off the east coast of what is now Mexico killing all the dinosaurs.  That event pushed up the sea floor into what is now Yucatan.  The Maya civilization arose there about two millennia ago.  Their civilization was never matched in the Americas.  Their writing as witnessed by the glyphs here were a complex writing system and their knowledge of the sky and the calendar are impressive today”.    At this point in the evening Debbie was standing up at our table waving for me to stop… Maya depended on sink holes for water (cenote) for their survival in the highlands.  As a result sacrifice was made to the cenote by throwing offerings into the well.  We collected donations to the POM transportation fund at the ball in our well.  The Maya also brought Chocolate to the western world’s attention and its stimulating effects.   

We will be doing a Spring Ceremonial “lite” by the time you read this.  The same ceremonial first section but will be in the Mecca room and a lite version of the parade.  We will come back with a traditional ceremonial with lots of new nobles in the fall.

Your Potentate and first lady Debbie traveled to Oklahoma City to attend the India’s Potentates ball.  We attended with Ill Sir Jay Danler and Lady Tracy, Marshal Farold Hoover and Lady Traci, 2nd Ceremonial master Rick Alamo and Lady Sue and High Priest and Prophet Mark Butterfield and Lady Cynda Wright.   As you can see on Facebook we had a great time.  Thanks to Illustrious Sir Bill Davis and Lady Val and their organization for a great evening.  By the time you read this we will be attending the Arab Shriners ball in Topeka and Central States Shrine Motor Corps meeting in Oklahoma City on the same weekend. 

The Midian Shrine directory is being assembled.  The idea is to have sponsors who put ads in the circus program to again support Midian by putting their ads in the Friends of Midian Directory that will be used for one year to be the program for upcoming events for Midian.  The Sportsman event moved slowly last month with the change to electronic inputs but the hard copy chances are out there and I encourage you to sell those like last year.

Shrine Bowl is coming in June Please make your room reservations now.  I believe I made comments about our Shrine Bowl Headquarters hotel.  It has great hospitality room but there are other hotels to stay at in Dodge City and we recommend the North Edge Best Western based on our experience at the DCSC circus.  Tracy has the contacts if you have not already made your room reservations.

We have a list of the Divan who is going to Imperial 2019 in Nashville TN and would like to build a list of units who will come to participate in the Imperial Parade and or the Pageant for Imperial Sir Jeff Sowder.  Your divan is preparing to honor the incoming Imperial Sir at the pageant with gifts to First Lady Cheryl’s special project.  If you want to be a part of this giving make checks out the Shriners Hospitals for Children with a note that it is for the Cheryl Sowder project and bring the check to Imperial for presentation or give it to us to put into the big gift that we will present on July 3, 2019 in Nashville at Imperial Session. 

CSSA Hotel rooms are available and the block of rooms will be held till July 20.  Ph: (712) 255-1800 “Norman Conley” is the block name room rate $89 plus tax.  We have listed the information in other communication posts.  If you have and RV or trailer you can stay very close to the completion fields and to the HQ for Abu Bekr (who have most of the rooms at the Delta hotel for themselves) and the Market.  Midian is on the Iowa side of the river and I tried to get us to several hotels in SD but they were full a year ago also.  I will post other hotels to contact if you do not want to stay where we are at.

 

Your BOD sold the Hospital Van unit trailer to the Cartoon unit and the money went to the POM.  Now the Cartoon unit has a great trailer to use and we can get on their case about finding somewhere else to store it…  We need to continue to sort and remove old material from the warehouse to make it more useful in the future.  Now nobles need to get the rest of the pieces of the Ambassador float out of the warehouse.  With more room we can rent it out for protected parking to business in the area.

Transform Adapt and Innovate.

May Topics article

First Lady Debbie and I want to thank all of you for supporting the 2019 Spring Ceremonial “lite”.  Thanks to Greenwood County’s own Ceremonial Director Francis Chaplin for a great job with the new event.  It was the same ceremonial first section but was in the Mecca room.  We will come back with a traditional ceremonial with lots of new nobles in the fall.  The ladies luncheon was at KMH with good food and good music from all reports.  Rose Frick won the beautiful necklace from Mike Steltzer Jewelers at the Ladies Luncheon.  Thank Tracy Dahl for picking it up for us.  We were honored to have Greenwood County Three Wheelers member and Imperial Chief Rabban Jeff Sowder and Lady Cheryl in attendance to support Jeff’s new Shriner.

 

During Ceremonial We had a blockage in the kitchen dishwasher drain after the Steak feed that cause a plumbing repair to the lines during ceremonial.  Here are pictures I took of the event.  These are the heroes for you to use in publications on their gift of time and talent.. If someone asked where the Potentate’s aides were, well the pictures show they are doing repair to Midian during ceremonial... They were up in the drain pipes.  There was Potentates Aide’s Wayne Reece and Jim Hallberg with aide Kee Claar and Aide Jeremy Phillips below.  Past Trustee Gary Gelvin did a lot of the hand work getting the pipes to fit as one had a 'y' section in it.  Then they made sure the water was flowing after the repair.  Trustee Ray Richecky and I watched because someone had to watch.  Noble Gary Gelvin is right we should have had all of the drain from the dishwasher to the main line repaired last ceremonial when this happened.  We do run a lot of water and grease plugs slow the flow.  Once again a system view is important rather than the quick fix sometimes.  That is a Lesson learned.   Central came out and put a 'shunt' drain line in to get water from a collapsed floor drain to one that still works.  (I think Central now has a praking spot in our lots as many times as they come out this year.)  We are having a lot of infra-structure repair in our 50 year old center.  The call for support from late last year is still valid.  Trustee Triangle report here describes other items in work and where we need help.. 

 

Your Potentate and first lady Debbie traveled to Topeka to attend the Arab Shriner’s Potentates ball in Topeka. I went to the Central States Shrine Motor Corps meeting in Oklahoma City on the same weekend to attend the CSASMC officers meeting.  India has a new officer on the CSASMC line now.  Thanks to Arab’s Illustrious Sir Steve Kramer and Lady Peggy and their organization for a great evening.

I worked security at Midian for 9 hours Saturday May 11 for the Kids Run with my dog Bailey.  It was good to see all of the EE support the event. I am not good at it but I get the idea…

The Midian Shrine directory needs your help.  You still have time to get your ad in the directory and it is good for a year in the Friends of Midian Directory.  Remember it is to be the program for upcoming events for Midian.  The Sportsman event moved slowly this month with the change to electronic inputs but the hard copy chances are out there and I encourage you to sell those like last year.

The Divan is preparing to go to Imperial 2019 in Nashville TN where Motor Patrol and Antique Autos will participate in the Imperial Parade.  We are part of the Pageant for Imperial Sir Jeff Sowder.  Your divan is preparing to honor the incoming Imperial Sir at the pageant with gifts to First Lady Cheryl’s special project.  If you want to be a part of this gift make checks out the Shriners Hospitals for Children with a note that it is for the Cheryl Sowder’s project.  We will bring the checks to Imperial for presentation that we will make on July 3, 2019 in Nashville at Imperial Session. 

 

Hospital Van unit trailer paraded with the Cartoon unit.  Now the Cartoon unit has a great trailer to use and we can get on their case about finding somewhere else to store it…  We need to continue to sort and remove old material from the warehouse to make it more useful in the future.   Asst. Rabban L. Ungles Discussed a $700,000 offer on our Warehouse. The board directed the real estate committee to negotiate a counter offer on the sale of the 127 S Washington..

By the time you read this we will all be attending the Shrine Bowl banquet and Band Concert in Dodge City for the Kansas Shrine Bowl required parade.  Oh yes and there is that football game.  The Divan is sponsoring the head coach of the West team.  No pressure just be sure west is best.

Keep supporting the Oasis which is the ‘smoky heart’ of Midian.  New Noble S. Steely Proposed a Cigar aficionado unit and he was given the BOD blessing to work toward that objective.  High water earlier in the month flooded out the Elk County Shrine club Family fun day.  We also had a fundraiser for the Climax Masonic Lodge at Flint Oaks.  There is a new noble Fathers day car show June 15th to be sponsored by Dillard’s June 15 come out and win a trophy… Easier than winning at the SC Zoo car show the next day… We are planning to host a September benefit Shrinewood Derby for the hospital and bring Boy Scouts to Midian where we can show them what Shriners do

Keep signing petitions for new Shriners.     Remember that the Midian fundraisers provide between 20 and 30 percent income for each item sold that goes back to the unit with no risk.  Bring new ideas for fun and fellowship to us.  Transform Adapt and Innovate. Just as we see in Shriners Health care in the future.

July 2019 Topics article

First Lady Debbie and I want to thank all of you for supporting the 2019 Shrine Bowl.   We were honored to have Imperial Chief Rabban Jeff Sowder and Lady Cheryl in attendance.  The Shrine Bowl Banquet was excellent and the Band Concert in Dodge City was outstanding.  The city of Dodge went out of their way to support the event.  There were Big banners on the Dodge City Community College Memorial Stadium.   We had a decent Midian showing for the Western Kansas Shrine Bowl parade.  Midian was stronger than the Eastern Kansas Shrine Centers.  The Divan sponsored the head coach of the West team from Hesston.  He did good and the players had a lot to do with it.  The west won.  We got lots of great pictures.  The Divan supported the event with food and the Aides did an over the top support serving it.  Midian had the big line for hospitality.  I hope you see the pictures of us having fun at hospitality.  The Touchdowner’s  golf tournament provides a large percentage of the funds given at the Shrine Bowl Game. Thank you Touchdowner’s and golfers for your support to the hospital. 

The Sportsman event sales continue to mount.  I encourage you to sell chances like last year.  Sell $30 UTV chances for a $10,000 vehicle or a chance on guns and or sporting packages from Cabela’s.

We need to remove old material from the warehouse to make it more useful in the future or clear for its sale.   Asst. Rabban L. Ungles and the property committee submitted a $774,000 offer on our Warehouse to the nobility for a vote.  By now you know the results. The board directed the real property committee sale of the 127 S Washington warehouse where the roof leaks, the brick and mortar walls are bulging out and we can not get long parade vehicles into the warehouse after Cargill built cement walls across from our garage doors. 

There was a Dad’s Day car show June 15th to be sponsored by Dillard’s we had great participation considering the weather.  It was about supporting Plane of Mercy and Midian Shrine Center Thank you Midian for supporting the event and Dillard's especially Mark Cosby , Shelby Kaufman sales manager, Jacque Shackelford, Rod Neufeldt and the staff at Dillard's East in Wichita for their support.  Hope you saw some of the pictures. Not pictured was Bob Giesen and his Baker Electric which had a center of store location inside of the Dillards.... Tom Devlin accepted the “Potentates Cup 2019" for his generous contribution to the Plane of Mercy and showing an immaculate 55 Ford Pickup.. OK so it is not the "Stanley Cup" but we have to start somewhere.  For the  Midian Classics showing at the Car show their support they received the Potentates "Shrine Show" Trophy that was accepted by Cliff Premer.  The Best of show in Shrine category went to the Hospital Van unit for showing what the POM does for our patients.

 

Saturday, May 18 I went to the Sumner county County Shrine Club horseshoe and burgers event.  It was muddy but fun  The same day we rocked in the Motor Patrol spring bash which brought us a new cool band we could dance to oldies.

June 1, Eureka Days was a nice parade where I got to tell the announcer that I was form Climax for my first two years.  He said we were from Wichita.  The Keystone Kops and the Eureka fire department has a spray out before the parade will lots of laughs among the spectators.  Seems like something we should have them do in the center of town next year so more could see it.  The hospitality put on by the Greenwood County Shrine club was good.  PP Lonnie Nichols invited Shrine parade people to his back yard after hospitality and the Potentate collected flowers from parents graves after Memorial Day.

Members and the Potentate Attended Climax lodge fundraiser at Flint Oaks in Elk County.  The creek rose but the event was fun and a nice lunch afterwards. Moline Crazy Days parade is coming up and I intend to support Greenwood, Elk and Chautauqua county Shriners as a traveling man

110th Anniversary of Midian with emblem presentations to 25, 50, 60 and 65 year members.  I am coming up on 35 years.  Reception put on by the Divan and aides for the honoree’s.

The Shrine Ladies supported the Shrine Garage Sale fund raiser at our house to replace the carpet in the Oasis. The “New Humidor Hounds and Foxes Club” plan to change the ventilation in the Oasis to reduce the smoke smell.  We will have less smoke smell by the end of the year in the Oasis.  Keep supporting the Oasis.  New Noble S. Steely presented a Cigar aficionado club by laws. 

The Divan is at Imperial 2019 in Nashville TN where Motor Patrol and Antique Autos will participate in the Imperial Parade.  We are part of the Pageant for Imperial Sir Jeff Sowder.  When you read this article we will be at Imperial session voting on very significant legislation like giving the board of directors the ability to decide what to do with the St. Louis Hospital as its occupancy is too low to be accredited and Shriners do not want to lose that for a lot of reasons.  There are some interesting items that we will report on in next month’s topics also.  The divan met the end of June to discuss the call and determine if we could reach a consensus as a Midian voting block based on the information in the Call. 

Tracy Dahl submitted a two week notice of resignation to the Recorder and I.  We said farewell to Office coordinator Tracy Dahl and thanked her for her service to Midian.  The Recorder is in the process of finding candidates for replacement.  It will be a change for us as we are considering making the desk part time and having the office open for nobility business about ½ time …  It is time to Adapt.

Keep signing petitions for new Shriners.     Remember that the Midian fundraisers provide between 20 and 30 percent income for each item sold that goes back to the unit with no risk.  Bring new ideas for fun and fellowship to us.  Transform Adapt and Innovate. Just as we see in Shriners Health care in the future.

 

 

 

 

September 2019 Topics article

First Lady Debbie and I want to thank all of you for supporting the 2019 CSSA Summer Session.   We will be back from Sioux City when you read this.  We had 89 Nobles and Ladies registered and put nobles in the Thursday evening parade, and the Saturday morning parade...  A special thanks to units and Nobles that supported CSSA.  A big thank you for all of the units and clubs for supporting CSSA like the Oriental Band, the Arab Patrol, the Keystone Kops, Yoshi, Scooter Patrol, Misfits and the Motor Patrol

We had a Great time at the July Howard Parade, The CSSA parade and the Nickerson supported by Uncle Hoovey and the Reno County Shrine Club and Dodge City Days Parade supported by the DCSC.  The August 10 El Dorado Parade was new.  The Harper parade that evening was supported by the nobility.  Thanks to the hospitality of the Harper County Shrine Club for the food and drink.

The Sportsman 2019 event is history and the games and the ATV raffle went well.  I enjoyed playing the part of the “Illustrious Bwana” dressed in Safari kaki and joining our ladies selling ATV raffle tickets.  I was working deals from the first customer coming in the door.  I wore me out but I had fun.  One of the Beer Trailers was so big we could not see how to get it out of the CAC so with Rick Alamo’s hitch and hooking it to the Receiver on the ATV the unit hauled the big 10 tap per side beer trailer out of the building for Rick and John to take to Ricks place for the kill the keg event that was held on Sunday.  I got to drive the ATV into the warehouse.  It was a hoot.  I congratulate the winner Patrick Lichti of Hutchinson.  We sent email, letters and phone calls to communicate to the winners. 

Right now you units and clubs need to remove material from the warehouse to make it clear for its sale and yes it is listed on the market, but we have no current offers.   Asst. Rabban L. Ungles and the property committee gave the options on the way forward with the nobility. 

110th Anniversary of Midian t-shirts are for sale at the front desk for $15 just to have a souvenir of this anniversary year.  We sent out 25, 50, 60 and 65 year members their longevity certificates to those who did not come to the June meeting.

The divan and Trustees plan to improve the ventilation in the Oasis to reduce the smoke smell. An ionizer in the nonsmoking ventilation system will help in that area. We will have less smoke smell by the end of the year in the Oasis.  The Humidor Hounds and Foxes contributed $1000 for the effort.  Please keep supporting the Oasis food, drink and fellowship.   Improvements in the Computer displays for stated meeting are coming with a new laptop with software and speed and processing power on the Midian desktop computers.

Keep signing petitions for new Shriners for Fall Ceremonial.  Ceremonial Francis Chaplin did a good job to lead the Divan in bringing in 6 new nobles July 26 in the Divan room.     Remember that the Midian fundraisers provide between 20 and 30 percent income for each item sold that goes back to the unit with no risk.  Bring new ideas for fun and fellowship to us.  Transform Adapt and Innovate. Just as we see in Shriners Health care in the future.

October 2019 Topics article

   We are back from Sioux City.  Six of the seven elected Divan members participated in different competitions at CSSA this year. We had 95 Nobles and Ladies in Sioux City at CSSA.  Thanks to Divan members Nobles Rick Alamo, Glenn Davis, OG Bob Bair, and their ladies helping to represent Midian and carrying the Midian banner showing support for 2nd VP Illustrious Sir Lonnie Nichols CSSA and Imperial Sir Jeff Sowder in the Thursday night CSSA parade.  That was the only time a Midian Imperial Potentate will be at a CSSA summer session.  The Yoshi and the Reno County cycles participated in the parade. The Yoshi overnight adventures included putting a new engine in Noble Ian Cazabat’s cart after it died on Thursday evening.  That is the ‘don’t give up’ spirit we need.  The Saturday morning parade was epic. We posted a lot of pictures of this event.  I want to thank all of the units and clubs for supporting CSSA.  That included the Oriental Band, the Arab Patrol, the Keystone Kops, Yoshi, Scooter Patrol, Misfits and the Motor Patrol. We had an awesome Post CSSA party celebrating our participation at CSSA 2019.  There was lots of creativity from Outer Guard Glenn Davis and lady Michelle.  We missed the Kops and first place OB trophy presentations at the Post CSSA party. Thank you aides and others for manning the hospitality room for CSSA.   Abu Bekr Potentates patio party was unique in place of a Potentates ball.  We have lots of good memories with our counterparts.

The Midian Cowskin Cookoff BBQ event is history and if you missed it you missed a great free event.  I posted a video of the band on Facebook and Noble Harold Brewer and I took lots of pictures.  It was a great venue and the competitors really liked the facility.  Congratulations to the winners.   The backyard stage worked out great for the band “Ten Day Wish”.  Now we need to find a ‘no cost’ venue.


Cleaning the outside of the building on September 15th helped a great deal and the sorting of the Circus banners will help the warehouse look better.  (Time and Talent article August 2017 Topics article)  Your unit and club need to continue to remove material from the warehouse. Thanks to Glenn Davis, Ray Richecky and Dale Gibson for giving the front a little ‘blowing’ to get rid of trash and a great power washing.  It is nice to have the feces off of the walls of the building and the spider nests off of the ceiling.  It seems Greg Stobart and Richard Steele and Glenn Davis were in the warehouse removing old banners.   The Warehouse may be sold when you read this.   Thanks to Asst. Rabban L. Ungles and the property committee for a very thoughtful direction forward rather than jumping to replace the space. 

The ventilation improvement (short of stopping any smoking) in the Oasis to reduce the smoke smell is in process. An ionizer will be installed in the ventilation system. We will have less smoke smell by the end of the year with the approval of the Divan for the expenditure.  Please keep supporting the Oasis food, drink and fellowship.  It costs less than renting a venue for your event.

 Improvements in the Computer displays for stated meeting are coming with a new laptop.  It has software, speed and processing power of the Midian desktop computers.  The laptop will also be used for our photo booth rather than to borrow a computer to do the job.

Midian will support the Masonic Youth event with a $500 donation.  We will hold a Masonic Table Lodge of affection on December 6 and we are working details right now.  We will have swords and ‘cannon’s’ and great fellowship.  If you missed the last one come to Midian for this one.

The weekend of September 14 and 15 was epic.  It was Grand Lodge School of Instruction and some of our Nobility attended and so did Outer Guard Glenn Davis.  Glenn Davis left KC at 3 pm then drove directly from KC to the DeMolay installation of Captain of the Guard Jeff Geesling’s son Levi.  I was a DeMolay 61 years ago and was privileged to be one of three other brothers to receive the DeMolay flower talk and I took a white flower for my mother who passed.  It was very moving and Midian had great participation by the Elected and Appointed Divan and Ladies.  There was a fund raiser in Greenwood County for Noble Eldon Teter who is suffering from Cancer.  Assistant Rabban Lynn Ungles and Lady Laurie attended that event.  There was a Poker run fund raiser in Harper County and Ceremonial Director Francis Chaplin his Lady attended that.  After rolling home to change clothes from the Installation, Lady Debbie and I attended the Sumner County Hog Roast.  The food was great but likely because there was a lot going on the attendance was light.  We are enjoying the extra Pork Chops we purchased and took home… Yum!!  Our 2019 Divan travels.  I lead by example traveling as much as any of them.  I don’t believe that managing by telling the Divan members where to be at is leadership.  That is management.  If my Divan choose to support/ not support a unit/ club fund raiser that is up to them.  Midian is becoming to a Club/ Unit-centric Shrine Center where those people only think about funding their unit and not Midian.  Shriners we should all support Midian Fund Raisers and fellowship events.  Come out to the free Midian Oktoberfest event in the Oasis on October 11th and have fun.  I gave details about the importance of Midian fundraising in my July 2017 article in Topics… The punchline is that you pay $150 per year for membership and receive $323 value that is made up by Midian fundraisers and Investment income.

Keep signing petitions for new Shriners for Fall Ceremonial.  Ceremonial Francis Chaplin did a good job planning for Fall Ceremonial.     Remember that the Midian fundraisers provide between 20 and 30 percent income for each item sold that goes back to the unit with no risk of no one showing up.  Bring new ideas for fun and fellowship to us.  Transform Adapt and Innovate. Just as we see in Shriners Health care in the future.

 


Thursday evening Parade at CSSA 2019 Sioux City IA


September 15 2019 power washing the outside of the Shrine Center

Summing up Midian and CSSA 2019 Summer Session

 

November 2019 Topics article

   We are done with Ceremonial now.  November 4 at 4 pm will be Shrine Night at the Thunder.  Come out and cheer on the Thunder and our Shrine patient when he drops the puck to start the game.  If you signed the waiver you can walk the ice with the Divan.  Jared has the little vehicles ready to roll on the ice with the Shriners walking the Ice.  Please Support the Midian’s second biggest fundraiser the Feztival of Trees.  This year we are having live broadcasts at the event and it is over two weekends.   

Shining of the Trophy cases in the second floor Foyer is great.  (Time and Talent article August 2017 Topics)  Your unit and club need to continue to remove material from the warehouse. The Warehouse may be sold when you read this and your unit or club needs to be prepared to move your material out.   

The ventilation improvement in the Oasis to reduce the smoke smell is in process.  We have a work order issued to increase the exhaust air from the smoking area. The Ionizers are installed in the ventilation system on the supply side to reduce dust pollen and smoke being recirculated in the room.  When no one is smoking the non-smoking area is much more pleasant.  The smoking area still smells like that shirt or coat you wore in the area where people were smoking and left in the garage to air out. We will have less smoke smell by the end of the year.  Please keep supporting the Oasis food, drink and fellowship.  It costs less than renting a venue for your event.  Cleaning the carpet as part of Shine the Shrine was very helpful.  Thanks to all who helped.  By the time you read this we will have cleaned the carpets in the high traffic areas at Midian.

 The Midian desktop computers have been upgraded to 16 Gigs of RAM thanks to Noble Chris Range.  We will be adding Windows 10 at Windows 7 will no longer be supported.

First Lady Debbie and I took our Fall Color trip to New England.  I posted pictures on Facebook.  We got a chance to see Bektash Shrine Center, Concord NH.  I parked in the Potentates spot and talked to their recorder.  Lady Debbie and flew into Manchester NH,  We sailed on a four mast ship in “Baa Haa Baa” ME, rode a steam train in Booth Bay ME, rode a shuttle bus and drove very nice back roads at the height of the color in the trees.  We had great food … Yes I ate Lobster, Blue Berries, Apple Cider, Maple Syrup, Plymouth VE Artisan Cheese and Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream at the factory…  I learned that Calvin Coolidge was from Plymouth VE and his father started the Cheese factory and Calvin was born there and met both wives, spent the summer when he was the president there and is buried there.  It was not the Potentates trip we proposed but it was great and we were there at the right time with the “leaf peepers”.

Remember Midian’s Masonic Table Lodge of Affection on December 6.  The Kansas Grand Master Dale Morrow and immediate past Grand Master Bob Talbott will both be in attendance.  We are advertising details right now.  We will have swords and ‘cannon’s’ and great fellowship.  If you missed the last one come to Midian for this one.  Come out to the free Midian Oasis and have fun.  You pay $150 per year for membership and receive $323 value that is made up by Midian fundraisers and Investment income. Keep signing petitions for new Shriners for Fall Ceremonial.  Ceremonial Francis Chaplin did a good job planning for Fall Ceremonial.     Midian fundraisers provide between 20 and 30 percent income for each item sold that goes back to the unit with no risk of no one showing up.  Bring new ideas for fun and fellowship to us.  Transform Adapt and Innovate.   

On another subject I got a ‘hint’ from Ancestry.com that I may have a relative 1633 – 1666 named Mary Butterfield…. I am not sure that is a good thing.  Time will tell

 

 

 

 

Potentates January 2019 Topics Article

 

The traditional season of giving (to get on your taxes) has passed and a new year has begun.  I want to thank those who respected and supported us in 2019.  I want the nobility to know I really enjoyed spending my time in the office with our Office Manager Cheno Workman and our POM coordinator and ace Topics editor Penny Cornett.  It was a very pleasant experience for your Potentate.  Our office staff did an outstanding job this year.  They deserve your thanks. 

 

Housekeeping wise we spent a lot of energy and treasure maintaining the center.  I believe Central Consolidated sees 130 N Topeka as a profit center of leaky pipes for their business.  My observation is that we need to seriously consider being out of 130 N Topeka within 4 years or drop about a million dollars into the infrastructure.  Those improvements include removing the asbestos and doing the HVAC system over.  We would also need $160,000 for new elevators to meet 2023 code.  The job of re wiring and re plumbing for the new infrastructure is immense and points to moving to a ‘right sized’ center with an eye to the tax implications for nobility.  I believe your property managers have your best interest\s in mind and should be supported. .  We need to ‘pack iron’ after 10:30 at night down here. 

 

This Potentates vision was we would have purchased and moved into the Village Charters office and Bus barns at 8620 W 21st Street.  There is Lots of room, Lots of storage, a wall around the back lot, an Irish pub next door and the Humidor to the east for cigar smokers,  there are lots of restaurants nearby and Great demographics with it backing up to Reflection Ridge golf course.  It had possibilities for rental of the front for commercial purposes, but it was sold before we could even propose it to the nobility.

 

In this 110th year of Midian our own Imperial Potentate Illustrious Sir Jeff Sowder was enthroned in early July.  It was the year when Midian had two Grand Masters of the State of Kansas.  MW Bob Talbot and MW Dale Morrow.  We are proud they are Midian members.  I have the dubious honor of being the oldest sitting potentate of Midian in Modern memory at 76.  Ill Sir Hiram Rank was 74.  Ill Sir Hiram Rank put me on the Appointed Divan (1996) as did Ill Sir Doc Rensner (1998) and Ill Sir Dave Byerley (2009) and then I was honored to be nominated for the elected line by Ill Sir Ed Day and then again by Ill Sir Bart Ogden.  Thank you Ill Sirs for your support.

Midian Shrine Received 2019 Best of Wichita Award in the category of Membership Organizations by Wichita Award Program.  Thank you nobles who made it possible to remove everything from the old warehouse and find homes for the items that were deemed worth keeping.

 

By the time this hits the streets you will know that I named Noble Glenn Davis as Shriner of the year for his support to Midian.  He took his job as liaison very seriously taking units and clubs that were distant and making it to their meetings.  He came to Imperial and supported both parades at Central States.  He did this while serving as Senior Warden at Hutchinson Reno Masonic Lodge 124.  He was recently installed at Worshipful Master of that Lodge.  The Post CSSA party was one to remember.  He supported cleaning out the warehouse and helping prepare for Midian fund raisers.   Adding to this Scimitar awards were presented to Noble Jared Krueger for his job as the best most conscience Parade Marshal I can remember at Midian.  Noble Josh Bennett was awarded a scimitar award for his BBQ expertise and the Cowskin Cook off.  Two very special Scimitar awards were presented to Lady Michelle Grillot for her continued support to Midian and specifically to the membership table when Chairman Doug Chartier was unable to attend.  She knows more about membership than a lot of our members.  A scimitar award was presented to Lady Ann Falkenstein for her dedication and support to first Lady Debbie and myself handling both duties as the Chaplains lady and leading aides for events like Central States hospitality.  Then I gave a ‘Normie’ Spark award to Skip Steely for his initiation of the Humidor Hound and Foxes unit.  The fellowship that we have with a cigar and fine whiskey in a relaxing atmosphere at the Humidor West was awesome.  The donations of that unit to the ventilation improvement of the Oasis and to the Plane of Mercy show a unit with a purpose in the right direction.  We gave lots of awards for the Sportsman event sales at the awards dinner also and membership……As I said I have had fun. 

 

changes to the last paragraph...

 

By the time you read this you will know that I named Noble Glenn Davis as Shriner of the year for his support to Midian.  He took his job as liaison very seriously taking units and clubs that were distant and making it to their meetings.  He and his lady attended  Imperial session and supported both parades at Central States.  He did this while serving as Senior Warden at Hutchinson Reno Masonic Lodge 124.  He was recently installed at Worshipful Master of that Lodge.  The Post CSSA party they put on was a great party and one to remember.  He supported cleaning out the warehouse and helping prepare for Midian fund raisers.   Adding to this  Potentates Silent Messenger award of excellence were presented to Noble Jared Krueger for his job as the best most conscience Parade Marshal I can remember at Midian.  Potentates Silent Messenger award  of excellence went to Noble  Skip Steely for his initiation of the Humidor Hound and Foxes unit.  The fellowship that we have with a cigar and fine distilled beverage in a relaxing atmosphere at the Humidor West was awesome.  The donations of that unit to the ventilation improvement of the Oasis and to the Plane of Mercy show a unit with a purpose in the right direction. Two very special  Potentates Award of Excellence Silent Messenger award' s were presented.  One to Lady Michelle Grillot for her continued support to Midian and specifically to the membership table when Chairman Doug Chartier was unable to attend.  She knows more about membership than a lot of our members.  A special  Potentates Silent Messenger award was presented to Lady Ann Falkenstein for her dedication and support to first Lady Debbie and myself handling both duties as the Chaplains lady and leading aides for events like Central States hospitality.  A Potentates 'Spark' award  was presented to  Noble Josh Bennett  for his BBQ expertise and the Cowskin Cook off lighting a spark for a new event. .  A Potentates "Air" award went to Noble Dahl Carmichael for his engineering work on the options for improving the ventilation system in the Oasis.  We have initiated most of these items with the exception of moving the cold air return ducts for the smoking area.  We gave 67 awards for the Sportsman event sales at the awards dinner also and membership.  …As I said I have had fun.

 

More pictures at: http://www.normanconley.com/pote.htm

March 2022