Eagles Aerie #2546

Eagles Aerie #2546 is a non-profit Fraternal Order of Eagles club that has served Duncan and the Cowichan Valley since 1946, marking 80 years under the Eagles motto, People Helping People. Based at 2965 Boys Road, it runs two things the public can use: a licensed lounge open seven days a week, and a large community hall available to rent.

The Eagles Lounge is a relaxed neighbourhood bar with cold drinks and free games — pool, shuffleboard and darts are available at no charge whenever the lounge is open. Live entertainment runs almost every day: live bands every Friday at 7pm, Wednesday karaoke from 1 to 4pm, a Saturday afternoon music jam hosted by The Rivals from 2 to 6pm, a Sunday afternoon country jam with a rotation of three bands from 2 to 6pm, and the Big Foot Boogie Jam on the third Thursday of each month from 7 to 10pm. Friday Beer and Burger Night runs 5 to 7pm before the band, and weekly meat draws are held Friday at 4pm and Saturday and Sunday at 3pm. Non-members are welcome when signed in by an Eagles member; annual membership is $65.

Lounge hours: Monday and Tuesday 12 to 5pm, Wednesday and Thursday 12 to 7pm, Friday 12 to 11pm, and Saturday and Sunday 12 to 7pm. Lounge phone: 250-746-5611.

Eagles Hall seats up to 300 guests and is one of the largest event spaces in Duncan. Rentals include tables and chairs for 300, a licensed bar staffed by Eagles members with no separate liquor licence required, a full commercial kitchen for your own caterer, free on-site parking, and full wheelchair access to the entrances, washrooms and main floor. The Eagles Ladies Auxiliary can also cater, and the flexible open floor plan suits weddings and receptions, celebrations of life, birthdays and anniversaries, fundraisers, dances and live music, corporate meetings, AGMs and elections, and craft fairs and markets. As a non-profit, the aerie keeps rental rates affordable. To check a date, contact hall coordinator Myrna at myrnas@shaw.ca or 250-746-7100; inquiries are answered within 1 to 2 business days.

The aerie is powered by community volunteers, and most roles are open to non-members. Ways to help include the Friday Beer and Burger Night kitchen (Food Safe certification needed), the weekend meat draws, sorting returns at the bottle depot, yard and building maintenance, and setup or bar shifts for special events. Because it is a non-profit, the money raised through the depot, meat draws and fundraisers stays in the Cowichan Valley, supporting local families and community causes. To pitch in, email 2546duncan@gmail.com.