About Us
The Ladies’ Oriental Shrine of North America was born in Wheeling, West Virginia in 1903 The ladies of the Osiris Shriners were invited for social events and festivities surrounding Osiris’ Spring Ceremonial and they had so much fun they decided to form their own organization. Isis Court No. 1 came into being.
Today there are over 12,000 members in 76 Courts across North America. Our aim is to promote sociability, good fellowship and the betterment of all Ladies connected with the organization. Our focus is “The Greatest Philanthropy in the World” the Shriners’ Hospitals for Children. We help heal children by making donations, giving our time and talents, and sending toys, clothes and other items to the 22 orthopedic and burn care Shriners’ Hospitals for Children. Sometimes we raise funds for a specific need at a specific hospital.
Benefits of Membership:
· Knowing we do make a difference in the lives of many children
· Belonging to a community of caring, sharing, fun-loving ladies with similar interests
· Having a ‘family of friends’
· Traveling for conventions and unit meets
· Finding an outlet for our talents and creative ambitions.
Dendarah Ct. #10
LOSNA consists of Chapters we call Courts. Dendarah Court #10, Toledo, in April 1920, became the 10th organized court with 105 charter members and 57 others initiated that day. All courts operate under the authority of the Grand Council.
Always known for our elaborate and entertaining ceremonials or initiations, we also became known for our hospitality beginning with the Grand Council session held here in 1924. All delegates were met at the train station and given auto tours of the city. Dendarah will host the Grand Council Session in 2017.
In those early days picnics were held at Toledo Beach, Walbridge Park and Ottawa Park with games like Flaming Trail and Peanut Scramble with prizes of bicycle horns, sacks of flour and Columbia records.
Today we hold a Golf Scramble and Euchre tournament as a fundraiser.
Our unit fundraisers include card parties, teas, spaghetti dinners, auctions, theatre parties, plant sales and dinner dances.
We help the nobles of Zenobia Shrine with their Shrine Circus and at the Mini Clinics where children are evaluated by medical personnel for possible treatment at the Shriners’ Hospitals for Children.
Units
Dendarah Court has units to appeal to all interests: singing, dancing, playing instruments, marching, staging ceremonies, crafting and decorating and promoting sociability. The Patrol, a precision marching group, was the first unit in our court and is still active after 90 years. Dendarah Chorus, originally the Glee Club, first performed in March 1925.
Dendarah Court has had as many as 16 units active at one time. We now have 10, including the only band with bagpipes in the LOSNA and a lawn chair drill team.
Our performing units travel to the Great Lakes Unit Meet each September to perform and watch other units in the area perform
Philanthropy
In the early days of Dendarah Court our ladies assisted families in need with food and clothing, made donations to the Red Cross for flood relief and to the Tuberculosis Fresh Air School.
We started sewing for the Chicago Shrine Hospital in 1928. Ladies in our court-known as Sew-N-Sews still make items for the patients.
Today, besides sending many donations and items to the Shrine Hospitals, Dendarah Court also supports local charities and causes and maintains a Scholarship Fund to assist physically challenged female scholars to college graduation.
