El Riad Clown Unit History

  The El Riad Shrine Clown Unit was organized during the Sioux Falls Shrine Ceremonial in May, 1953. Some of the Nobles present at that meeting and ensuing charter meeting were Lyle Sheldon, Loraine Spars, Herb Creighton, Duke Corning, Joe Foss, Don Brown, Don Kuck, George Peterson and Rollin Woods. At that time the maximum number in the unit was set at 25 with rules that were later set up in the Constitution and By-Laws that everyone would participate on a minimum 50 per cent basis for Shrine circus butchering, Clown make-ups and all parades and Ceremonials.

Nobles Lowell Hansen, Sr., Holger Anderson, Lee Scott, Norm Eakes, Lloyd Reeves, Don Erickson, Dick Kelley, Orris Dott, Stan Hauck, Hugh Davies, Al Boegler, Stan Smith, Harold Diehl, Duke Schneider, Ray Cammack, Al Brown, W.L. Dufer and Ed Birkemo were all early members of the unit. Coming later were Nobles Bernard Thomas, Jerry Moen, Warren Haven, Del Greenlee, Gerard Knorr, Newt Wessman, Curt Shupe, Ray Lein, Dick Reid, Ford Anderson, Herman Meester, Don Kruck, Bob Ogborn, Don Hedlund, Dick Hempel, Don Olsen, Red Stangland, Gene Dow, Dick Kenny, Lyle Sturdevant, Arnie Teslow, Wayland Mitchell, Marshall Gardner, Bob Davis, Ron Lockwood, John Olson, and Luther Prentice.

Some of the early highlights included a trip to Pierre to appear in a Crippled Children's Benefit Show at the request of Governor Joe Foss, our first big clown. The Clowns also attended the 1957 Imperial Session in Minneapolis which included parade participation with then Governor Foss made up as a Clown.

In 1956 a 1927 Chevrolet fire truck was purchased from the Renner Fire Department and made into a Clown fire truck which served for a good number of years. In the early 1960's Dick Kelly of Chamberlain obtained several merry-go-round horses and sold them to the Clowns. These antique horses were mounted on three-wheeled individual trailers that hook into tandem and have been a delight for crowds in many parades in many parts of the country and are now very valuable collector's memorabilia. The Unit also owns garden tractors to pull the horses and other equipment in the various parades as well as a Clown-built calliope wagon which is very popular with the crowds. In 1980 a large cannon was built by the Clown Unit for parade use. In 1991 we purchased two magnificent custom built trailers to carry the horses and other equipment. In addition many individual Clowns have their own motorized and mechanized entertainment equipment.

The Unit has participated in every Temple Ceremonial since its inception and has participated in every Midwest Summer Session and at least nine Imperial Sessions' parades over the last 28 years.

As we rolled through the 1960's and into the 1970's new faces continued to appear in the unit as vacancies occurred. Nobles Ray Ordinachev, Louis Lanz, Tom Graham, Lou Profilet, Ken Bastian, Bob Witt, Steve Egger, Mike Howes, Keith Perkins, Dick Kelley, Peder Ecker, Herb Shafer, Bob Iverson, Claude Hall, Darwin Groth, Jim Westra, Parnell Miller, Steve Rayburn, Tom Batcheller, Joe Alick, Don E. Anderson, Dean Johnson and Bill Shields became Active members the Clown Unit. Also, Nobles Dan Wiedemeier, Gary Spawn, Don Jensen, Verlyn Slieter, Roger Oullet, Rol Johnson, and Dan Sells. A little later Nobles Rollie Craft, Arlen Knutson, and Alan Howard joined the Unit. Still later came Nobles Dave Rowe, Don Bailey, Bob Jones, Bob Walton, Ralph Teslow, Jeff Scott, Mike Brewer, Mike Schulz, Hal Teslow, Bernie Koplow, Dick Johnson and Jim Pfeifer.

Nobles Travis Stringfield, Rollie Whetsel, Mike Crew, Roy Nyberg, Vic Jorgensen, Darell Anderson and Steve Knape joined the Unit in the late 80's and early 90's.

Then the 90's saw Nobles Joe Young, Tom Hall, Terry Knutson, Todd Nelson, Jeff Wilkes, Tom Tyler, Norm Halme, Roxy Laur, Dick Schlechter, Dale Miskimins, Kent Alberty, Steven Hansen, Bob Adams, John Wightman, Dave Spitler, Tim Bachman and Mark Ring.

The El Riad Shrine Clown Unit is involved with the Midwest Shrine Clown Association and we also belong to the International Shrine Clown Association.

The El Riad Shrine Clowns are known for their efforts to raise money for the Shriner's Crippled Children's Hospitals, Burns Institutes, Hospital Transportation Fund and other philanthropies involving children.

It has been tradition for anyone holding office to start as Secretary-Treasurer and then continue into the Little Clown and Big Clown offices.

The El Riad Shrine Clown Unit's annual Christmas party is held around the middle of January and they are always great parties celebrating the outgoing Big Clown and swearing in the new officers.

Since 1970 the Clowns annually honor one of their members with the Newt Wessman "Clown of the Year" Award for extra meritorious service to the Unit. It is the highest honor a Clown can receive from his peers. Dr. Wessman was a very active early clown, the annual award designated on his death as the first rider of the Black Camel while a member of the clown unit.

In 1990 at the Imperial Session in Chicago our Unit won 2nd Place in parade competition and 3rd Place in 5 or more competition skit. At the Fargo Midwest Session 1993 our Unit walked away with just about every competition held. In February of 1993, at the International Shrine Clown Association Mid-Winter Session, Ralph Teslow was judged number one in the nation in Auguste makeup competition.

Highlighting 1994, Bob Iverson was retreaded as El Riad's Big Clown and he enjoyed a great year. The Clowns participated in all the activities and he led us to the Imperial Session in Denver where we were judged to be the number one Clown Unit in North America for which we received a huge 4 foot trophy. We also had several in makeup competition. Schlechter, Spitler and Hansen took honors. Then the clowns went to Regina for the Midwest and won first place in the parade for the 9th Midwest. Also Stringfield and Young were winners in makeup.

1995 saw Peder Ecker called back as our Big Clown on the untimely death of Big Clown Bernie Koplow. Our unit continued its winning ways by taking first place in the Midwest Summer Session parade at Madison, Wisconsin. We won 13 of 16 top awards in individual competition, including 1st place in paradability by Apprentice "Bubbles" Bachman. Wow - that's out of 12 Clown Units in the Midwest!

The Big Clown and the Unit recruited Clown Noble Todd Nelson to reenact the good work of deceased clown Vic Jorgensen who showed us several years ago how to raise money with a calendar game. Todd came with a double calendar fund raiser, raising enough money to pay large equipment bills and still make a sizable contribution to the Shriner Hospitals and Transportation Fund. The Unit hopes to be able to do a calendar game every year - especially if Rollie Craft sells, sells, sells as always.

The Constitution and By-Laws of the Unit were amended in 1995 to maintain the number of Clowns at 35, including Apprentice Clowns and requiring Clowns to have served at least 10 years or to have gone through the offices of the Unit before they could claim Honorary status. The Constitution and By-Laws were modernized to reflect majority decision making and other changes and improvements which had been of concern for many years, including a clown participation schedule and requirements. Hal Teslow led a several year effort to accomplish this long needed cleanup of our rules.