Before you write the Shriners a check:

Read this story.

If only two percent of Shrine Hospitals’ funding comes from general donations to local Shrine temples, and the rest from an endowment, they really don’t need your money that badly, do they?

If your donation doesn’t get sent directly to a Shrine Hospital but instead gets commingled into general funds for the local Shrine temple, including for bingo, liquor and trips, the Shriners you give your money to probably can’t be trusted to manage it that well, can they?

Of the $32 million the Shriners raised in 2005 through fund-raisers like circuses and raffles, more than 57 percent went to Shriners’ activities and temple expenses. Mr. Phillips, the director of temple accounting, said any financial control problems were small, given the size and complexity of the organization.

Shrine Hospitals do a lot of good. Local Shriners, not so much. At least not if they’re like this.

And, as the story points out, since the hospitals, as a group, are actually a separate legal entity from Shrine temples, why would you give money to local Shriners passing a hat at all?