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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives wish to congratulate the Ainad Shriners of 
4East St. Louis on the occasion of Ainad Temple serving as its 
5headquarters for the past 100 years; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, The Ainad Shriners broke ground on Ainad Temple 
7on June 3, 1922; the structure was designed with a Moorish 
8theme by renowned architect William B. Ittner of St. Louis and 
9Ainad Noble Albert B. Frankel of East St. Louis; and
  
 
10    WHEREAS, Ainad Temple was erected not only as the 
11headquarters for Ainad Shriners throughout all of Southern 
12Illinois but also in response to a growing need in the region 
13for a public venue for conventions, sporting events, and 
14social events within the community; and
  
 
15    WHEREAS, Ainad Temple was dedicated on October 26, 1923, 
16with a ceremony and parade that gathered thousands in 
17attendance, including Ainad members, Masonic affiliated 
18bodies, their families, elected officials, and community 
19leaders, and the day was celebrated as a holiday within the 
20City of East St. Louis; and
  
 
21    WHEREAS, In its 100-year history, Ainad Temple has hosted 
 
 
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1a variety of activities, including conventions, band 
2performances and concerts, charitable and fundraising events, 
3banquets, bond rallies, competitions, beauty contests, dances, 
4car shows, expositions, funerals, governmental agency and 
5military events, political and union rallies, circuses, home 
6shows, minstrels, religious events, TV and radio shows, movie 
7showings, sporting events, vaccinations, and many fraternal 
8events; and
  
 
9    WHEREAS, Ainad Temple remains the headquarters for Ainad 
10Shriners today, with the organization's jurisdiction including 
11the majority of Southern Illinois south of Springfield and 
12boasting over 3,260 members, the largest membership of the 
13five temples located within Illinois and the fourth largest of 
14the 201 temples located around the world; and
  
 
15    WHEREAS, Ainad Temple continues to serve as an anchor for 
16the community and the neighborhood due to the facility 
17remaining one of the few structures in the downtown area of 
18East St. Louis to be in good condition and well maintained; the 
19facility is regularly leased to local organizations for 
20various events and activities in addition to continuing to 
21serve the needs of the Ainad Shriners; and
  
 
22    WHEREAS, The Ainad Shriners will celebrate the 100th 
23anniversary of Ainad Temple with a rededication ceremony and a 
 
 
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1celebration onsite on September 30, 2023; therefore, be it
  
 
2    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
3HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
4we congratulate the Ainad Shriners of East St. Louis on Ainad 
5Temple serving as its headquarters for the past 100 years, and 
6we wish the organization continued success in the next 
7century; and be it further
  
 
8    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
9presented to the Ainad Shriners as an expression of our esteem 
10and respect.