These are the last photos in our archives that talk about our proud Firefighter Unit. A lot of teamwork went into keeping the Unit afloat and to ensure that it was in the parade. A lot of proud faces can be seen in these final pictures. Hope you have enjoyed Batch 7. The Firefighter Unit will be missed. Maybe a young group of Masons will become Shriners and resurrect the Firefighters.
Once the mechanical and body work was finished on our firetruck there only remained to attach the ladders and all other accessories.
Refurbishing a fire truck means taking it apart bit by bit to repair or replace pieces. Once that it is done you then have to repaint and put things back together. Does anyone know how long it took to refurbish our firetruck?
In the previous posts we talked mainly about the Camel Herder Unit and the Clowns. However there is an important history within the Belleville and District Shrine Club when we use to have a Pumper Unit/Firefighter Unit. These pictures shows when our Pumper went through a complete overhaul. Maybe someone can tell us the year and who the individuals are in the pictures. There will be three more Batch 7 groups to be posted later.
Selling chocolates and cakes are not the only fun that the Belleville and District Shrine Club gets to enjoy. They also attend the parades either locally or at the many Rameses Spring Ceremonials in our part of the province. However we do have the more serious side where we hold our monthly dinner meetings to conduct the business of the Club or to celebrate with the Nobles and their Ladies from other Clubs at Ceremonial Feasts, etc. By the end of these sessions we just want to have Fun raising monies for our Shriners Hospitals for Children.
in 2004 the Belleville and District Shrine Club attended the Spring Ceremonial organized by the Ramoca Shrine Club in Owen Sound. Here a few pictures taken during the workup to and during the parade.
Throughout the years our Belleville and District Shrine Club Camel Herder Unit has been the Club’s strength at the many parades we participated in throughout the District as well as at the many Rameses Spring Ceremonials. Here is a collage of the pics I could find that looks at this proud Unit. Maybe you can spot some familiar faces. And whatever happened to the bikes with the beer kegs?
How many of you remember when the children in our community looked forward to the Shriners Circus. Everyone got involved to make these a successful event. Both parents and children loved to see the many animal acts as well as the Clowns and aerial acts. There were elephants, dogs, bears, lions, and as each year came there were new acts introduced with different animals and entertainers. Lots of memories for all of us and a big thanks to the Nobles and their Ladies of the Belleville and District Shrine Club who made it happen.
The Belleville and District Shrine Club is well known for their Camel Herder Unit. But also notiiceable is their Clown Unit and they use to have a Pumper/Fire Fighter Unit. Like the old busses and now one of the old Clown vehicles, aging membership, and lack of funds, most of these vehicles are now gone. But the spirit of the Club is still alive and kicking. You can find us on most of the parades in our great distirct.
We are always looking for young Masons to join our ranks and to help create a new Unit; maybe scooters, ATVs, electric wheelchairs, jeeps, or whatever their imagination can create. Come on Brothers in the Lodges, make this happen and create a new Unit for our Club.
President Stephen Shirk did some rooting around the boardroom at the Belleville and District Shrine Club and came across a bunch of old photos. He is sure that there are some Nobles and their Ladies who can identify a few faces in these pics. Some photos had lots of thumbtack holes, to be ignored. Have fun and lets put some names to these guys.
Yesterday (6 Jul 2018) Noble Bill Black and his team ran a BBQ at Canadian Tire in Belleville. It was a little cool and very windy in the morning but gradually improved. We learned a few things about ensuring that our grill had its annual certification and how to stop everything flying away in the wind. A big thanks to all who helped: Clarence Stevenson, Gary Smithrim, Doug MacLaurin (selling chocolates), John Hopkins, Clive Allan (selling chocolates) and Ladies Debbie Black and Elaine Smithrim who took control of the cooking. Also visiting for support were Lady Kathy Shirk, Noble Harold Newton, Lloyd Kellett and Jack Hellberg.
It was such a hot day (35 degrees Celsius, 40 degrees with the humidex) on 1 July 2018 that our Shrine Club was unable to attend the Canada Day Parade celebration in Marmora, Ontario. It started off that our two Clowns Nobles Clive Allan and Bill Black had to be in Marmora at the Park for 11:00 a.m. while a few Nobles and Ladies assembled at the Belleville and District Shrine Club house at 10:30 a.m. getting ready to leave by 11:00 a.m. When we found out that the parade was at 2:00 p.m. instead of 1:00 p.m. the day had become too hot for our elderly Shriners to attend the parade. President Noble Stephen Shirk and Parade Chairman Noble Doug MacLaurin travelled to Marmora to let the organizers know that our Club would not be in attendance. They fully understood our situation as other organizations had also withdrawn from the parade. Fortunately we still received a contribution for our efforts and managed to get some of these photos of our two hard working Clowns. Thanks Nobles and thanks to all who tried to make it happen.
A great big thanks to Nobles Leonard Bedford, Bill Bedford and Brian Käuk for getting the motorhome ready for the parade. I don’t remember seeing so clean in a long time. The airconditioning was working perfectly and the motor almost purred. Should be perfect by the next parade now that the brakes have been updated.
Prsident Stephen Shirk thanks the following who showed up ready to attend this parade until we had to call it off: Donald (Trout) Douglas, Jennifer Wickman and her boyfriend, Gary and Elaine Smithrim, John Hopkins, Leonard Bedford, Clarence Stevenson, Brian Käuk, Doug MacLauren, Jack and Celine Hellberg, Debbie and Bill Black, Clive Allan, Rev. Brian Webber and Jim Preston. (P.S. I know I am forgetting someone.)
