[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 2480]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE KNOXVILLE KERBELA SHRINERS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. JOHN J. DUNCAN, JR.

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 24, 2015

  Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, one of the things that make the 
U.S. the greatest country in the world is volunteerism.
  No other country in the world has as many civic and charitable groups 
doing volunteer work like the United States.
  The government could not come close to replacing the hundreds of 
billions of dollars in work done by these organizations, and one of the 
most respected charitable groups in the U.S. is the Shrine.
  I have been fortunate to be a member of the Kerbela Shrine Temple in 
Knoxville for approximately 40 years.
  The Kerbela Shrine Temple recently celebrated its 100th Anniversary 
on February 18, 2015.
  For the past century, this group has touched the lives of needy 
children in my District in many positive ways.
  On Thanksgiving Day 1950, the Knoxville Kerbela Shriners began a 
paper sale to benefit the East Tennessee Crippled Children's Fund, 
raising $19,000 the first year.
  Over the next 75 years, with the help of the Blue Lodge Masons, the 
Kerbela Shrine Temple raised $13 million for handicapped and burned 
children through this one tradition.
  Mr. Speaker, even in a state known for its Volunteers, the Kerbela 
Shriners stand out as an example of community service and charity. I 
call this important work to the attention of my Colleagues and other 
readers of the Record and wish them a happy 100th anniversary and many 
more years of success in serving our community.

                          ____________________