Service Runs Deep for Hawaii Shriner

Marc Rubenstein comes from a family of Shriners. His father and uncle were both Shriners. As a child, Marc remembers how important being part of the Shriners community was to his father.

Marc grew up seeing him perform on weekends in the Shrine Motor Patrol, riding motorcycles in parades, and spending time with his fellow Shriners. Marc always knew he wanted to become a Shriner and continue the family tradition. He has been a member of the Aloha Shrine Center since 2000.

Marc joined the Board of Governors at Shriners Children’s Hawaii in 2013. “That’s when it really hit me that Shriners Children’s is an incredibly special place. Shriners Children's Hawaii provides care not just to the children of Hawaii – we have a catchment area of 63 million miles, which includes numerous countries. Our care is provided by the most dedicated, caring and extremely competent providers in Hawaii, without regard for the patient’s or family's ability to pay,” he said. Marc went on to serve as Chairman of the Board of Governors for two years during the pandemic.

As Marc reflected on the 100th anniversary of Shriners Children’s, he noted, “There will always be a need to provide quality pediatric care. Of course, the modalities and methodologies will change. Shriners Hospitals was originally founded to care for kids with polio. After polio was conquered, the system evolved to address pediatric orthopedics and burn care. We are on another cusp of change now, with genomics, and other advancements in medicine. Our mission perseveres because there are Shriners who care about helping kids, and the professionals working at Shriners Children's are passionate about providing the absolute best care available. We will continue to evolve, providing care to more kids, in more places, in more and more efficient ways.”

Marc is also extremely proud that the fraternity is celebrating its 150th year. “I think it's a testament to how important it continues to be for men of good character to experience fellowship, fun, and an opportunity to support their communities through philanthropic work. I am hopeful that the fraternity will continue to evolve and remain relevant in the coming 150 years.”

Many special moments stand out to Marc as he thinks back on his experiences at Shriners Children’s Hawaii, but he recalls one in particular with fondness. “My funniest memory was of a little girl, maybe 6 or 7 years old, who was being treated with a "halo" – basically a ring around her head to keep it straight. We had some PGA pro golfers visiting the kids and we put together a miniature golf experience in the lobby. The young girl sank a putt on her first try, to much applause. She then went on to sink seven straight additional putts – each one to louder and louder applause. By the time she was done, the whole lobby was filled and going crazy!”

Marc enjoys being a Shriner because of the incredible friendships he has developed. “These friendships allow me to serve and grow the fraternity so that we can continue to support Shriners Children's Hawaii,” he said.