VALDOSTA — About 1,300 people are expected to arrive in Valdosta today for the 52nd Georgia Shriners Convention.

The convention invites the Valdosta community to the wide variety of events and activities that will range from pageants and gospel programs to parades and formal attire balls.

“It’s really just a time to get together and enjoy each other’s company and have a good time,” said Gerone Anderson, the Shriners convention director for Georgia.

The Valdosta chapter of the Shrine organization is called the Ossipe Temple and the Ossipe Court. The temples are designated for the organization’s men, who are also called Nobles, while the courts are for the women of the group, who are named Daughters.

This year marks the convention’s first return to Valdosta since 1996. The event rotates between eight temples in different cities throughout Georgia. Last year’s convention was held in Macon, and next year’s will take place in Augusta. Yet, the convention is predicted to bring swarms of people and bundles of money to local businesses.

“I predict that we are looking to have about 650 Nobles and Daughters combined,” Anderson said. “We’re talking about at least 1,300 people coming to Valdosta, not to mention their friends, family and children. We’re bringing a big impact to the city.”

In addition to the Shriners’ impact on the city, Anderson hopes the city will impact the Shrine as well.

“We have a lot of activities and events during the weekend that we hope the community will come out and see what we’re all about,” he said.

At 9 a.m. today, a public program will be held that will allow Mayor John Fretti and Rod Casey, chairman of the Board of Commissioners, and other city officials to welcome the Shrine delegates.

During the program, the Daughters will donate a “Shoe Box” donation to a homeless shelter that will include many non-perishable items, clothing and other items in demand for underprivileged families. The women will also announce the recipient of a $1,000 scholarship to a female graduating high school senior or college student who applied for the annual scholarship and demonstrates high academic achievement.

“It’s to show unity and solitary dreams of Nobles and Daughters in the community and to be a helping hand to our brothers and sisters when they are in need,” Anderson said. “We are servants to the community.”

After the Daughters present the awards to the community and the Nobles announce the amount of the Sickle Cell donation check, a memorial candlelight vigil will be held to honor the organization’s Nobles and Daughters that have passed within the last year.

At 7:30 p.m., the Shriners will host their annual talent and scholarship pageant at the Elks Lodge. Young ladies from each temple and court statewide will compete against one another, and the winner will go to Atlanta to represent the “Dessert of Georgia” in a national scholarship pageant.

All participants have to be a graduating senior or a college student under 22 years of age. The Valdosta Ossipe Temple’s representative will be Joy McCalla, former Miss Valdosta High School.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to represent the Shriners,” McCalla said. “This is the first pageant I will have participated in that helps people to the magnitude of the organization, and I think it will really allow me to give back to the community.”

A gospel program will follow the pageant and will highlight local singers and musicians. Paulette Griffin and Tiffany McCallister from the Day Springs Baptist Church will perform in the concert in addition to the local gospel singers “Tooley” and Adel’s “DeBerry.”

Saturday’s events will start with an inspection of different youth teams at the Holiday Inn beginning at 9 a.m. The drill competition will highlight the youth team’s uniform dress, appearance and presentation. A small celebration will follow the contest at Jac’s Bowling or Jungle Jym’s Family Fun Center to allow children and adolescent to engage in fun activities.

The child’s play will stop with the luncheon and fashion show that will feature the Daughters modeling Egyptian attire. The event will be held at the Elks Lodge beginning at noon. The convention’s parade will precede the fashion show and luncheon at 4 p.m.

The parade will begin at Woodrow Wilson Drive and Patterson Street and end at Valley Street in downtown Valdosta.

This year the Ossipe Temple decided to change up the norm of the parade and invite the public to see its mini cars, clowns and decorative floats.

“Well, it normally just hasn’t been open to the public,” Anderson said. “It depended on the city because in some places there are big crowds and small crowds, but we wanted to try something different because the public is our main support, and we need to give something back so they actual see what we do.”

The weekend convention is scheduled to end with a formal ball on Saturday night from 9 p.m. to midnight at the Elks lodge.

More than 300 people have already registered to attend the ball, and space is limited to anyone who is not a member of the organization and would like to attend. The cost is $15, and reservations should be made as soon as possible.