Front of building: The Fraternal Order of Eagles is moving into this building off of Williams Rd. on Village Lakes Blvd. Photo by Mel Toadvine

The Lehigh Eagles are moving to their new building at 607 Village Lakes Blvd., off of Williams Ave., and the 400 members are excited since the new building is much larger than the small club site they have been housed in for several years on South Loop Drive.

The old building carries a 1111 Homestead Rd. address, but was at the rear of a shopping complex.

The organization was first chartered in Lehigh 30 years ago and there are still a few charter members who are still active in the organization. They are Rich Regnier, Gary Harlow, Joey Merillo, Joe Freeman and Butch Taylor.

“I hope I didn’t leave anyone out, said Reginier, one of the trustees on the board.

The building which the Eagles are purchasing has been four times a restaurant and each time the eatery has been forced to shut down to lack of business. The building is relatively new, having been constructed in 2006.

Building thermometer: Denis Smith, a member of the Eagles stands along side of a New Building thermometer that shows donations from members to renovate the interior of the new building to which they are moving. Photo by Mel Toadvine

“I think this is an ideal place for us,” said Patrick Kochil, another trustee. The president of the Fraternal of Eagles is Ken Isacksen who said they had been at the former location for at least 20 years.

The Eagles are one of the many organizations in Lehigh that has a high membership while some others are losing members.

Isacksen said the Eagles first met at the VFW and then moved to a store front at the now Lehigh Acres Town Centre on the corner of Alabama and Homestead roads, now owned by Eugen and Conchita Borosch in the vicinity of Jack’s Market and the furniture store.

“Then we moved to site on South Loop Drive,” Isacksen said.

The new building faces the Lehigh Miniature Golf Course and is next to the building that now houses the East County Water Control District offices, all built by the Pfuner family of developers in Lehigh.

Extended bar. Members of the Fraternal Order of Eagles have extended this bar in the new building they are buying. The new circular bar is around 42 feet. Photo by Mel Toadvine

Members of the Eagles have been in the new building for the past few weeks making changes, doing things like extending the bar to around 40 feet, making offices near the kitchen which served the restaurant.

“We didn’t have a kitchen at the old place and we wanted a place with a kitchen so we could serve meals,” Isacksen said.

The new building of 3,600 square feet is much larger than the old site. In addition to the so-called aerie (the nest of a bird on a cliff or a mountaintop, according to Webster’s online dictionary), there is an auxiliary. But men and women can belong to the Eagles’ aerie. But only woman are members of the auxiliary who have their own events.

The Auxiliary president is Marge Horeath.

How does one become a member of the Eagles, the trustees were asked.

New exterior sign planned: The American eagle as shown in the photo print will reproduced as a large sign above entrance of the new building on Village Lakes Blvd. Photo by Mel Toadvine

“Well anyone can come the first time as a guest. Then they can come the second time as a friend. Then when they come back the third time, they are members and subject to the low dues of the organization,” one of the trustees said.

Dues are $30 a year plus $15 for the application. For the Auxiliary, the application fee is $15 and dues are $20 a year.

According to literature handed out to new members, the Eagles are like a big family “in this Aerie of which you now are a member.”

“No one wants you to feel strange, so don’t hesitate to introduce yourself to any of the members in the Aerie home.”

Members are encouraged to take part in social programs and varied entertainments.

Plans for interior: Members of the Fraternal Order of Eagles and members have been doing much of the inside work to change a building which was a restaurant into the new Eagles home. They are shown here looking at plans and spent all of last week making necessary changes. Photo by Mel Toadvine

One you become a member, the Eagles refer to you as a stockholder and “you should protect your investment as a member by assisting in the proper handling of all Aerie business.”

According to another flyer, the story of the Eagles is a story of fraternal crusading: “There is something about the Fraternal Order of Eagles that is different and distinctive, something not to be found in any other Order,” an Indiana congressman once observed.

“Other fraternal orders promote good fellowship, do good deeds, provide death payments or other benefits for their members. But the Eagles go further than that. They reach outside their own ranks to fight for the welfare of all.”

The Fraternal Order of Eagles was founded in February of 1898 by six theater owners in a waterfront shipyard in Seattle.

In Lehigh, the new building and property around it, including the building housing the East County Water Control District next door, are being re-platted since the properties there are being sold off because the former corporate owners have gone into a receivership.

Many of the Eagles are taking time to make changes in the interior.

They hope to be completely moved into the new building by January 15. They have had to meet certain code requirements and get permits. And the health department must give its stamp of approval for the kitchen, which may not be in working condition for a few weeks or months.

But they were given a certificate of occupancy last week.

One of the members explained that the Eagles have “no bosses” in the organization. They have a board of officers and a slate of trustees (totaling 12) that meet each month and make all decisions and according to members, everyone gets along. Nobody takes credit for achievement, but the group as a whole claims responsibility for the new building.

No cost was given by the Eagles for the building but noted that it was a good deal because of the lower prices of buildings in Lehigh now.

At the old location, there is a “wall thermometer” showing pledges and financial gifts to outfit the interior of the new building which is not included in the payments of a lease until the platting is finished and the group goes to closing.

Denise Smith, also known as “Lucy” to her fellow members said the money chart hanging on the wall of the older site had reached $10,905. The drive began two and a half months ago. The names of members and the amounts they have given are listed. Smith said they range from small gifts to a thousand dollar donation.

“And this money is used for the interior of the new Eagles building.

The organization does a lot of charity work through the national Order of Eagles and also locally. They sponsor Babe Ruth baseball teams in Lehigh and also give to Pop Warner programs. They also give to the United Way and made a donation this past year to the new Hope Hospice House in Lehigh.

Nationally, the Eagles have promoted good causes and helped to make changes in governmental programs. They were the first to celebrate Mother’s day as a holiday.