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Bill Carter of Blowing Rock Becomes 125th Leader of Oasis Shriners on January 4

Bill Carter

A long-time family tradition continues January 4th in Charlotte as Shriner Bill Carter of Blowing Rock, N.C. becomes the Potentate and Chief Executive Officer of Oasis Shriners. Oasis covers 50 of North Carolina’s 100 counties including Greensboro, Winston Salem, Charlotte, Pinehurst, Asheville, Murphy and all points in between. According to Carter, Oasis Shriners is the largest Shrine organization in the world. Carter was proud to add that Oasis members are the largest contributors to Shriner’s Hospitals for Children out of the nearly 200 Shrine temples in the world. Carter is proud of his beautiful mountain hometown so he will bring a large Shriners meeting to Blowing Rock in the spring.

The Oasis website describes Shriners International as “a fraternity based on fun, fellowship, and the Masonic principles of brotherly love, relief for others, and the truth,” and Carter echoed that, saying “We raise the most money for the Shriner’s hospitals throughout the world while having a great time.”

Bill Carter’s Shrine connections run deep—200 years deep— Carter saying that Shriners have to also be Masons, and that Masons among the men in his family go back in an “unbroken line to the 1820’s, ” and that he is a 6th generation Mason and a third generation Shriner.

Carter said, “I’m thrilled to have been elected the 125th Potentate of Oasis, and what it means to me is I will lead the largest Shrine temple in the world for a year.” He went on to say, “I will travel mostly throughout North Carolina—but also some throughout the United States— representing Oasis as the Chief Executive Officer of the fraternity.” Carter went on to say “Our philanthropy is 22 children’s hospitals—mostly in America—but some throughout the world.”

Carter said his year will include attending the various clubs and units in the 50 western counties of North Carolina as well as playing the part of ambassador to the clubs in other areas of the southeastern US.

Peering into the future, Carter said he would like to look back at his year as Potentate, saying, “What I’d like to have, in looking back at my year, is one of promoting Shriners, continuing to raise its recognition to the public. Also, I would like to continue to raise the recognition of the Shriners Hospitals for Children to the general public. We treat children for a multitude of conditions –and I want to stress this—regardless of their ability to pay.” Carter described specialties of the various Shriners hospitals in their treatment of spinal injuries and conditions, burns, cleft palate, and more.” He said “The medical profession is an ever-changing science, and we want to keep in line with those changes and stay in touch with the profession.”

The Oasis website says:

Shriners Hospitals for Children® is a network of 22 hospitals throughout the entire country offering specialized medical care to children. The Shriners Hospitals are located throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. Eighteen of the 22 Shriners Hospitals provide comprehensive pediatric orthopedic care to children, including outpatient and inpatient care, diagnostic services, surgical and medical care, cast and braces, prosthetics, X-Rays, rehabilitation, recreation and continuing education.

Bill Carter’s installation as the Oasis Potentate is Saturday, January 4th, at the Oasis Shrine Center in Charlotte.