Most Ontario Eagles have never visited an aerie other than their own, and that’s a shame. All of us, 1,500 aeries in Canada and the United States, have common purposes, very similar structures and memberships with much in common – “the fraternity for the common man”, as President Harry Truman called the Eagles, to which he belonged.
Because other aeries are so much like ours, you’ll see ideas you might suggest for your aerie or pitfalls to avoid, and in many cases something you can aspire to for your aerie.
In the vast majority of cases you’ll be very welcome as soon as you arrive. Sometimes you’ll feel like you’ve been a regular for years (North Vancouver BC, Hopkinsville and Louisville KY and Falls Creek PA come to mind). In rare cases members are unaccustomed to outsiders and it might take more effort. In my worst visit I had to show my membership along with photo ID and sign a waiver that I was not in law enforcement of any kind or municipal licensing, and that I was unarmed (though I felt like I was the only unarmed patron).
Eagles are at their friendly best when there’s something going on they’re proud of. There are plenty of special events ideal for visiting other aeries – Provincial and State Conferences and Conventions; District and Zone meetings; golf, bowling and horseshoe tournaments; and charity fundraisers that draw attendees from several aeries.
Something might take you out of town anyway – business, visiting relatives or cross-border shopping, for example. Whatever the reason, why not include a visit to one or more aeries that might be nearby?
Here’s what you might want to include in your planning:
Check the FOE Aerie Locator. Enter the city or town you’re going to and you’ll get a listing of nearby aeries with address, phone, meeting nights and whether or not they have Auxiliaries. Meeting nights (Aerie or Auxiliary) are the ones most likely attended by the most active members. The existence of an Auxiliary generally suggests a larger volunteer base for activities.
The aerie number also tells you how long the aerie has been around. Roughly, a number smaller than 1,000 means it was chartered in the heady first decade of the Eagles, likely by stagehands and entertainment people, and survived to the present. The 1000s means it was chartered in the 20s and early 30s, likely by community leaders interested in the growing activism in charities and lobbying for various political causes – and during Prohibition, when they couldn’t (legally) count on bar sales to support themselves.
An aerie number in the 2000s means it started post-prohibition but would in their early years see many of their members go off to war. Aeries in the 3000s started postwar, boom times for Eagles with returning veterans. Aeries in the 4000s are the newest and so have only recent history. Some have prospered right off the bat and others struggle to this day. This rough sense of history won’t tell you much, but it might suggest something of how well-established the aerie is in its community.
Check Google Maps next. The map itself will show you where the aerie is relative to highways, the airport, where you’re thinking of staying and the downtown, the beach or other areas you might want to visit. Next and still on Google Maps, check the street view. You’ll see the aerie in a big, grand-looking building, in a shopping plaza, in a modest converted house or storefront property. Go for a “walk” - drag your mouse along the street to see what’s nearby – farms, a residential neighborhood, a motel strip or a bustling shopping area, perhaps.
Then use “search nearby”. “Hotels”, for example, will tell you if they’re likely to be used to out-of-town visitors, and a check of room rates might suggest how expensive the neighborhood is. “Shopping malls” will do the same: a huge nearby mall suggests a prosperous market area. Search as well for Elks, Moose and VFW. A cluster of fraternal organizations is often a good sign. Finally, a look at Google Earth’s overhead view will tell you what parking there is, and what surrounds the aerie that you won’t always see in street view – industrial sites, fields and swamps, major highways, commercial or residential neighborhoods.
Next, Google “aerie xxxx, fraternal order of eagles” to see what comes up. If the aerie has a website or Facebook page you’ll see it quickly. Unfortunately these sites are meant for the locals and are more likely to see pictures of gussied-up banquet rooms for rent than you will of the social rooms showing you the regular atmosphere. Check for a calendar of events: lots of them is a great sign.
Google News with the same search term will show news coverage of a recent community event if they promoted it well; or, of course, a burglary, lawsuit or other catastrophic fire. Check its State or Provincial website to see if there are State or Provincial officers or committee people from the aerie you’re interested in, major State functions planned for there or if the aerie is home of a Grand officer or Hall of Fame member – all signs that the aerie is or at least has been outward looking rather than insular.
With what you’ve learned, ask your fellow Eagles. You know who the well-traveled ones are. Ask about their experiences, where they stayed, if there’s anyone special they should ask for and whether they’d want to return.
When you do visit, always take your FOE membership receipt with you. In many cases you won’t get in the door without it. Wear Eagles-identified clothing if you have any. Buy a few drinks for others as soon as you arrive.
Behave while you’re there. Respect your hosts and never be critical of anything you see. And perhaps most importantly, tell everyone at home when you return about your experiences.
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