Motorcycle group drives increase in membership and charitable fundraising
BY PAM BURKE
PHOTOS BY ERIC SEIDLE
With membership at the Havre Eagles Club slowly declining in numbers and increasing in age, two years ago club member Brian Carpenter came up with an idea to reverse those statistics and, while he was at it, raise nearly $40,000 for charitable contributions — so far. Brian looked at the national constitution for the Federal Order of Eagles, of which the local Eagles Aerie No. 166, is a member, and saw that the club could add another group for its membership beside the men’s Aerie and the women’s Auxiliary that had been a part of the club since it started: a motorcycle group called the Eagle Riders. “I was looking to raise membership 16 LIVING MAGAZINE July 2014
in the club, basically add younger membership to the club,” said Brian, “and in the national constitution for the Eagles Club I noticed they had provisions for starting a motorcycle club called the Eagle Riders, so I researched it and I got a few of the other members that were interested, and we brought it before the board and started the Eagle Riders.”
The FOE mission statement for the Eagle Riders is: “To have fun in a family oriented organization dedicated to the enjoyment of motorcycles and safe riding, while promoting the Fraternal Order of Eagles.” The relatively new group has 22 active members, said Brian, with more people contacting him on a regular basis expressing interest in joining. Havre Aerie President Dan Wiese said he thinks the club membership, which now sits at about 500, has increased by close to 25 percent because of Eagle Riders membership and their activities. H AV R E D A I LY N E W S