Tracy Eagles
Soon to be part of the Grand Aerie FOE
Posts tagged Fraternal Order of Eagles
Karaoke Rocks Among Eagle Members
Nov 12th
From the Grand Aerie Website (http://foe.com/):
Everyone gets to be a star during karaoke. Bill Loffer, FOE membership chairman, says that star quality and the fun and camaraderie that go along with karaoke make this form of entertainment so popular among Eagle members.
“It doesn’t matter whether the performance is good or bad, karaoke is entertaining to both performers and listeners,” Loffer said. “Karaoke is simple and lacks the complexity and expense associated with a band. Anyone with a CD player can host a karaoke event.”
Stars among us
Karaoke in the U.S. dates back to the early 1960s when a karaoke-like series, Sing Along With Mitch, aired on NBC. This form of entertainment, however, did not get cranked up among the Eagles until the 1990s.
“Eagle members sing karaoke everywhere—from small aeries and auxiliaries in more remote locations within the U.S. and Canada to larger clubs in metropolitan areas,” Loffer described. “The Eagles have so many talented karaoke performers in our midst that we are considering showcasing some of these individuals at the International Convention instead of booking some of the celebrity entertainers.”
Songs Eagle karaoke performers sing run the gamut—from oldies and classics to rock & roll and country. Some aeries and auxiliaries use karaoke nights as fundraisers and to attract new members, while others plan karaoke sessions as social events and as ice breakers to become acquainted with individuals who are new to our organization.
Getting everyone involved
Karaoke DJs often have a considerable following and may bring 30 or 40 individuals with them, bringing new people into local aeries and auxiliaries. Karaoke also rocks the hallways at the International Convention where DJs like David “Hondo” Locke typically bring two sets of equipment with them so they perform for scheduled events and provide karaoke for the hospitality suites.
“Everyone should try karaoke—it’s a great way for Eagles members to show off their talents and enjoy the company of their fellow members,” Loffer said. “Karaoke is enjoyable for individuals of all ages, including the young people in our FOE Junior Order of Eagles clubs.
“Who knows, the next big singing sensation may be among us.”
Volunteers, city collaborate on local park improvements
Nov 4th
From Columbus Ohio — Columbus Local News – By KRISTIN CAMPBELL — Published: Wednesday, November 4, 2009 4:42 PM EST
With a three-season shelter house and an herbal grove approved for two local parks, improvements to both Fryer Park and Gantz Park are getting closer to completion.
Monday, Nov. 3, council set aside $25,000 for design costs related to the multi-season shelter at Fryer Park on Orders Road. The building will feature moveable walls along its exterior and a fireplace inside. The building would seat as many as 200 people, and a grill, benches and tables will be added in the vicinity of the shelter house.
The project will be completed through a continuing partnership with the Grove City Rotary Club and a new pairing with Grand Aerie Fraternal Order of Eagles, which has its headquarters in Grove City.
The FOE has pledged $100,000 over four years and Rotary has pledged $50,000 over five years to help pay for the project. The total cost is estimated at $300,000.
Council members have asked parks officials to look into the possibility of converting the building to a four-season shelter, but Councilman Larry Corbin urged fiscal conservatism.
“I think we ought to find out how much it would cost to open it four seasons,” he said.
Council members also approved a $20,710 appropriation for engineering costs related to the herbal grove that is planned for Gantz Park on Home Road.
The new addition would be located behind the Gantz Farmhouse to the west of the large red barn where recreation school classes are held.
Plans show a two-tiered, circular garden that takes visitors down one of two sloping, tree-lined path to the lower level, where a labyrinth surrounded by a walking path make up the center of the garden.
The project is being paid for in part by the Gardens at Gantz volunteers, a group of plant enthusiasts who tend the gardens, teach classes and offer tours at the Home Road park and historic farmhouse.
The group has formed a fundraising committee and pledged $15,000 toward the project. The fundraising committee plans to sell commemorative bricks to be installed in the park, and they are also planning to compile a cookbook next spring.
Also at their Monday meeting, city council members approved a switch of the city’s telecommunications services to AT&T. Currently, for all of the city’s phone services in all of their buildings, the bill runs about $4,800 per month. Officials said the new contract will lower the cost to about $3,000 per month.
“Our information services people did, in my opinion, a good job negotiating,” city Administrator Phil Honsey said.
Council members also approved a special use permit for True2Form Collision Repair Centers, which is planning renovations to a building at 3965 Brookham Drive. Representatives from the company showed plans and drawings to council members, outlining the improvements they intend to make.
Among those are functional improvements including the paving of a gravel lot and construction of a fence to hide damaged cars from view. The new occupants also plan to reconstruct the entryway and change the roofline to make it look more like an office building and less like a metal warehouse. Juniper bushes will also be planted at strategic points to camouflage parked cars and increase visual appeal, officials said.
The next regular council meeting will be held Nov. 16 at City Hall, 4035 Broadway. Council members meet in caucus at 7 p.m. and open the regular meeting at 8 p.m.
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