By Brandon Farmer, Assistant Editor
On Saturday, March 7th the Powell County Patriot had the honor of participating in a special media event hosted by the famously philanthropic group of child advocates, the Shriners.
Most people have been introduced to the Shriners through their community engagement events and fundraising activities across the area. Widely known for their unique choice in attire, this organization is so much more than a fraternal group with their signature red bucket hats. The Shriners have a long, rich history that spans over 100 years. The organization opened their first hospital in 1922 and have dedicated their entire mission to the service and care of children in need. The group operates independently, serving the specialized medical needs of children who have suffered injury or have dealt with lifelong disabilities.
The Shriners have opened 22 hospitals across the United States, including locations in Canada and Mexico. Each hospital offers specialized care that provides advanced and state-of-the-art medical services to treat and provide rehabilitation for specific health problems, with each center focusing on an individual concentration of care. The Fayette County location at Shriners Children’s Lexington provides advanced pediatric orthopedic care for children with mobility issues while their sister location in Ohio provides burn treatment and reconstructive surgery.
What makes Shriners such a wonderful philanthropic organization is their unwavering focus on providing the best possible outcome for children in need. The medical services provided by the physicians, nurses, and surgeons contracted by the Shriners are performed at no cost to the families of the children they treat. The donations that are given and the funds that are raised by the Shriners goes directly into the care provided to their pediatric patients. The Shriners also offer transport services for children and care is provided without doctor referral – meaning that the parents of children in need can arrange for care without having to first go through a third party provider.
The Saturday, March 7th event was held at the Menifee County EMS building and invited local media, government officials, and first responders to attend and learn more about their mission. The event also introduced the recently formed Frenchburg chapter of Shriners and invited fellow brothers with charitable hearts to join their ranks and contribute to their goal of providing the best possible outcome for suffering children and families. The Menifee County chapter accepts applicants from surrounding areas, including Powell County. For more information on this fraternal order, visit their website at shrinerschildrens.org.
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