It sound like an AWESOME body to join....... I however am on the fence about it because the closest Lodge to me is in San Antonio...... Which is only about an hours drive.....
I would love to join but I want to be an active member....
The Shrine never appealed to me for some reason, after I became an EA, I had some resentment towards the Shrine. This was because of my love of the esoteric side of Freemasonry, but that soon passed.
The Shrine was started in the 1800s partly because of the Temperance movement and the eradication of alcohol in lodge buildings. They have done wonderful things since that start, and have spawned a 100 different "funny hat societies", and are still the original and has one of the more recognized symbols.
Because I am against the grain kind of guy, I joined the Grotto (that and I don't know how long they will be around).