As early as 1923, some of Aloha’s Nobles on Maui began to sound out the idea of a Club on Maui, but it was not until seven years later, in 1930, that a Shrine Club actually was formed, with Noble William Clarke as its first President.
However, another 13 years elapsed before the Maui group made a formal appeal to the Temple for recognition and Temple support. In answer, in 1943, the Aloha Shriners did amend its By-Laws to provide for the establishing of Shrine Clubs in its coded territory, and took the first steps to recognize the Maui Club.
In that same year, the Maui Club established a program which has continued down through the years, that of supplying 20 pounds of more per week of fresh vegetables – or the money equivalent – to the Honolulu Unit of Shriners Hospitals for Children. And, incidentally, it was an idea which later spread to the Hawaii Island and Kauai Shrine Clubs for meat and dairy products, respectively.
The next year, the recognition did come and the By-Laws of the Maui Shrine Club, submitted to Aloha Shriners by a group of Maui Nobles headed by Noble Marquis Calmes, were approved March 17, 1944.
In the two decades following, as a result of the heightened local interest in the Shrine, the Maui Shrine Club held two hot-sands ceremonials, both with large classes of novices. They also continued the program of supplying vegetables to the Honolulu Hospital and, from football games and other events, generated cash grants to the Hospital of nearly $10,000.
In the early 60’s the Maui Club initiated another type of fundraiser known as, the “boxing smoker”, and nearly every year for another decade they promoted this event – and very successfully – with some showing a profit of over $10,000.
An unusual game of football in December of ’68 was the Maui Club’s own ‘East-West’ game, pitting East Maui champs against West Maui in an evening game.
Earlier in the day, there had been a hot-sands ceremonial for 6 candidates, followed by an afternoon parade featuring the Aloha Shriner’s Divan, Provost Guard, Chanters and Clowns. The Units also made a big hit with a colorful show at half-time of the evening game.
Three fundraisers in 1970 contributed to the Hospital’s income: a successful smoker netted $1000; showing of the movie ‘Patton’ brought $2000; and a Pop Warner football game – Maui vs Ontario, CA, bad weather and all, netted $1000.
And that same year saw another worthwhile project of the Maui Club, the starting of a Demolay Chapter on Maui. All in all, 1970 was a busy and memorable year, typical of the enthusiasm that continues to make this Club one of the brighter spots in the family of Shriners throughout the Hawaiian Islands.
