Saladin Shrine Foundation History

December 8, 1955, the first clinic was held in the Grand Rapids Masonic Temple.  Noble Ernest Wixom was the first Crippled Children's Committee Chairman. Prior to this date, he and Noble Howard Schaubel, M.D., met with the Chief Surgeon of the Chicago Shrine Hospital, Howard A. Safield, M.D., to establish a clinic screening procedure whereby many children could be treated locally.

Nobles David B. Hagerman, M.D., and Peter Truog, M.D., assisted Dr. Schaubel in that first clinic. Also there and assisting were committee members, Nobles Paul B. Berry, Harlow Blumenstein, Frederick Jensen, William H. Nichols Jr., Watson O. Page and Larry Van Zee. Also working were Mrs. Hagerman, R.N., and Mrs. Van Zee.

It is recorded that there were 19 children examined that day, with 13 of them being referred to the Chicago Hospital.

At the present time, the Foundation maintains files on over 800 children who have received treatment locally or at a Shriners' Hospital after initial examination at one of the clinics.

Two years earlier, Saladin Shrine Foundation for Crippled Children was created on December 15, 1953, by assuming a not-for-profit corporate status with the State of Michigan.

Purpose of the corporation was to create and maintain a charitable fund; to accept and receive gifts, devises, bequests, donations, annuities and endowments, of real and personal properties; to invest and reinvest the same; and to use, expend, hold and enjoy the same, both as to principal and income, or any parts thereof, for the furtherance of charitable benefits, objects, works and interests, in relation to crippled children.

This was later amended to include handicapped, as well as crippled, leaving to the governing Board of Directors the discretionary definition of handicapped.

Being a Michigan corporation, the Directors, of course, elect their own officers. The Board of Directors is composed of the elected Temple Divan and members of the Temple Finance Committee. It does not necessarily follow that the Potentate must be elected President, Treasurer for Treasurer, and Recorder to Secretary, but custom seems to have dictated that course.

The early records and recollections of people who were involved at that time are vague con­cerning where the idea of a foundation originated, but there are strong suggestions that it was in the South Bend (Indiana) Shrine Club. Noble Wixom wore a Mizpah Temple fez at that time and several Saladin Nobles residing close to the State boundary were members of that Club.

           For many years, the corpus of the Foundation, even adjusted for today’s inflated dollars, was a relatively small amount. It was not until the mid‑70's that several large bequests started the growth resulting in what is enjoyed today. 

            A professional investment firm is employed for the day to day management of the fund and to advise the corporate Directors on how to maintain the return on the investment portfolio.  The annual earned income is then used to finance the crippled and handicapped children's clinics held at various times and locations within Saladin’s jurisdiction.

Nobles are encouraged to seek out and sponsor a child needing the treatment offered by the Shrine who otherwise would not receive such care.