Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center

Every Eagle Counts

It happened one summer in Kentucky during the International Convention. On that day in 2008, more than 700 delegates unanimously endorsed the campaign for the Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center at The University of Iowa (UI). On October 3, 2009, Eagles gathered in Iowa City to present UI with a $5 million check – the first installment of the five-year commitment to raise $25 million.

The Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center will be housed in the John and Mary Pappajohn Biomedical Discovery Building on UI’s medical campus. Rather than funding construction, our money will be used to establish endowed chairs and faculty fellowships – all focused on diabetes research. In essence, it is a gift that will last forever.

“We are thrilled by this extraordinary commitment from The Fraternal Order of Eagles,” said Sally Mason, president of the University of Iowa. “This partnership demonstrates our shared desire to understand and ultimately cure diabetes by moving research findings into the clinical setting as quickly as possible. We are grateful for the Eagles’ vote of confidence in our research enterprise, and we pledge to meet and even exceed their expectations in the years ahead.”

The UI-Fraternal Order of Eagles partnership is unique in that it represents the first time the University has joined forces with the nearly 1 million-member philanthropic organization. In addition to its strengths in diabetes research, the UI brings to the collaboration the facilities of its new University of Iowa Institute for Biomedical Discovery, so that The Fraternal Order of Eagles’ philanthropy can be devoted entirely to programmatic support of pioneering research.

“We are at a pivotal moment in history when there is great promise for making very real progress in treating and preventing diabetes,” said Jean Robillard, MD, UI vice president for medical affairs. “This visionary gift from The Fraternal Order of Eagles has enormous potential for helping us find a cure for this devastating disease.”

We need your help. “Every Eagle Counts” is our annual fund-raising program to encourage every Eagle to participate and be a part of this unprecedented time in Eagle history. Don’t be left out!

Updates

Betty Clark and Dennis Gilhousen, Co-chairs of the Diabetes Research Center cabinet, address the crowd.

Jean Kerr and Mike Lagervall are on site in Florida to rally the troops.

FOE Leadership Adopts "Every Eagle Counts" Campaign

Grand Aerie Leadership Monday rallied the troops to enlist full participation in the newly launched "Every Eagle Counts" campaign. The renewed push to focus on fundraising for The Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center at The University of Iowa came at the quarterly board meeting in Sarasota, Fla. The goal of the campaign is to raise $25 million to fund research at The University of Iowa, where the Eagles' name will live forever as the donors of the funds to make a significant dream a reality.

Iowa University News Release

• UI team reveals molecular mechanism underlying a form of diabetes

Donate or Fundraise Now!

Join the Fraternal Order of Eagles and The University of Iowa in our quest to find a cure for diabetes – download a campaign pledge form. Complete the form and mail to:

If you are sending a check please make out the check to The Fraternal Order of Eagles Foundation, Inc. or FOE Foundation and include Diabetes Research Center or DRC in the memo section of the check to earmark your check for this charity project.