Eagles New Year’s Eve Bash returns to California

Democrat photo/Kaden Quinn photo: 
Dozens of attendees join the California Fraternal Order of Eagles for a New Year's Eve Bash as they celebrate the start of 2023 with drinks, dance, music and family.
Democrat photo/Kaden Quinn photo: Dozens of attendees join the California Fraternal Order of Eagles for a New Year's Eve Bash as they celebrate the start of 2023 with drinks, dance, music and family.

A tradition returned to a prominent organization in California on Saturday evening.

The Fraternal Order of Eagles hosted a New Year's Bash to ring in 2023 for the California community. According to previous Eagles president and current trustee Rick Smith, Saturday marked the first time the club held the event since its original building burned down in 2018.

Attendees flooded into the club's new building at 314 N. High St., with their friends and family. The Eagles served food and drinks to a crowd of people ready to enjoy the night as the band Turner and Co., performed for the event.

Smith said the Eagles hosted this event for community members to have something they could attend locally instead of driving to Jefferson City, St. Louis or Kansas City.

After midnight, and 2023 officially arrived, the Eagles Club concluded the night with a free breakfast for attendees around 1 a.m.

Smith said the club's New Year's resolution is to continue their work helping the community.

Smith clarified over the last two years the club has raised more than $240,000. He said the Eagles' overall goal for the new year is to either match or exceed this number as well as bring in new members to the club.

Often members will recite their motto "people helping people" when discussing a special benefit or fundraiser they've put on for a special occasion, individual or organization, and it's the same phrase that will guide them in 2023 as they navigate the new year.