Image 1 / 2
According to Shrine President Larry Chafin, the new facility will be used is to help let people know what the Shriners do, which is helping children with medical needs.
Monday, the Shrine hosted a special meeting for representatives from across the community to come together to learn about the Shriners and discuss ideas to help them help children with healthcare problems. Currently, the Logan Shrine is helping 48 children from the local area who receives free treatment at Shriner's hospital in Lexington, Ky., and Cincinnati. In addition to free care at Shriners children's hospitals, local Shriners also provide free transportation to the hospitals. All assistance provided to children and their families is free of cost regardless of income or insurance and other factors that can sometimes get in the way of a child receiving help with healthcare.
Chafin said the main purpose of locating in the building (the former location of Willis Business Supply) was to put together an information center for the public to learn more about what the Shriners do and how the public can help them, via fundraising efforts.
Chafin said he would like to set up a screening clinic at the center for local kids who may need care at a Shriner's hospital through a local doctor or nurse. Chafin said on Tuesday he was planning to take a patient to the Lexington hospital for treatment.
"There is no one in this organization more important than children," noted his fellow Shriner Billy Chafin.
"Kids are why we are here," Larry Chafin said, adding that many volunteers have assisted the Shriners in their charitable efforts in Logan.
WVOW radio personality Dave Allen spoke about ideas and ways to locally get the message out about the Shriners helping kids.
"Once a week, I can put one of your guys on the radio for five minute segment and give public updates about the Logan Shrine," Allen said. "Any event you have can be publicized by WVOW and The Logan Banner.
Allen said that to many people Shriners is a nationwide entity and they may not realize the organization has a local branch in their community where help is available to area kids.
"The more focus you can get on your local face, the better you can do for a lot of people who may not know you have a local chapter right now," Allen said.
Logan Magistrate Dwight Williamson discussed ways in which PRIDE in Logan Inc. could help the Shriners get the message out, and Logan Banner Publisher Richard Osborne recommended a series of stories about local children and their families who have been helped by the Shriners. Larry Chafin said the Shriners have regular meetings the first Friday of the month with special guest speakers.
Post a Comment
