Eagles Club looks to community for support

For more than 70 years, the New Rockford Eagles Club has been giving back to the community, and it's a role that members take role seriously. However, in light of coronavirus, they are making a rare ask from the community.

Eagles Aerie 2923 gives tens of thousands of dollars to local causes each year by operating three gaming sites: at the club itself and at Buck-Its Bar in New Rockford and Shamrock Bar in Carrington. The revenue generated through gaming activities – which includes electronic pull tabs, paper pull tabs, bingo and blackjack – is put into a special account. From that account, 40% of the funds must be given back to qualified charities per the North Dakota Century Code's charitable gaming rules.

The remaining funds are used to pay gaming-related expenses, including staff salaries, the cost of paper pull tab supplies, cash payouts to winners, a 4% transaction fee for each "push" of the electronic pull tab machine and applicable taxes. The club must keep detailed records of income, expenses and charitable giving and the Attorney General's office is responsible for auditing their books and enforcing the gaming rules.

Community support for the club through gaming is tremendous, the Eagles board members say, and for that they are grateful. However, there are maintenance needs at the club that cannot be paid for with gaming funds. Right now the priority is a new HVAC system, to include a new furnace and air conditioning unit. This work needs to be done in order to keep the building comfortable year-round for staff, customers and community members who rent the club for events.

The cost of the new system is $10,500, of which New Rockford Area Betterment Corporation awarded them a $3,500 grant through its Business Incentive Grant program last fall.

Board members expected to raise the remaining $7,500 at its annual spring events, including the Membership Drive Supper, Silent Auction Fundraiser and Mother's Day Brunch. Those events were canceled, however, when Gov. Burgum ordered all bars and restaurants to close for dine-in service and halted gatherings of more than 10 people. This caused the club to lose an estimated $10-12,000 in revenue over the course of six weeks. To add to the stress, many community events at the club have also been canceled or postponed, including graduation parties and the last of the spring fish fry fundraisers scheduled for March 21. It is likely there will be more cancellations if the current Phase I guidelines remain in place over the coming weeks.

Residents can be assured, though, that the Eagles board is committed to replacing the HVAC system and keeping the club open to serve the community – they just need a little help from all of you.

Here's what locals can do to support the Eagles Club and make it possible for them to secure the funds needed for the new system:

• Order supper to go. The kitchen is open Monday through Thursday from 5 - 9 p.m. with a full menu. Call 947-2944 to place an order. Note that the club is not open for dine-in service at this time.

• Buy a drink from the bar, and pay it forward to the next patron by adding a drink card to your tab.

• Purchase a gift certificate for someone else, so they can take the night off from cooking and enjoy a meal.

• Put in an off-sale order for a graduation party or other summer gathering. They offer cases of beer, bottles of liquor, cases of wine and even kegs.

• Make a donation to the club. Donations of all sizes are welcome and appreciated.

"Everything adds up," Brian Hopfauf added, underscoring the fact that the Eagles members appreciate all the support they receive from patrons.

Even though there isn't currently a manager on site, patrons can still inquire about reserving the club for events to be held after restrictions are eased. "Our employees have really stepped up to serve the public," said board member Brad Herman. He added that phone messages are answered regularly. The bar is open from 4:30 p.m. to close Monday through Saturday.

Since June 2018, the Eagles Club has donated nearly $150,000 to local charities in New Rockford, Sheyenne and Carrington. They've funded a variety of projects, from new uniforms for youth sports and medical expenses for area individuals to building construction for the Sheyenne Fire Department and restoration work at New Rockford's cemeteries after the 2018 severe summer storm.

An additional $6,900 has been pledged to state and national charities such as the Anne Carlsen Center in Jamestown and the Fraternal Order of Eagles' Diabetes Research Center at the University of Iowa. More about the funding priorities can be found online at http://www.foe.com.