Who are the Shriners?

Shriners International, also commonly known as the Shriners, established in 1870, is an appendant body to Freemasonry, based in the United States. The organization is best-known for the Shriners Hospitals for Children they support and administer and the red fezzes that members wear. The organization is headquartered in Tampa, Florida. Shriners International describes itself as a fraternity based on fun, fellowship and the Masonic principles of brotherly love, relief, and truth. There are approximately 300,000 members from 198 Centers (chapters) in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Republic of Panama, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Europe, Brazil  and Australia.