Nights Out Pull Nobles In

Project 3-5-7 was launched earlier this year to identify and share successful ways to grow units and clubs. In the first step, membership staff at Shriners headquarters in Tampa, Florida, asked units and clubs that are growing to share their successful tactics.

The Order of the Inebriati, a unit of Hawai`i’s Aloha Shriners based on Maui, was happy to discuss their success and share their secret. Their name refers to the fact that the unit was established for those with an interest in home brewing and fermenting. “But our mission goes beyond delicious drinks,” they said. “We meet monthly to provide the nobles with education, outreach, fellowship and fundraising.”

In the beginning, these Shriners met in private, as units do. But then, in August 2023, Maui – and the Lahaina area in particular – was hit by the horrific wildfire that destroyed more than 2,000 structures and killed 102 people. Even the historic, 150-year-old banyan tree in the center of Lahaina, which every tourist who has ever visited the town knows, was severely damaged.

But Shriners are Shriners. They rally when people are in need. So, in the aftermath, the Order decided to do what they could to support local businesses while recovery began. They started holding their meetings out in local restaurants.

Much to their delight, the Inebriati found that, being out, they were making connections and engaging with people interested in finding out about their group. It didn’t hurt that the Order was organized initially around beer brewing, a trendy activity with a surge of interest in recent years.

Prior to the Order, membership in the Maui Shrine Club was getting advanced in age. The average brother was 60. But the Order and the public meetings have changed that. Shriner membership on Maui has grown by 30%, to 32 members, and the average age has fallen to 45.

Maui Shrine Club President Johnny Ryan said roughly 15 members show up on the evenings out. And, dressed in their fezzes and Inebriati swag, they get attention.

“It’s great for recruitment,” Johnny said. “We turn heads.” At least one other chapter has discovered the benefits that can be accrued from getting out on the town as well, the Mecca Shriners of New York City.

The Mecca Shriners don’t even have their own building. So, once a month, on the first Friday, they get together at a local bar, a different one every time. Just like the Inebriati, they attract attention and interest, too.

Last year, Mecca Shriners was one of the top five temples in recruitment in the whole of the United States and Canada.

Find the Club That Suits You

Like to know where your interests intersect with clubs outside your local temple? WebFez will soon let you know, said Lacey Pope, senior membership project manager at Shriners International.

Soon, when you log onto WebFez to renew your membership, you are going to see a new “recommendations” button on the screen. Click it, and it will show you the clubs and units, and their focuses, in your larger region.

That should let nobles find their specific interests and become more engaged, Lacey said.