Ripley Shrine Club

In 1954, ten Shriners from the Ripley area began meeting each month for a dinner. The purpose of these meetings was to organize a group of Nobles from Lauderdale County and petition Al Chymia Temple to allow this group to be known as the Ripley Shrine Club. Among the original workers in this effort were Milton Taylor, Johnny Hubbard, Billy John Morris, Sammy Beaird, S. C. Forsythe, J. Guy Henderson, Harry Murphy, Frank Gamer, Cecil Massey and Bill Fitzhugh.

By the time the groundwork was done, the communications with the Temple worked out for the operation of the club, it was 1956. Potentate Chalmers Cullins was very helpful in getting the charter issued to the Ripley Shrine Club, and in assisting it in getting off to a good start under the first President - Noble Johnny Hubbard. Cecil Massey served as first Secretary-Treasurer.

The first project of the club was to take 125 needy children to the annual Al Chymia Shrine Circus in Memphis. This included tickets, transportation, food, a little spending money and chaperones. The club has continued this project on an annual basis.

Another project was to erect and maintain the memorial lighting of the Tiny Knee Stadium sign at the entrance to the high school football field in Ripley. Tiny Knee was a legend in his own right in the athletic department of the Ripley High School for many years.

The club participates in the annual Chamber of Commerce Christmas parade and in 1975, we had another entry in the parade — there were ten three-wheelers, each individually owned, maintained, insured and operated by its owner at no cost to the Ripley Shrine club. They have enhanced the image of the club and the riders won many trophies, including the main trophy at the Southeastern Convention in Jacksonville, Florida.

Two of our members have been honored as being named representatives of the Temple to the annual Southeastern Convention: Hubert Smith one year in New Orleans and Riley T. Pollard, Jr. in Jacksonville, Florida.

During each year, the club sponsors two or three Ladies’ Nights, including our annual Christmas dance and party. At the Christmas party, members are allowed and encouraged to invite guests outside our club.

We enjoy a very good relationship with the Temple and it is not uncommon to have the Potentate and other members of the Divan and Temple as guests at our regular monthly dinner meetings.

Several years ago, we purchased a clubhouse from the late Johnny Hubbard. We have remodeled and enlarged the structure and today we have a fairly large facility, debt free, that can accommodate approximately 100 people at a sit-down dinner. We meet the fourth Monday in each month on a regular basis. The clubhouse is situated in a beautiful setting, approximately 10 miles west of Ripley on a finger of water known as The Reach.

Our members are not only active within our club but in civic, government, church, Masonic, and military activities, to name a few.

Our club has sponsored a fish fry to help the Ripley Lodge #630 pay off the mortgage on its building. A Shrine Ceremonial was performed in Ripley, Tennessee for the first time during 1989, when eight new members enrolled.

Our contribution to the annual paper sale has not been anything to really boast about, but it has improved each year, with 1989 being our very best year ever. A 100 Million Dollar Club certificate was purchased by the club a few years ago and we take a very active part in the local Muscular Dystrophy campaign, furnishing the leadership each year.

 

Chris Conrad- President
Robert “Trey” Ward- Secretary
Steve Fullen- Treasurer

Meet 4th Monday @ Ripley Shrine Club

 

Ripley Shrine Club Presidents

1956 - Johnny Hubbard
1957 - Albert C. Rainey
1958 - J. C. Massey
1959 - William Vier
1960 - William T. Morris
1961 - Freck Pollard
1964 - Hubbard Smith
1965 - Ned Poynter
1966 - Thomas Franklin Garner
1967 - Riley T. Pollard
1968 - D. E. Caldwell
1970 - E. R. Harrison
1971 - S. Norfleet Anthony Jr.
1972 - Walter Caldwell
1973 - Herman Riviere
1974 - Thomas F. Garner Jr.
1975 - Charles McMahan
1976 - Leland Jennings
1977 - Ben Emerson
1978 - Bob Riviere
1983 - Steve Fullen
1987 - Milton woodard
1995 - Kenneth D. Geary
2003 - Thomas Franklin Garner III
2007 - Steve Fullen
2008 - Steve Fullen
2014 - Dennis Lee
2015 - Dennis Lee
2015 - Danny Beard
2016 - Jeremy Armstrong
2017 - Jeremy Armstrong
2018 - Jimmy Douglas
2019 - Jason Paris
2020 - Jason Paris
2021 - Chris Conrad

Other Past Presidents

Billy Morris
Willard Norval
Billy Poston
Dwight Raines
Oxen Wakefield
Chick Mackman
Jerarold Cherry
Jimmy Fullen
Dale Cooper
James Boyd
Jimmmy T Wood
Parker Fullen