Local Masons Host Chamber Coffee, Talk Shrine Bowl

Ulysses Masonic Lodge No. 435 and Order of Eastern Star No. 471 played host to last week's Grant County Chamber of Commerce Coffee.

"I don't know if any body noticed the placard on the wall out there, but this lodge was established in 1922, so we are 103 years old this year," explained Mason Worshipful Master Terry Anderson. "We do a lot of things in the community. Just this year, so far, the Kansas Masonic Foundation donated $1 million dollars to the Shriner's Hospital, $100,000 to endowments for local community projects, and about $55,000 for community disaster relief - that's just the tip of the iceberg."

Anderson went on to note the longevity in the local organization.

"Derik (Hockett) has been in Masons for like 17 years," Anderson said. "Bob Annis has been a Mason for 67 years. We have a couple of guys who aren't here today who have been in 55 years."

Hockett is the Right Worshipful Grand Master of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Kansas this year, according to Anderson.

"One thing Terry didn't mention - he was gracious enough to take on the Master's chair this year," Hockett said. "If you look around the lodge room we have these blue and white placards at some of the different stations. They just give a description of the names of our officers and kind of what they do."

Annis is Senior Warden for the organization; Tyler Hook is Junior Steward, and Jim Hickok is Secretary.

"(Tyler) goes anywhere we need him to go," Hockett said. "(Hickok) has been secretary 'forever' - 30 some odd years. In organizations like ours, if you're good at your job - it's a lifetime sentence." 

Hockett serves as Treasurer of the local lodge. Prior to that he was Worshipful Master for a long time.

Hockett said the "highlight" of why they were hosting the coffee was the Kansas Shrine Bowl.

"We are going to talk a little bit about Kansas Shrine Bowl," Hockett said. "It was in July in Dodge City. This year we've asked our cheerleaders and our band student we had sponsored to talk a little bit about their experiences and what the shrine bowl is and what it does."

According to Hockett, Shriner's International and Shriner's Children Hospital are similar to St. Jude hospitals.

"They provide free healthcare for really anyone - any children in need who have a disability that can't be cared for at a local hospital with cleft palates, certain spinal disorders...," Hockett explained. "They have really great burn units for children. Shriner's International runs a chain of hospitals that provide free care for children  and support for their families."

Hockett said Kansas Shrine Bowl and all of the Shrine temples  across the state  are the funding source for those hospitals in addition to some big investments and endowments they have.

"The things Shriner's do across the state help fund those hospitals so they can provide free care and support for families," he added. "And a big event for all the Shrine temples in Kansas every year is the Kansas Shrine Bowl. This year the Kansas Shrine Bowl raised $150,000 dollars for Shriner's hospitals. A portion of that did go to the St. Louis hospital."

The hospital in St. Louis is the "regional" hospital used by the Shriners.

"If anyone out of the community comes to the Shriners or comes to us here at the lodge and they need assistance or they need care - St. Louis is where they will go. The Shrine Bowl is a 5013C nonprofit that started in 1974. They have sent nearly $4 million over that period of time to Shriners Hospitals. The Shrine Bowl is an East/West event. They pick a slate of coaches. There are football players who are nominated. Those football players get to participate in the Shrine Bowl."

This year the Shrine Bowl was in Dodge City.

"They came to Dodge City for a couple of weeks - the East team and the West team," Hockett said. "Everybody practices. Cheerleaders came in for three days. The cheerleaders and band students are all volunteers. If you want to go and you can find sponsorship then you are free to go. There is no selection process for the band students and the cheerleaders."

In addition to the game itself, tailgating, and a pep rally those who participate have another opportunity.

"They also have a patient experience for the cheerleaders the band students and the football players,"  Hockett said. "To me, that is the most impactful part aside from getting to see all of the volunteer work that goes in to the Shrine Bowl. There are a few paid employees who work for the Kansas Shrine Bowl as an organization, but all of the nobles from the Shrine temples from around the state - they all volunteer their time. All of the cheer camp and band camp sponsors, the adult sponsors - they all volunteer their time. They essentially schedule a week of vacation every summer to go and support the Shrine Bowl. The patient experience gives all of the kids an opportunity to see what it looks like and feels like to be a Shriner's patient. It helps the kids to understand that what they are doing is so much bigger than just the football game or the half time show. It really does show them being a part of a larger organization and doing charitable work extends well beyond their communities and does a lot of great things."

The Shrine Bowl in 2026 will be in Emporia,  Kan., according to Hockett.

"It is going to be a little bit further than Dodge City, but it's always a great event," he said. "It's always a great way to support the Shriner's hospitals."

This was Ulysses High School Cheerleading Coach Lori Barnes' third year to volunteer at the Shrine Bowl. Barnes was accompanied this year by Gianna Medrano, Abby Tapia, Dayra Najera, Anahi Najera, Kenzie Lopez, Summer Breese, Karly Pando, Miranda Vazquez, Hayleigh Lane and Rianna Wilken.

All of the UHS students agreed that the patient experience was the most meaningful part of the event.

Announcements made at the coffee last week by the Chamber were:

Annual meeting for Pioneer Communications and Pioneer Electric, is planned for today, Friday, September 11. They will begin serving food at 4:30 p.m. The meeting is set to begin at 6 p.m. Door prizes will be given away.

Dream First Bank is hosting the third annual #RiseUp4Families Golf Tournament September 13. There will be a shotgun start at 9 a.m. It is a four-person scramble. Cost is $100 per person. A burger and brat lunch is included. Those participating will receive two drink tickets with their registration and two mulligans. There is a hole in one chance to win $10,000 sponsored by Western Shelter Insurance. Contact Dream First or Bentwood Golf Course for more information.

Grant County Home Products Dinner:  Buttons are out they are $12 again this year. Tickets are available at the Chamber and various other businesses throughout the community. Entertainment that night is by Dennis Gaxiola, a funny, clean comedian. Dinner starts at 7 p.m., September 16.

Grant County Health Department and Grant County Extension is hosting A Matter of Balance class twice a week. The program is free and will be at the Civic Center. Contact Monica Walker at the Extension office for more information or to sign up.

Ulysses News is hosting a Sidewalk Chalk Art Contest, Seasons of Change from September 22-26, from 9 a.m. - 6 pm. Cost is $5 per entry. Cash and Prizes will be awarded. There are five different age groups. Contact Ulysses News for an entry form or for more information.

Ulysses News will be hosting their Treasure Hunt again this fall. Winners have the chance for $100 in Chamber bucks. Be watching the paper or their Facebook page for more information or contact them at their office.

Core Community is hosting graduation in honor of the Phase One 2025 Core Leader graduates, Monday, September 8, 6:30 p.m., at the Church of Christ.

Core Community has job openings for a Community Liaison, and a Resource Coordinator. Please contact Sheila Koop if you are interested in any of these positions.

Core Community is hosting award winning singer, comedian and motivational speaker, Timothy Lovelace, Saturday, September 20, at 6 p.m., at Kepley Middle School Auditorium. Cost is $20 for an individual, $50 for a family of three and $60 for a family of four or more. Check their Facebook page to find a link to purchase tickets. Grant County Gives Event.

There will be a Free Car Seat Check Up at Grant County Fire Department Friday, September 19, from 1-4 p.m. When you arrive, please know the weight and height of your child. National Child Passenger Safety Certified Technicians will perform the check ups. For more information, contact Monica Walker at the Extension office. This is brought to you by the Extension office, Kansas Children’s Service League, Grant County Health Department and Women of Purpose.

Grant County Health Department will be the location for the Help Hub on September 11, from 9 a.m. until noon. It is your one stop support station where families can receive personal assistance when applying for SNAP, MEDICAID benefits, and Marketplace Health Coverage. Their team will be on hand to answer questions, guide you through applications, and ensure you’re connected to the resources you need all in one place, at your own pace.

Grant County Health Department reminds you to schedule your mammogram today because early detection saves lives.

Kansas Food Bank is partnering with LHeat to provide fresh produce distribution on Thursday, September 4 at 2:30 p.m. While supplies last - there is a limited amount. They will be collecting some basic household information for reporting (i.e. age, household size, etc). All information is kept strictly confidential.

Fall Fest will be October 4. Kicking off with Safety fest at 9 a.m., and lasting the entire day into the evening. We will be having Jimmy Dee and The Fabulous Destinations back again for the evening concert. We are looking for non-profit groups and businesses to be vendors. If you are interested please call the chamber.

Furever Friends is hosting a Cause for Paws Gala complete with steak dinner, cash bar and auction with live music $65 per person $120 for couple. The event is planned for 5:30-10:30 p.m.,  Saturday, October 11, at the Delgado venue.

Grant County Chamber and Toursim are hosting the first ever "Wine Walk", October 15. Those participating will purchase a "passport" to be taken to all of the participating businesses. Once they have visited each of those businesses and gotten their passport "checked" they will be eligible for a grand prize. Businesses who do not fill comfortable serving alcohol can serve tea, coffee, etc. Call the chamber for more information.

The next Chamber of Coffee is planned for 10 a.m., Friday, September 5, at the Masonic Lodge in Ulysses. Coffees take place at 10 a.m., on Fridays. If you would like to host an upcoming Coffee, contact the Chamber today.