The Crookston Eagles Club will be hosting its annual Camp Confidence Extravaganza Fundraiser on Saturday, March 9. Camp Confidence is a camp located in the Brainerd Lakes area that houses and provides activities for individuals who have cognitive or learning disabilities. In the summer of 2023, the organization celebrated its 50th anniversary.
“The state eagles have been involved with them basically since they’ve started,” said Local Aerie secretary for Crookston Aerie 873 Jake Fee, “This is a great camp, and it’s a year-round camp in the Brainerd Lakes area, which provides all kinds of hands-on activities whether its canoeing, archery, cross country skiing, fishing, they have all sorts of outdoor activities.”
In February, the Crookston Eagles hosted a cornhole tournament which raised nearly $2,000 for Camp Confidence. Camp Confidence relies on entities like the Eagles to run these fundraisers because they do not receive state or federal funding. “This is all done on fundraising, so these events are very important,” said Fee, “Whether it’s the cornhole fundraiser or this event, which we’re hoping to raise around that $20,000 mark. We’re also looking to do a gun bingo in the fall. These events are important that we do locally but also throughout the state.”
Tickets for the Camp Confidence Extravaganza are $60. The ticket includes a prime rib or walleye dinner and a $50 gift certificate to Reed’s Sporting Goods for use in their store or line. It is important to get your tickets quickly; as Fee noted, this event sells out each year. You can get your ticket at Scott’s True Value throughout the week from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. or at the Crookston Eagles Club from 3:00 p.m. to close.
“The doors will open at 5:00 p.m., and I always recommend getting there as quick as possible,” said Fee, “They don’t print endless amounts of tickets, so some of these raffles do sellout, especially the gun and cash raffle, which are some of the popular ones so I do recommend getting there when the doors open right at 5:00 p.m.” The gun raffle includes ten different guns that were purchased from Erickson Embroidery. Other big-ticket items in the raffle include an Eskimo I49 I fish house, an Eskimo 3I Fish House, and a pizza oven.
Over the nine years the Crookston Eagles have hosted the Extravaganza, they have raised more than $100,000 toward Camp Confidence. “This is something we’re very proud of,” said Fee. “We couldn’t do this without the community’s support. The community has bought into this, and it’s not only a fun event, but, with the lives they are changing with this event, it really provides life-changing experiences for those with cognitive and developmental disabilities.”
The Camp Confidence Extravaganza event begins at 5:00 p.m. Attendees can check in and buy raffle tickets. The prime rib and walleye dinner will begin at 7:00 p.m., and the raffle/auction will follow.
