Fur-Low Days and Shriners (by: Carlo)

Because of the bad economy, Friday was a fur-low day at my pal's work [side note by pal: Ummm, Carlo that is actually spelled furlough]. My pal had to work that day, but she gets to take her fur-low... I mean furlog... furlogh... heck, I'm just going to write fur-low cause it's easier and more fun! She gets to take her fur-low day on another day.

The one thing that worried me about fur-low days is that my pal is going to have a pay cut. Lucky, Gerrit, and I were all worried that would mean we wouldn't get as much food or treats. But, my pal assured us that we were her highest priorities and that we will never have to worry about not getting enough food and treats. Hmmmm... I wonder if that means we can get MORE!

I actually think I'm going to like fur-low days because every day my pal isn't working, means more time with ME! I'm hoping that on her fur-low days we can spend time going on hospital visits. My pal had an orientation at Shriners Hospital for Children last week and she came back so excited. She rambled on and on about the history of Shriners. It all was pretty interesting... at least if you're a person... I fell asleep half way through her rambling. But, from what I did hear... Shriners Hospital has something called a Masonic heritage... it was founded by Master Masons in the Freemasonry Fraternity. You're probably thinking what I was thinking... huh?

From what my pal explained, there were a bunch of these guys way back in 1870 that started a fraternity based on fun and fellowship. I like fun! They gave the fraternity an Arabian theme cause one of the guys went to a party given by an Arabian diplomat and thought it would be a neat theme.... that's why the official hat of the Shriners is a red fez with a black tassel. I asked my pal if I would have to wear a fez when we volunteered, but she laughed and said no.

After hearing about the fez, I drifted off for a bit, and when I woke back up my pal, was still rambling. She sure knows how to ramble! She was rambling about how the first Shriners Hospital was built in 1922... and there are now 22 hospitals, and about 400,000 Shriners (people in the fraternity)! The hospitals provide car for orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate. All children up to 18 years old are eligible for treatment and there is never a charge to the patient or family for any medical care or services!!! The fraternity people who wear the fezs donate money to keep the hospitals running! The hospitals also rely on donations from anyone generous enough to donate. Wow, that's pretty dang cool!

Sometime soon I'm going to get to go with my pal to Shriners Hospital to have my badge photo taken and then we can start officially doing hospital visits there. I can't wait! I will get to spend time with children... and I won't even have to wear a fez! Fur-low days will give us more time to do hospital visits at Shriners! Besides the pay cut (which I don't have to worry about cause I'm still going to get food and treats), I LOVE fur-low days!