By Marlene Singer

For years, the Lake Havasu City Fraternal Order of Eagles has provided scholarships to the youth of our community. Most scholarships were $1000 annually for the entire four year term of a recipient's continuing education, and ten were awarded each May to graduating students and those already in the four year program.

Each year, applications were received from the high school and community college and a committee of Eagles officers and members reviewed the applicants' transcripts, financial information and other pre-established criteria and selected the ten recipients. Though the Eagles have programs that offer scholarships to the children and grandchildren of its members, the ten referenced scholarships were offered to students in the community, regardless of any affiliation with an Eagles member and were, in fact, primarily for recipients of the children of non-members.

Over the years, as money became less readily available, there was fear of having to either reduce or cancel the scholarship program all
together. No fund raising was ever done to fund these scholarships. The money simply came from daily operations and receipts of the Aerie. As expenses increased, there was less and less extra money available to fund the program.

Then, in the Spring of 2006, the solution was apparent. The committee working on the IronMan Golf Tournament took its desires to the membership of the Aerie and Auxiliary and offered to fund the scholarship program from the proceeds of the tournament. The promise was that the first $10,000 would fund the usual ten $1000 scholarships and any additional funds would be donated to help other youth programs in the community. The first year netted $16,300 for the beneficiaries.
The second year netted $16,600 of which $10,000 was earmarked for the Eagles scholarship program and an additional $2000 was donated by the golfers to the Don Danielson Memorial Scholarship Fund. (A proud firefighter, Don was on the winning foursome of the 10th annual event in 2006 and tragically lost his life shortly thereafter. The 11th annual tournament was dedicated to his memory).
Additionally, $4,600 was distributed amongst other youth programs including two Charter Schools, The Lake Havasu High School Golf Program, the Child Enrichment Fund and the Lake Havasu High School Educational Tour Group whose members have been assisting the Eagles during the tournament both on the golf course and at the awards banquet.

It should be noted that 100% of the money that the golfers pay to play in the tournament goes back to the golfers in the form of green fees, memorabilia, dinners and prize money. All money raised for charity is derived from business sponsorships, raffles and donations.