Hospital Staff

In 1978, the Recorder did the work of our Hospital Staff. Prior to 1979, our Temple had never made more than eleven trips to our Hospitals in any one year. In 1974, Potentate Jack Childress established the Transportation Fund. It is a separate fund built from donations, memorials, etc. Any surplus of this fund goes to the Shriners Hospitals for Children.

In 1979, Potentate Joseph Evans began the annual Hospital Benefit Day Newspaper. Past Potentates Rufus Craven and Carl Stokes served as chairmen. Distribution of the paper for donations was done by Clubs, Units, and the General Nobility. Proceeds received from the Imperial in its plan to help Temples defray expenses in transporting patients has allowed an expansion in our service, particularly for outpatient treatment. Eleven trips per year has now increased to over a hundred trips per year. Almost three hundred children have been transported to the Hospitals, so far this year. An average of $80,000 per year has been received from the Paper Crusade, and the Temple can use up to half of that for Hospital Transportation, if needed. Since the purchase of the first van in 1984, there has been a regular need to replace and upgrade them as the situation warrants. Figures show that our volunteer drivers average about 100,000 miles per year. Drivers must be Nobles in good standing who possess a valid driver’s license, and pass a physical to meet our insurance requirements. Two drivers are assigned on each trip - they pick up the patients and a parent or guardian at designated locations and transport them to the specified Shriners Hospitals for Children or the Burn Institution for treatment.

In 1995, under Potentate Oscar Gilchrist, the Hospital Staff was changed from a “Committee” to a Chartered Unit of the Temple. The Nobles in the Hospital Staff meet every Monday at Shrine building at 9 am to transact business. We welcome any interested Noble to attend and join this most worthwhile and dedicated Unit.

Hospital transportation - Meets every Monday at Shrine building at 9 am

Officers are …..
Gibby Thomas President - 901 489 6521
John Fowler Hospital transportation Administrator - 901 650 5057
James Roberson - Hospital transportation Coordinator - 901 570 2763
Jim Slover - Hosp transportation vehicle coordinator - 901 485 8668

 

Hospital Staff Past Presidents

Anthony Cavola 1984
John Muntian 1985 & 1986
Floyd D. Rowe 1987
W.R. “Bill” Taylor, 1988
Wayne Darling 1989
Bob Blurton 1990
W.R. “Bill” Taylor 1991
Ross Witherspoon 1992
E. E. Ferguson 1993
Frank Yetter 1994
George Bolton 1995
Leonard Humphries 1996
Robert W. F. Mosby 1997