A small clubhouse,
a very long table.
The Marathon Shrine Club meets at the Florida Steak and Lobster House and is a member club of the Mahi Shriners. What we do here is simple: we get Florida Keys kids to the specialty care they need, and make sure their families never see a bill for the trip.
The Marathon Shrine Club is a small, all-volunteer chapter in the Florida Keys. We raise money for one purpose: getting Florida Keys children to specialty medical care on the mainland, and home again, at no cost to their families. Most of what we raise goes straight to transportation — the gas, the plane tickets, and the lodging that stand between a Keys kid and the doctor they need.
For years that money came from a single event: members on the corner of US-1 and 109th Street, boots in hand, one weekend a year. As fewer people carry cash, those donations have fallen by roughly half — which is exactly why a gift you can make from your phone now matters more than it ever has.
“As Shriners we look beyond ourselves to serve the needs of others, especially children who cannot help themselves. We believe Shriners Hospitals to be the world’s greatest philanthropy, and we covenant with each other to support its ‘temples of mercy’ with spirit, time, talent and means.” From the Shriners Creed
Around a long table at the Florida Steak and Lobster House.
Who runs the meeting.
A working board, all volunteer, all unpaid, the way the Shrine has always been organized.
Every gift is a seat in the van.
The Marathon Shrine Club runs on the dues, gifts and fundraising of the people who wear the fez. Your donation pays for the gas, the meals, and the lodging a Keys family never sees a bill for.