Ah, October! The end of another year. As is my custom, I would like to post my periodic thread mentioning the toll-free number for the Shrine Hospitals for Crippled Children. In truth the number is on the Net like everything else nowadays. The real purpose of my message is to put the word that the Shrine offers free care to children in North America without regard to race, religion or relation to a Mason.
These are modern hospitals all over the continent. The only thing they lack is a billing department. All treatment is free.
As I actually read the rules (for a change I might mention) I see I ought to humbly ask for permission to do this.
A worthy cause indeed. If permission is granted, I’d like to include a mention of the Scottish Rite Childhood Language program. Their 170 (or so) RiteCare® Clinics accept preschool children who have difficulty speaking or understanding the spoken word or school-age children who have difficulty learning to read. Some centers also offer literacy training for adults. All services are available regardless of race, creed, or the family’s inability to pay. (800-776-2766 or your local Scottish Rite Valley)
Having a long time phobia about burns, the Shrine Burn Center is one of my favorite charities.
Thanks Paul.
“No man stands taller than when he stoops to help a child”
And, as I’ve done for three years running now, I’ll take this opportunity to thank each and every Shriner on the board and IRL for the treatment of my son. WhyKid had a severe congenital (born-with-it) scoliosis, as well as an extra rib and some deformed vertebrae. Our insurance company wouldn’t cover any treatment for it, as it was considered a pre-existing condition. Shriners not only paid for all his treatment there, they even paid the two grand for an MRI at another hospital! He was at Shriners for two weeks after the surgery, and I stayed with him the whole time. I’ve never met a better group of doctors, nurses, physical therapists and volunteers. Even the folks in the cafeteria got to know me and sent extra little treats to his room for him, even when he wasn’t allowed in the cafeteria.
Here’s a picture of his back one month after the surgery. As you can see, this was no little job. Kid was opened from stem to stern and bones were removed, filed, bonded, rodded, wired and screwed. And he went from a noticable hunchback to as straight and tall and proud as any kid in his class.
We never would have been able to give him that normalacy without Shriners. We just couldn’t have paid for it. Without the surgery, his spine would have continued to curve over until so much stress was put on his ribcage that his ribs would start to break, possibly puncturing vital organs, but being very painful regardless.
So thank you, thank you, thank you to all the Shriners out there who make work like this possible. My kid was the very simple and least of the Shriners patients - they help people who are so far worse off - but he’s my personal favorite Shriners patient, and I thank you for his sake and mine.
Blessings to you all.
And please, if you have a kid or know a kid who needs help, send them to Shriners. Not only do they have top notch care (there were some parents there who could have afforded a regular hospital, but the Shriners’ docs were the best around), but they treat you with respect as part of the healing team. I was never made to feel like a charity case or a deadbeat.
I can wait for a Mod to notice this thread. (I think I will report my OP to get attention.) The news has been so sad this week that maybe something nice will cheer us all up.
There is a Shriner’s Hospital here in Sacramento. Thankfully, we have never needed its services, and I pray that we never will. I really can’t think of a more worthy charity. I always love it when I get the opportunity to educate someone about the Shriner’s Hospitals.
“They’re free”
“Yeah, but what’s the catch?”
“No catch. They don’t charge for their services”
“Well, yeah, but you need to belong, or something, right?”
“No. Their services are free. As in beer. Without charge. To all children. Any race, religion, any color, rich, poor, or otherwise. Free.”
“Really?!?”
It is a little bit sad that people can’t seem to comprehend doctors treating sick kids and not trying to make a buck off of it.
Paul, I don’t recall your earlier threads on the subject. Are you a Mason?
Yes, I am a member of Lodges all over the world. A nice collection of dues cards. I am also a member of the Scotish Rite from the Valley of Joplin.
Look folks, I just got an e-mail saying that this is not the proper way to ask permission. It was not my intent to upset anyone with this, I was just trying to do something nice. Can we let this thread drop while I figure out the correct method to ask permission? With so much ill-feeling in the world of late, it was not my intent to cause more.
It’s always better to ask permission than beg forgiveness.
The Shriners do great work and we’re happy to publicize that. But everything involving any sort of charity must be cleared with us in advance of placement otherwise this board would be inundated with everybody’s pet charities and etc. and that would be annoying to our members. . . you know, like spam.
Give everybody a break here and play by the rules, please.
Forget it. I have offended you and visa versa. Forget the whole thing. I was trying to follow the rules and I got screamed at. Hell with it. I will say nothing else on this as I fear I would not be civil.
What, you don’t want to help sick children? What’s wrong with you?
We said it was a good idea and that we’re all for it, we just need a clearance in advance. We hope you do that next time. We hope you continue to work on behalf of children who need help, that’s a great thing to be doing.
I’m not yelling at you now. I didn’t yell at you here. I did yell at you earlier in email but that’s because we play this every year and I got frustrated for your choices in this matter. You’re a very smart person with a generous heart who can do this right; it’s my responsibility to help you do that. If you choose to take offense at that there’s not much I can do.
Post Script: The reason for asking for advance permission is to keep down the number of such requests. I contribute to over a dozen charities, I’d love to put up a post for each one of them encouraging people to contribute. They include all sorts of worthwhile causes, including autistic children, the families of injured police, medical care for poor children, etc. I bet that each and every one of you reading this have several very worthy causes that you’d like to promote. If every one started posting pitches for their favorite worthy cause, we’d have no room on the boards for anything else.
It’s not that we’re mean or cold-hearted; to the contrary. But these are moderated boards. That means that we need to draw lines somewhere, and advance permission is our way of doing it.
I posted here to ask permission. When Tuba Diva wrote me a nastygram I apologized and came on the thread to apologize again. I got yelled again. I have done all I could to deescalate this. For some reason Tuba Diva decided to take it public.
Even after my emotional rant, she could not stand to miss one more dig.
The Straight Dope has been an important part of my life as I am so isolated here. I have tried to help where I could. (I admit I went through a difficult time in my life a couple of years ago, it certainly reflected in my posts. My thanks to all those who put up with me in that time.)
Now I have to wonder this place is worth the price of public humiliation.
Paul, my sincere thanks for bringing this organization to my attention. Sorry you got slapped.
Crazy idea: how about a single thread where people post their favorite charities, and a brief explanation of what they do? I have to charity to shill for; I’m just honestly interested in what organizations people on the board admire.
Paul I have read your posts for years and always thought of you as being clear headed. You are over reacting. Tuba may have told you in an e-mail that you were wrong. That might have been good enough for you but there is still a thread out here that everyone is reading. I don’t see a problem with a mod or admin coming into the thread and explaining the boards position for the rest of us to read.
Since you posted the phone number in the OP, the very thing you were asking permission to do, are you really surprised about the outcome?
Paul, I don’t see why you don’t get it. This thread itself is what you’re asking permission for. In your OP here you give a spiel about how great the Shriners are and give their 1-800 number in your signature. And oh, I humbly ask if it’s OK if I post a thread advertising the Shriners and give their 800 number?
Tuba often lacks people skills so maybe the email came off as rude, but the point should be clear.
