Despite efforts to recruit members and raise funds, the Logansport Eagles is officially closed, a news release from the local organization indicates.
Grand Aerie agent Mike Cummings closed the Eagles during a membership meeting Wednesday night, according to the release. It indicated the local organization has been battling dwindling membership and management problems for the last decade.
The Logansport Eagles has existed in Logansport for nearly 111 years. Chartered March 12, 1903, its future has been in limbo since November, when Cummings gave notice it would be closed early this year unless it began bringing in enough revenue to cover maintenance and everyday expenses.
Volunteers put on fundraisers in the intervening months, raising $1,700 at one auction and benefit concert. The Eagles praised "the hard work of a lot of great volunteers," but said its smaller membership and lower income were too difficult to overcome.
"Our campaign to raise funds was a failure," the release stated. "We were not able to convince anyone to donate enough money to help us get through the overhead problems we were facing. We had a few donations, a couple of fundraisers, but nothing worked well enough to get us over the financial hump."
It's unclear how the organization will reimburse members for dues already sent in and deposits paid for future events.
The release indicates the organization will likely be forced to sell its building, the proceeds of which would be used to pay off "a great deal of money" owed on it. Otherwise the organization is working with practically no assets, the release states.
Those with active memberships may transfer to other Eagles in the area, according to the release, but benefit members will lose their benefits.
The Grand Aerie has given the Logansport Eagles an opportunity to reopen on a smaller scale in the future, according to the release.
Members and others interested in the future of the Eagles locally are invited to a meeting at noon Sunday in the former SUS Castings building at the east end of the Market Street bridge.
Cummings and Logansport Eagles trustee Rick Ricci did not immediately return calls for comment.