[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 138 (Tuesday, October 6, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1914-E1915]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING THE MELHA SHRINERS OF GREATER SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS ON 
               THE CELEBRATION OF THEIR 100TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. RICHARD E. NEAL

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 6, 1998

  Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize and honor 
the Melha Shriners of the Springfield area on the celebration of their 
100th anniversary.
  The Melha Shrine is a fraternal organization composed of two dozen 
units and clubs--ranging from its Shriner Clowns, Directors, a Military 
Band and Hadji (the familiar ``little cars'') to the Vintage Autos and 
an Oriental Band.
  Melha began when Charles H. Miller and other Shriners, who were 
Springfield residents but belonged to Boston's Aleppo Temple, decided 
to form their own Temple in Springfield in 1897; they received their 
charter in 1898. They went through many meeting places until finding 
Hibernian hall where they met for the next 38 years.
  In the 1920's, Melha acquired 7.5 acres of property in Springfield as 
the potential site for one of the Shriners Hospitals. The hospital's 
committee was met with such pride and enthusiasm from the Melha 
Shriners, it is said to have melted to hearts of the committee and the 
Springfield site was selected. Melha and the hospital have been 
intertwined ever since. The Shrine currently operates 19 orthopedic, 
burns and spinal-cord injury hospitals for children free of charge, and 
conducts important research as well.
  During the post World War II economic boom, the financial and 
economic outlook for the Melha Shriners was very optimistic. In 1955, 
the Melha decided that an indoor circus would be a worthwhile endeavor. 
That was the beginning of the annual Melha Shrine Circus, which has 
become a springtime tradition in Western Massachusetts. Parents bring 
their children to the circus they fondly remember seeing as youngsters 
themselves.
  In the late 1950's, because of expanding membership the Melha 
Shriners moved their Temple to a new location, where they have thrived 
ever since. The Temple was not the only thing that need updating and in 
the 1980's it was decided that the existing Springfield Shriners 
Hospital needed to be replaced. Because of the large amount of land 
owned by the Shriners the new hospital was built behind the old 
hospital. This allowed children to receive medical care without 
interruption.
  The new state-of-the-art facility includes outpatient and inpatient 
services along with two operating theaters, an occupational therapy 
department and a gait lab. In 1996 an new cleft lip and palate clinic 
was added. Just this year the hospital has received approval for a

[[Page E1915]]

telemedicine pilot program to be established between the Springfield 
Shriners Hospital and the island of Cyprus and a residency program in 
orthotics and prosthetics started in June. Although it is hard to 
imagine, the hospital is under consideration for expansion and 
renovation because of the consistently increasing level of activity at 
the hospital.
  This year, to celebrate the 100th anniversary, the Melha Shriners 
hosted the Northeast Shrine Association Field Days. Approximately 3,500 
Shriners and their families took part in the convention which 
culminated with a mammoth parade through Springfield. I want to 
acknowledge the members of the Melha Shrine on their 100th anniversary.

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