Tuesday, January 10, 2012

The Osman Shrine Website Redux

I know I'm on a "technology is good" kick but it's because I truly believe that sentiment. With that being said, I noticed that the Osman Shrine website that has just been renovated.

The Osman Shriners completed a major overhaul of their website and it's looking great. The website has everything a member and a potential member might need, calendars, links to events, and other pertinent information.

I spoke with current Potentate, Frank Spevak, about the website overhaul. The main purpose the website was improved was to foster communication between the Divan and the members. The site is using Drupal which I think is good as long as you have a capable hand on the wheel which it appears Osman does. It also appears that Shrine Clubs will also have pages.

I am not a Shriner (yet?) but I know that without a strong web presence, no organization is going to be able to survive. Let's face it, the web is the new front door. In a world where television is the dominating pastime, we will need to open potential members' eyes to our organizations. When I was first checking out Masonry as a young man of 19 years, I could find no information on Masonry. The door was only opened to those that knew someone and finding that someone was near impossible. (My origin story can be found here. I literally had a Stonecutters' moment when I found out my Grandpa was a Mason and here I am.)

The Internet has changed that reality. A man can now go on a Grand Lodge website, write an email to Grand Lodge, and receive a name and email address or number to a lodge near his home. A man interested in Shrine can visit Be A Shriner Now and be connected to a local Shrine group. This is the new reality. It's now our time to take control of our destiny.

As a plug for my buddy Dan, you can visit his company's website, Club Management Services at http://manage-your-club.com/ to learn more about what services he can offer clubs. He was the website designer of the new Osman Shrine site. He does great work and is an all-around nice guy.

How has you lodge or Masonic organization used the web? Have you found results, good or bad? Leave a comment.


burntloafer said...

Nice article. Glad to see the link to Dan as well. They provide a much sought after service.

Tall Cedar said...

I hope Dan is not a Minnesota Mason--if so, his website is a violation of the prohibition against using Masonic logos in advertising.