Good works and fun times fit the bill for Eagles aerie

LARGO – As the leftovers of an angry Tuesday evening downpour trickled to the ground outside, Jake Shirley parked himself next to his bottle of Guinness at the long table near the bar. The 77-year-old resident of Clearwater has been a regular for 10 years, partly because he enjoys an occasional drink, but mostly because this isn’t an ordinary bar.Shirley is a member of the Largo chapter of the Fraternal Order of Eagles at 13308 66th St. N., Aeries 4013. Beaming in the dim light, he explained what the organization means to him.“Two-thirds of what we do is charity,” he said. “We’ve paid people’s light bills; we’ve paid people’s rent.”Founded in 1898, the Eagles are a body of men and women dedicated to “People Helping People.” Members pride themselves on nonprofit charity work, and seven have served as U.S. presidents, including Theodore Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan.The fraternity has more than 1 million members and 1,700 branches across the United States and Canada, and anyone is welcome to apply, but there is a small annual fee due upon acceptance.The Largo club received its charter in 1982 and now has about 300 members. Shirley considers all of them family, especially Fannie Underwood, 71, his sweetheart for 24 years.Underwood said the Eagles have numerous fundraisers for charities, and one of their current projects is Pennies for Puppies. An open jar on the bar collects loose change which will be used to help feed puppies before they begin their training to become seeing-eye dogs.“It’s wonderful,” she said of the group’s work. “It gives a good feeling.”Eddie DiSanto, 67, was president of the men’s Aeries for six years. Though he stepped down from his office this year, he and his wife, Paula DiSanto, 59, still remain actively involved in the chapter. Paula is a former secretary for the women’s Auxiliary.Sitting in their Largo home, the two shared stories of the children and families who have benefited from the Eagles’ work. From Christmas parties for underprivileged children to food donations to school supplies to shoe boxes for the soldiers in Iraq, Paula said “everything is donated and made by the club.”“There’s a lot of people around that want to donate and want to get involved,” her husband added, “but they just don’t know how.”The club regularly hosts social events and dinners to raise money, and all the proceeds from the bar go straight to charity after expenses, the couple said.One of Paula’s favorite places to assist is The Children’s Center at Sabal Palms, a privately-funded home that cares for disabled children. “It breaks your heart,” she said. “It really does just break your heart.”When the home needed a rocking chair, Paula said the Eagles purchased three from Cracker Barrel, and the restaurant even threw in a baby’s cradle. Paula said a little girl named Hannah has also stolen the member’s hearts. The child has battled a rare form of cancer since her toddler years, and the Eagles have done everything they can to help her and her father in the touching fight for her life.“We call her Hannah Banana,” Paula said, adding that the girl’s picture hangs in the clubhouse, and all of the members have taken a special liking to her.Although the Eagles are constantly raising money for charities and medical research, a pool table and about 10 dart boards in the room beside the bar give clear indication of the fun-filled evenings at the club house. “It’s not like you’re going to a normal local bar,” Paula said, adding that there is rarely any cursing, fighting or brawls, and there is even a room in the back for the children to play in.“It’s just – It’s just a nice place,” she said. Tina Milnes would agree.The 39-year-old wife and mother of two from St. Petersburg has bartended for the Eagles for the past three years. She said she enjoys the friendly people and the good hours; the club is open from 2 to 11 p.m. daily, giving her time to spend with her daughters.Milnes said about 80 percent of the members are over the age of 55, but she thinks that’s just because the younger crowd hasn’t heard about the Eagles.She hopes with more advertising that will change. “I’d like to see anywhere from 25- to 50-year-olds join clubs like this,” she said.And as far as Shirley and the rest are concerned, a new Eagle is just another addition to the family.