Supreme Queen Margaret Ann Risk of Supreme Temple Daughters of the Nile, speaks about the Shriners Hospitals for children system on Wednesday during an event at Sharon Shrine Temple in Tyler. Mark Martin/Freelance.

Overall, it’s good to be the queen, said Margaret Risk, who made a stop in Tyler on Wednesday as part of the Love for the Children Tour with the Daughters of the Nile Foundation.

“The thing that I like about being queen is the thing that has kept me involved with Daughters of the Nile: the members, the friendships,” she said. “Every city I go to is like family, and you know they’re doing it all for the children.”

The Love for the Children Tour, a project for the Daughters of the Nile Foundation to benefit the Shriners Hospitals for Children, began its multi-state, 112-stop tour on July 8, 2013, in Bangor, Maine.

The Daughters of the Nile, a benevolent international organization for women who are related by birth or marriage to a Shriner, Master Mason or Daughter of the Nile, works closely with the Daughters of the Nile Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity, to help support the 22 Shriners Hospitals for Children.

The tour is the brainstorm of Mrs. Risk, the organization’s 2013 Supreme Queen and CEO. Mrs. Risk travels with other members in a bus painted to raise awareness for the organization they nicknamed “Nila.”

“Since 1924, Daughters of the Nile has contributed more than $50 million to the Shriners Hospitals for Children for patient care,” Mrs. Risk said. “The purpose of this tour is to promote awareness of who we are and what we do, as well as accept donations to help us in our mission of helping children.”

The network of specialty pediatric hospitals throughout North America provides care for children with orthopedic problems, severe burns, spinal cord injuries and cleft lip and palate, regardless of their ability to pay.

“We are so excited to set forth on this journey to benefit the Shriners Hospitals for Children,” stated Linda Trible, President of the Daughters of the Nile Foundation, in a release. “This is the first time something of this magnitude has been done by the Daughters of the Nile Foundation in cooperation with the Daughters of the Nile, Shriners International and Shriners Hospitals for Children. We are hoping for a great response.”

Founded in 1913 in Seattle, Daughters of the Nile boasts a membership of more than 28,000 in 143 cities throughout the United States and Canada.

Through the Daughters of the Nile Foundation and Canadian Foundation, Daughters of the Nile contributed of $1.5 million in 2012 to Shriners Hospitals.

In addition, members sew clothing and quilts, and provide toys, books, games and other educational and recreational items with an annual value of more than $900,000.

To learn more about the Daughters of the Nile Foundation or to make a donation, go to www.donfdn.org.