The Fayette Shrine Club, located

on Ellis Road in north Fayette County, is the home of 115 local members.

They purchased a former daycare building in 1994 and are quick to participate

in local community affairs as well those overseen by the Yaarab Shrine

center in Atlanta.

The international organization

supports 18 orthopaedic care hospitals, three burn care centers and an

orthopaedic and burn care unit in Sacramento, Calif.

The organization brags that

they have the lowest receivable rate in the world, because they send out

no bills. All care of the children is totally paid for by the Shriners.

They have been doing so since 1922 when the first hospital was built in

Shreveport, Louisiana.

It costs $1.6 million dollars

a day to operate all of the centers and breaking it down, $19 a second.

That cost per day has risen from $35.5 million in 1975. They point with

pride to only a six percent overhead cost.

Of the 95 percent of children

with burns, 80 percent of them recover after care in the Shrine hospitals.

A recent dinner saw the Shriners

in Georgia kick off its campaign for funds and the Fayette Shriners pledged

$20,000 as its share.