Shriners Children’s Locations Celebrate 100-Year Anniversaries From Coast to Coast 

One hundred years of anything is a big deal. A century. A benchmark. A significant milestone. So, in 2022, Shriners Children’s was proud to celebrate 100 years of providing hope and healing to children and their families in need, embodying the mission envisioned by early Shriners all those years ago.

In the three years since the healthcare system’s centennial anniversary, hospitals and clinics from coast to coast have been hosting galas, community events and family fun days, all to recognize their individual 100th anniversaries. By the end of 2025, nine total Shriners Children’s locations will have hit the century mark.

For Shriners, these centennial celebrations represent more than just a century of care. They offer moments of pride – not only in what has been accomplished, but also in the legacy of helping kids live healthier, fuller lives. These moments bring together staff, families, nobles, ladies and the community to celebrate our past and look ahead to our next 100 years.

Looking Back

Over the past year, three locations celebrated their centennials with unforgettable events.

At Shriners Children’s Portland, the 100th-anniversary festivities kicked off in early 2024 with a grand ceremony and ribbon cutting with the Portland Metro Chamber of Commerce, where revelers celebrated the milestone together. It was a year filled with proclamations and celebrations. Guests donned their finery for the elegant Celebration of the Century gala. This fundraising event boasted KPTV anchor Rielle Creighton as the master of ceremonies. Staff, Shriners, patients and donors alike enjoyed reunions and appreciation events throughout the year.

But it was the Portland Rose Festival's Grand Floral Parade in June that everyone was talking about. Staff, Shriners, ladies, patients and families – 100 in all – walked along the parade route to enthusiastic cheers and expressions of heartfelt gratitude from the crowd. Nobles from several temples, including one board member who flew all the way from Alaska, joined the parade, as walkers followed the award-winning float, Dreaming of the Next 100 Years, with Fezzy at the helm.

In September, Shriners Children’s Spokane celebrated 100 years of providing pediatric specialty care to thousands of patients and their families in the Pacific Northwest and around the world. A grand gala at the historic Davenport Hotel was the centerpiece of the festivities, drawing former patients, families, nobles, staff and community leaders from across the region to commemorate this important milestone. Attendees shared stories of resilience and gratitude, celebrating the profound impact Shriners Children’s has had on so many lives. The gala included performances, keynote speeches and a special auction.

In addition to the gala, Shriners Children's Spokane hosted various community events throughout the year, including the first joint 100th-anniversary golf tournament with Shriners Children’s Portland at Nile Shrine Golf Course, family-friendly festivals, staff celebrations and an inaugural telethon special showcasing the hospital's rich history and advancements in medical care. Throughout it all, there were expressions of gratitude for the visionary leadership of Shriners International and the countless supporters of the mission over the last century.

It was a night of celebration in April at The Amazing Care Affair, Shriners Children’s St. Louis' 100th-anniversary gala. The Chase Park Plaza Hotel in St. Louis was the perfect backdrop for this historic occasion. Kicking off with a patient and Shriner processional, the elegant evening welcomed local corporate leaders, nobles, their ladies and staff. The host was FirstAlert4's Claire Kellett, who has long ties to the patient keynote speaker. But all eyes were on the patients as they twirled with delight on the dance floor, surrounded by those who have made such an impact on their lives.

With a free family-friendly event at the Ainad Shriners location in October, Shriners Children's St. Louis further marked a century of hope and healing. The Amazing Care Family Affair boasted games, bounce houses, a Build-A-Bear hospital experience, the creation of an anniversary LEGO mosaic, food trucks, clowns, face painting, bingo, dancing and a cupcake toast. Hundreds of former and current patients, as well as their families, joined nobles, team members, hospital supporters and volunteers for a day of togetherness as the hospital set its sights on the next century – and the thousands of new patients who will trust Shriners Children's St. Louis for their orthopedic needs.

Looking Forward

Save the dates: The following Shriners Children’s locations will celebrate 100 years of exceptional care in 2025. Stay tuned for more event details. 

Shriners Hospitals for Children Canada

Centennial Launch
Feb. 18, 2025
Shriners Hospitals for Children Canada, Montreal, Quebec

100th Anniversary Gala
Oct. 4, 2025
Le Salon Richmond 1861, Montreal, Quebec

Shriners Children’s Salt Lake City

A Century of AMAZING CARE Celebration
May 10, 2025
Cleone Peterson Eccles Alumni House, Salt Lake City, Utah

Shriners Children’s New England

Community Anniversary Yard Party
June 8, 2025
Shriners Children’s New England, Springfield, Massachusetts

100th Anniversary Gala
Oct. 18, 2025
MassMutual Center, Springfield, Massachusetts