WEATHER
Last Friday marked a milestone for the Gig Harbor Eagles Club: The charitable, volunteer-based organization has been active in the community for 60 years.
The club celebrated its anniversary with a party Friday night. More than 100 of the club’s 600 members attended.
Eric Asplund, 83, was one of the charter members of the Gig Harbor club when it began in 1948. He said the club was started by two men who lived in Gig Harbor but attended the Port Orchard chapter.
There were 207 charter members in 1948; Asplund is one of six remaining.
The main focus of the Gig Harbor Eagles in the past six decades has been charity and giving back to the community, Asplund said.
One his fondest memories was cleaning up Gig Harbor City Park, now known as Crescent Creek Park, just two years after the club was founded.
“It was one of the main things we did. I think it was the second year we got started,” he said. “We went in and got it all cleaned up.”
Asplund also remembers the Eagles playing a role in the opening of Peninsula High School. The school needed extra money to construct the theater’s stage, and the Eagles raised $500 to help.
Those funds, current president Perry Prows said, are raised entirely by club members.
While the Eagles sometimes solicit gift donations from the community — the Christmas presents the Eagles give out annually to needy families and children are one example — all donated money comes directly from Eagles members.
Club members are encouraged to volunteer, but it is not required for membership.
“It’s all relative,” said Prows, who has been a member himself for 10 years and club president for the past two. “Those who want to volunteer do. Those who don’t are basically social members, who come and socialize at the club during events.”
Prows said he didn’t volunteer much before becoming president, but now he’s learned the important of volunteering, particularly at the club’s annual Christmas party.
Prows said his proudest moment was last year’s event, when more than $3,000 and 112 gifts were given to families in need.
That kind of charity work is why both Prows and Asplund have stayed involved with the Eagles for so long, and they have encouraged their family members to join, as well.
“We do try to make a difference every day,” Prows said.
The Eagles is an international non-profit organization that was founded in Seattle in 1898. It now boasts more than 1,600 clubs nationwide.
The club has been actively involved in issues such as social security and creating the Mother’s Day holiday.
Visit Eagles for more information.
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