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Eagles Club state convention coming to Havre June 24

Following cancellation in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Fraternal Order of the Eagles will be hosting its state convention at the Havre chapter June 24 through June 26.

“This is an important step for the Havre Eagles. We haven’t done a state convention since 2006. We have gone to others. It’s all about learning how to help our communities,” Eagles Auxiliary Vice President Heather Sinclair said.

“We go through all our installations of state officers, we have dinners, we have games and everything. But strictly what we do is we get to know more of our state officers and our grand officers,” she continued.

With the death of long-time Eagles Club Manager Tom Farnham May 25, Sinclair and Eagles Auxiliary President Candace Dess have been working on organizing the event.

Sinclair said the club will have the opportunity to discuss finances and ideas for new fundraisers to help the community.

The state convention will kick off Thursday, June 24, with registration at the Havre Eagles Club from 4 to 8 p.m. Havre Beneath the Streets tours will follow. Then Auxiliary State Past President and Aerie State Past President dinners will be at the Duck Inn.

The focus of June 25 and June 26 will be various ceremonies, memorial services and officer installations. Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be served June 25.

The event will wind down June 26 with a cocktail hour beginning at 5 p.m., followed by an awards banquet prime rib dinner. The final event of the convention will be karaoke at the Havre Eagles Club at 8 p.m.

People interested in attending can contact the Havre Eagles Club at 406-265-9551 for more information.

Sinclair said the Havre chapter of the community service organization has been operating for more than 100 years. It’s motto is “People helping people.”

“We do a lot of fundraisers, to help our community. And it’s strictly our community along the Hi-Line that needs help whether people have a fire, kids need parties for Christmas, we provide all the Christmas parties and Easter parties,” Sinclair said. 

“We help people who are struggling, you know, who are having health problems that are in hospitals. We take care of the high school teams when they have fundraisers, the hockey teams, Havre baseball. So we do a lot of things with the kids. That’s our biggest priority,” she continued.

Sinclair discussed the impact of Farnham’s death, saying he was active in the Eagles Club, booking bands and other entertainment and setting up tournaments for many years before becoming the manager.

After becoming involved with the Eagles, he also served numerous years on the board of directors of Eagles Manor, serving as president for many years before stepping down.

“Tom hosted many meetings also. So we’re kind of new at this. So it’s really important to get to know and communicate with others and learn the ins and outs of our clubs,” Sinclair said.

“I have to tell you, Tom was a selfless person. He gave us 110 percent, even beyond what a normal person does. His selfless actions inspired a lot of us to dream more, learn more to do for others and become better ourselves. He was a true leader in every sense,” she continued.

Sinclair said she hopes Farnham’s legacy will carry on with the Eagles.

Sinclair said they are working on starting a junior club for youths.

She said the aim of a junior club will be to help attract new, younger members.

“I noticed that as the older generation is dying off, we need to bring more members into our club. Right now, the Junior Eagles, we are trying to show them that giving is the big key to our community and we want to inspire them to help others,” Sinclair said.

She said the Eagles want to get young people involved in helping with dinners and things like shoveling snow for the elderly, things that will inspire other kids to do better.

“But we need these younger people to eventually join into the Eagles so they can keep the Eagles going on doing what we need to do — (which) is to help people,” Sinclair said.

 

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