THIS UNIT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACTIVE
The The Maskat Shrine Convee Patrol was founded by a group of Past Potentates in 1973 and included the following:
PP Guy Holcomb
PP Joe Justin
PP Cecil Rodgers
PP Mike Marks
Noble C. D. Knight
Noble Bud Burros
The group purchased six 1973 Cadillac Convertibles with white exteriors and baby blue interiors. In 1974, six more cars (1974 Eldorados) were purchased; in 1975, another six Eldorados were purchased; and, in 1976 ten more cars were purchased from Pistochos Cadillac. All of these cars were purchased by the DRIVERS of the cars. Today, the Convee Patrol has 14 cars, all owned and maintained by the drivers and car owners.
The Convee Bylaws state that the sole purpose of this unit is to “Promote Maskat Shrine” at the will of the Potentate. In the 37 years of this unit’s existence, it has been in at least 185 local parades in and around Wichita County and in Texas Shrine Association (TSA) parades as far away as El Paso and Houston (and many cities in between).
We are the only unit to have been asked by an Imperial Potentate to transport him and his Divan in a parade on the day of the parade. At a TSA parade in Dallas, Maskat Convee did just this with pride and then later in the parade transported Maskat’s Potentate and Divan through the parade. This was one of those unforgettable moments!
Our mandatory parades are the TSA parades, the Oil Bowl parades, and any parades the Potentate may request us to attend. All other parades are by invitation only. Two of our members still have the cars they purchased in 1976: PP Mike Marks, one of the original members, and PP Elvin Dudley. We try to keep all our cars within our unit. When a Convee member sells a car, an attempt is made to sell to a member of the unit or to a Maskat Noble who wants to be a Convee car owner. At this time, we are the only Shrine Cadillac Convertible unit in the United States.
The Convee does not have any fundraising projects. Unit dues or members themselves cover all costs for uniforms, parties, etc. It is not a competing unit–it promotes Maskat and Shrinedom at the Potentate’s will; therefore, the only recognition we get is from the citizens of the communities to which we go and the knowledge that we are helping get the donations for our Shriners Hospitals for Children which in turn “helps the kids.” That is all the recognition we need!
Our busy time of the year starts soon. We will be getting our cars ready to travel. If you know anyone who would like our cars to be in a parade, please have them send a request to our Captain, PP Mark Terry, or to Potentate Poney Thompson at Maskat Shrine Center. We have two primary rules for parades: our cars must stay in continuous line and every car must have a rider with the driver.
See you on the road somewhere. Also, if any of you want to buy a car, we may have one or two available. If you want to be an Alternate Driver, please contact PP Elvin Dudley at Keeterinc@aol.com or call me at 940-704-6366
