05/17/2021
Happy Spring and Greetings from the Marching Patrol!
It’s a privilege to greet you as the new 2021 Captain, and I’m looking forward to when we can all meet again and share in the comradery that is our Ben Ali Shrine. I have been tasked with working on the rebuild of our Patrol’s membership, as the ranks have dwindled significantly in the last several years. For those of our newer Nobles who are trying to decide which club they’d like to become a part of, please allow me to share some “fun facts” regarding our group:
- Our dues are very low.
- There is very little out-of-pocket expense on your part.
- If the uniform you have (which we supply at no cost) is in need of dry-cleaning, we cover the cost.
- Our group was one of the first in the Ben Ali Temple.
- We’re the first faces the public sees during the parades.
In the coming months, we’ll be working on putting a flyer together to help recruit new members. Additionally, we hope to include some interesting history as it pertains to the Shrine Patrol.
Just think – if we were to build our ranks back up, there’s a possibility of our having standard bearers as well as scimitar twirlers! Wouldn’t that be a sight during a parade?
I hope this finds my fellow Nobles and their Ladies well, and looking forward to what we all hope to be a return to our pre-Covid-19 events and festivities.
If you have any questions or are ready to join today, feel free contact me via email at [email protected] or by phone at 916-616-0600.
Take care and stay safe!
Steve Rankin
Captain, Ben Ali Patrol
