Middlefield Post
Oct. 3, 2012
h t l & a e H s s e n l l e W
Changing the World – Caring for Kids By Nancy Huth If you’ve lived in Middlefield for at least 7 years, you’ve probably met Rob. He was the pleasant, responsible young man working the cash register at Walmart for 5 years. Rob is also a burn victim. At the age of 11 he was burned on 85 percent of his body when the family house burned down in Aurora. He was transported to the Shriner Cincinnati Hospital 3 weeks after the fire and remained there for 3 months. His recovery was a miracle. At present, Rob volunteers at Geauga Hospital in the stock room of the ER unit. His dad, mom and two siblings escaped the fire with minor injuries. But this night was etched indelibly into their memories. A doctor told Mike Davison, Rob’s Dad, that although he could never erase the fire from his mind, he could choose to direct his energy into new channels. Mike is now Director of Admissions for Shriners Hospitals for Children. The Shriners, established in 1870, are a branch of the Masons. Mike already
belonged to this group. To become a Shriner, a man must first be a Mason. The fraternity of Freemasonry is the oldest, largest and most widely known fraternity in the world. It dates back hundreds of years to when stonemasons and other craftsmen on building projects gathered in shelter houses or lodges. Over the years, Masonic lodges appeared with members bound together not by trade, but by their own desire to be fraternal brothers. The organization is best known for its hospitals for children and for the red fezzes the members wear. The famous Shriner most of us know is Danny Thomas who founded St. Jude’s Hospital for children in Tennessee. Shriners International is a fraternity based on fun, fellowship and principles of brotherly love. They now have nearly 200 chapters across the world and are headquartered in Tampa, Fla. In 1922, the first Shriner Hospital was built in Shreveport, La. as a response to
polio that was widespread at the time. The hospitals have grown to a network of 22: 18 for orthopedic needs, three for burn victims and one providing care for spinal injuries, orthopedic, and burn conditions where children up to 18 years receive excellent medical care absolutely free of charge. Mike and his family have lived in Middlefield for almost one year and Mike is continually on the look-out for children (Amish or English) who might benefit from a Shriner Hospital visit. In our photo you see him with little Aiden who has spina bifida, a condition where the spine is open at birth. At a Shriner Hospital there is never a charge to the patient or parent for services or medical treatment received regardless of
Mike Davison, director of hospital administration with Cleveland Al Koran Shriners, Aiden and his mom, Crystal Morrow enjoying Middlefield Summer Fest this past August. their ability to pay. So how are these hospitals funded? Since 1922 Shriners Hospitals have been supported by income from an endowment fund maintained through donations and bequests from Shriners and non-Shriners, Continued on page 3
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