The Ladies’ Oriental
Shrine of North America
(LOSNA) was founded in
Wheeling, West Virginia
in 1903, when the Ladies
of Osiris Shriners were
invited to attend the
social events and
festivities surrounding
Osiris’ Spring
Ceremonial. When the
Shriners departed for
their Initiation
Ceremony, the Ladies
were having so much fun,
they didn’t want to
stop. They surveyed the
McClure Hotel and in a
joyous mood, began to
parade through the
halls. They eventually
arrived at one of the
hotel’s conference
rooms. The doors were
closed, a guard was set,
and within that room,
with dignity and
sincerity, and without a
ritual or prepared
paraphernalia, the first
session of the Ladies’
Oriental Shrine of North
America was held and
Isis Court No. 1 came
into being. They would
henceforth conduct their
own affairs, even while
continuing to support
the Nobles with their
Shrine activities. The
LOSNA is not an
auxiliary of the Ancient
Arabic Order of the
Nobles of the Mystic
Shrine. They are a
separate and distinct
Order.
Initially, membership in
the LOSNA was restricted
to the families of
Osiris Shriners, but
when the reputation of
Isis Court No. 1 reached
the Ladies in
Pittsburgh, PA and
Parkersburg, WV, they
wanted to be a part of
the fun and thus Allah
Court No. 2 and Hathor
Court No. 3 were
formed. Although Allah
Court No. 2 no longer
exists, the Ladies in
the Pittsburgh area
still maintain a
Member-At-Large status
and work for the
children in the Shrine
Hospitals.
The Ladies soon
realized the need for a
Grand Body.
Representatives from the
three existing Courts
met on June 24, 1914 to
organize the Grand
Council. The top
official of the Grand
Council is known as the
Grand High Priestess,
and the Executive Office
in a local Court is
known as the High
Priestess.
Today, the LOSNA has
over 16,000 members in
82 Courts across North
America. The aim and
goals of the Ladies’
Oriental Shrine, as set
forth at the
organizational meeting
in 1903, are to promote
sociability, good
fellowship and the
betterment of all Ladies
connected with the
organization. The
Ladies participate in
parades, mini-clinics
and Shrine Circuses,
just to name a few. The
Ladies may choose to be
active in a variety of
special interest Units
within the Order such as
Oriental Bands, Patrols,
Clown or Dance Units.
The Ladies are always
ready to display their
pageantry and glamour in
order to show the public
how much they enjoy
their activities.
When the Shriners
founded the Shrine
Hospitals for Children
and the first hospital
was built in 1922, the
Ladies committed to
supporting the Shrine’s
official philanthropy.
Today the Courts
continue to support the
hospital fund, hospital
sewing, research
projects and other areas
of interest. Each Court
not only raises funds
for the hospitals, but
they donate clothing,
stuffed animals,
purchase equipment, man
the information desk in
the various hospitals
and serve as office
personnel on a voluntary
basis. The LOSNA
contributes well over a
half million dollars
yearly to the Shrine
Hospitals. The Ladies
do not stop at donating
funds or the items
listed, they also make
the rounds of the
hospitals with book
carts, furnish libraries
for the children in the
hospitals, hold pizza
parties, ice creams
socials, sew quilts and
gowns, donate funds for
playground equipment,
donate funds to send a
burned child to the Camp
Ability Burn Camp,
support research, donate
examining tables,
rocking chairs, pool
tables, sofas for the
teenagers, prosthetic
devices, wheelchairs,
baby carriages, car
seats, mini cars for the
children, numerous
wagons, high chairs,
computer equipment and
software, musical items,
and the list goes on.
They do this by hosting
many special events
throughout the year such
as Craft Bazaars, Bake
Sales, Dances, the
Aluminum Tab Collection
program, Golf Outings,
Cookouts, Dinners, etc.
To become a member of
the Ladies’ Oriental
Shrine of North America,
Inc., a woman must be
related to a Master
Mason by birth, marriage
or adoption. She must
be at least 18 years of
age and a resident for
at least six months in
the area of the Court in
which membership is
desired. Any
Subordinate Court,
however, may receive and
act on the petition of
an individual who lives
in a city, territory or
state where no Court of
the Order exists.
The Ladies support
various special projects
with emphasis given to
the LOS Special Project
for the year, as chosen
by the reigning Grand
High Priestess. This
special project is
designed to assist an
area of specific need
within the Shriners
Hospitals such as
research into various
childhood conditions.
For the year of
2006-2007, Lady Janene
Hampton, Grand High
Priestess, has chosen “Cultured
Skin Substitute”
as the Special Project.
Other projects supported
include but are not
limited to Camp Ability
for burned children, the
“adoption” of special
children and their
families and burn
education programs.
Created by BARSystems
