The track too tough to tame was no match for F.O.E. Racing driver James Buescher Friday night in the VFW Sport Clips 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race from Darlington. Buescher continued his stellar run in the Nationwide Series with a ninth-place finish.

Cup Series regular Joey Logano captured the checkered flag, edging out teammate Denny Hamlin. Brad Keselowski, Sam Hornish Jr. and Austin Dillon rounded out the Top 5. F.O.E. teammates Justin Allgaier and Kasey Kahne finished 13^th and 18^th respectively.

After nine races, Allgaier sits in seventh in the series points standings, 104 points behind leader Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Stenhouse (364 Points) currently holds a 23-point lead over Elliott Sadler (341), followed by Dillon, Hornish Jr. and Cole Whitt.

Buescher, a Camping World Truck Series regular, and Kahne, a Sprint Cup Series regular, do not accumulate points in the Nationwide Series.

The F.O.E. returns to the track Friday night at Charlotte in the N.C. Education Lottery 200 Camping World Truck Series race at 7:30 p.m. on SPEED. The Nationwide Series returns to action Sunday at 1:30 p.m. on ESPN in the Pioneer Hi-Bred 250 from Iowa.

The F.O.E. Racing team continued its strong season with a pair of Top 10 finishes in Saturday’s Aaron’s 312 NASCAR Nationwide Series race from Talladega. James Buescher led the way with a seventh place finish, followed by Justin Allgaier in eighth. Brad Sweet finished 33^rd after being involved in an accident earlier in the race.

Joey Logano took the checkered flag in a photo finish with a final-turn pass of Kyle Busch. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Cole Whitt and Dale Earnhardt Jr. rounded out the Top 5.

In seven Nationwide Series starts this season, Buescher, a Truck Series regular, has a win, two Top 10s and has yet to finish lower than 14^th.

Stenhouse’s finish vaulted him to first in the series points standings, overtaking previous leader Elliott Sadler by five points. Austin Dillon is currently third, 35 points behind, followed by Sam Hornish Jr. (-60) and Whitt (-77). Allgaier is currently in seventh, 97 points out of the lead.

The Nationwide Series returns to action Friday night at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN2 for the VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 from Darlington. The Camping World Truck Series is back in action Friday, May 18, at 7:30 p.m. for the N.C. Education Lottery 200 live on SPEED from Charlotte.

The F.O.E. Racing Turner Motorsports team continued its strong season Friday night with a trio of Top 15 finishes in the NASCAR Nationwide Series Virginia 529 College Savings 250 at Richmond International Raceway. Kasey Kahne led the way for the team with a 10^th place finish.

James Buescher was 12^th, followed by Justin Allgaier in 15^th. Sprint Cup Series regular Kurt Busch claimed the victory with Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Sam Hornish Jr. rounding out the Top 5.

After seven races, Elliott Sadler leads the Nationwide Series standings with 285 points. Stenhouse Jr., sits two behind in second, with Austin Dillon in third (-23), Hornish Jr., in fourth (-53) and Michael Annett in fifth (-65).

Allgaier moves up two spots to seventh, 93 points behind the leader. Kahne, a Cup regular, and Buescher, a Camping World Truck Series regular, do not accumulate points in the Nationwide Series.

The Nationwide Series is back in action Saturday at 3 p.m. on ABC for the Aaron’s 312 at Talladega. The Camping World Truck Series returns Friday, May 18 at 7:30 p.m. for the N.C. Education Lottery 200 from Charlotte live on SPEED.

The Grand Aerie has issued a challenge to State/Provincial Aeries & Auxiliaries to donate an item or a basket of items for the 2012 International Convention Diabetes Research Center Auction. The best entries will be auctioned off live on stage during the Welcome to Grand Rapids Show Sunday, July 8. Remaining items will be included in a silent auction held throughout the week of convention at the Charity Foundation booth. Entries can include gift baskets, event tickets, time share vacations and more. Get creative! All entries should be turned in at the Charity Foundation in Grand Rapids by Noon, Sunday, July 8. For information, contact the Grand Aerie Marketing & Communications Department at marketing@foe.com or by phone at 614-883-2210 or click here for the Auction Challenge flier & entry form.

• Official 2012 International Convention Auction Challenge Flier & Entry Form

Since mid-November, the McMillan’s have been on a quest to visit all 88 Fraternal Order of Eagles Aeries in their home state of Florida. After a four-day span in January 2011 brought John a pair of heart attacks and congestive failure left his heart pumping at 30%, the couple was determined to ensure the life in his years far exceeded the years in his life.

“I’ve never been the type to just sit around,” John said. “For 50 years I worked hard, then they told me I had a bad heart. I have to do something. Obviously, I’m not going to do anything to make it worse, but I just can’t sit around all day.”

Through the Eagles, McMillan found a way to tie his remaining days in with a heart-healthy passion for giving that grew when he joined Bonita Springs Aerie #4002 in 2000. To make it work, he had to convince his wife, Lorry, to sell everything they owned.

“I didn’t want anyone’s help,” John said. “I don’t mean that in a negative way. We’ve always done everything we could to give back. I knew the members in Florida would donate, but I didn’t want the money coming to us. I wasn’t going to do this unless it benefited the charities, so I had to make sure we could cover the costs ourselves.”

Lorry agreed almost immediately. The McMillan’s moved to Florida some 18 years ago, with John giving up his job as a bar manager in Chicago, feeling the environment was not suitable for Lorry’s 8-year-old daughter. Now his wife had the opportunity to pay it forward.

>“I thought it was a little crazy at first,” Lorry said, “but I didn’t once think about saying no. It’s hard to give up everything, but John’s situation made me realize I might only have a month left or a year or five years. You never know.”

The couple carefully budgets $1,300 each month, with $500 of that going toward motorcycle payments. Remaining funds go toward food, recreation, RV park fees and motor home repairs.  Recent repairs coupled with unexpected RV park fees have slowed the McMillan’s down, but the couple remains determined to look on the bright side of every hurdle they encounter.

“The city of Daytona Beach wouldn’t let us park our RV at the Aerie, so we rented a space at a park,” John said. “The lady parked next to us ended up donating $100. Just the other night, I won the bingo jackpot at the Aerie. Things get a little tight, but whatever happens, I still feel good.”

Since beginning their journey, the McMillan’s have visited 77 of Florida’s Aeries, as well as Eagle Village, the organization’s retirement community in Bradenton. At each stop, the Aerie is presented with a donation card and an option to give to one of the couple’s three chosen charities – The Max Baer Heart Fund, The Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center and Hope Hospice. As of April 17, the couple has raised more than $10,000.

Understanding the current economic climate, they make it a point at each stop to clarify that no donation is required. Those that choose to give back have their donations sent to the Grand Aerie to be presented at the end of the McMillan’s journey. Aeries that can’t afford to donate are recognized by the McMillan’s just the same.

“I made sure we had no access to where the money goes,” John said. “I’m just a man spending the time he has left with wonderful people, asking nothing more than hospitality and a donation to charities I know will continue to do good even when I’m gone if possible.”

The response has been tremendous. What was expected to be a 60-day tour of Florida has since doubled. The McMillan’s are spending three or four days at each stop. If there’s a karaoke machine, you can bet they’re singing. If there’s a bingo game, you’ll find a McMillan with a card. While most journeys of the sort result in little more than a hello and goodbye, John and Lorry are spending each minute experiencing every bit of life inside each Aerie.

“It gets harder and harder to say goodbye,” Lorry said. “We go into these places not knowing anyone and by the time we leave, we don’t want to say goodbye. Every member we’ve come across has made this an absolutely amazing journey for us. For years, we both worked and went to sleep and did it again the next day. For the first time, we’re really living life together.”

During one stop, John offered to take Auxiliary members in attendance for a ride on the back of his motorcycle. What started as an innocent offer turned into a nearly five-hour joyride, with a 93-year-old member taking her first ever ride.

“She’d never been on a motorcycle before so I had to get an Aerie member to help me lift her onto the bike,” John said. “I told her we could turn around whenever she was ready and she refused to go back. I feel like my heart is growing back. The response is overwhelming.”

Despite the diagnosis, John and Lorry are approaching each day with an outlook more positive than ever. Both are optimistic about completing their goal of visiting every Aerie in the United States and Canada by the summer of 2013.

Once finished, they would like to have the name and number of each Aerie written on the motorcycle, which they plan to auction off at the Eagles’ 2013 International Convention to benefit their chosen charities.

Until then, the couple will continue their travels, enjoying life together for however long it may last and sharing their time with friends new and old along the way.

“Everywhere we go, it feels like home,” John said. “That’s why we got so involved in the Eagles to begin with. They make you feel like family. We gave up everything to do this, but they make me feel like I have more now than I did before.”

Tomorrow may never be promised to the McMillan’s, but as long as they have today, you can be sure they’re going to live it.

For the second time this season, James Buescher found himself in victory lane after dominating Saturday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series SFP 250 at Kansas Speedway. Buescher, who qualified sixth, led 103 of the 167 laps, grabbing the lead for the final time with 10 laps left to edge out series points leader Timothy Peters by more than five seconds.

The win was the second in a row for F.O.E. Racing and Turner Motorsports, following Kasey Kahne’s win last weekend at Rockingham. Cup Series regular Brad Keselowski, F.O.E. Racing teammate Nelson Piquet, Jr. and Todd Bodine rounded out the Top 5, while teammate Miguel Paludo finished 10^th.

It was a record-breaking day for Buescher, as he captured his first career win in the Camping World Truck Series, set a personal record for laps led and became the first driver in modern NASCAR history to record his first win in two of the top 3 major series’ in the same season (Nationwide Series, Feb. 25, Daytona).

With the win, Buescher jumps to second in the Camping World Truck Series standings with 159 points, four behind leader Peters (163) after four races. Justin Lofton (-11), Ty Dillon (-14) and Piquet, Jr. (-23) round out the Top 5. Paludo is currently 13^th, 57 points behind the leader.

The Camping World Truck Series returns to action Friday, May 18 at 7:30 p.m. on SPEED from Charlotte for the N.C. Education Lottery 200. After a one-week break, the Nationwide Series picks up again Friday at 7 p.m. on ESPN2 for the Virginia 529 College Savings 250 from Richmond.

After nearly two weeks off due to the Easter holiday, the F.O.E. Racing teams in the NASCAR Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series’ came back to the track in style with a win and six Top 10 finishes over the weekend.

The action started Friday night at Texas in the Nationwide Series O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 where Kasey Kahne finished third with teammates Justin Allgaier and Steve Arpin in seventh and 10^th respectively. Kahne appeared to have the fastest car in the field on extended runs, but was hampered by a late race caution allowing defending series champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. to hang on for the win.

Paul Menard, Kahne, Denny Hamlin and Austin Dillon rounded out the Top 5. After six races, Elliott Sadler retains his points lead with 247 points, holding off a hard-charging Stenhouse by just four points. Dillon is currently third, 20 points behind, followed by Sam Hornish Jr. (-54 points) and Michael Annett (-64).

Justin Allgaier is the highest point-getter for the F.O.E. racing team, currently in ninth place, 84 points out of the lead. Arpin currently sits in 35^th place after a strong finish in his first race of the season. As a Cup Series regular, Kahne does not accumulate points in the Nationwide Series.

The Camping World Truck Series was in action Sunday at Rockingham in North Carolina and this time around, Kahne was not to be held back as he took the checkered flag in the Good Sam Roadside Assistance 200.

Teammate James Buescher finished second, followed by Matt Crafton, Johnny Sauter and Timothy Peters. The win was the first of the season for F.O.E. Racing in the Camping World Truck Series and the second overall this season after Buescher’s Nationwide Series victory at Daytona in February.

F.O.E. Racing teammates Nelson Piquet, Jr. and Miguel Paludo finished seventh and 15^th respectively. Piquet Jr. dominated a majority of the race, leading 107 of the 200 laps, however a late-race gaffe on pit road cost him the victory.

In an attempt to beat teammate Kahne during a routine stop, Piquet was caught exiting pit road too fast and was sent to the tail end of the lead lap, where he surged past multiple trucks to for a Top 10 finish.

After three races this season, Buescher has vaulted to fourth in the points standings – just 10 points behind Peters, who currently leads with 121 points. Justin Lofton is currently second with 115 points, followed by Ty Dillon with 114. Piquet Jr., is currently sixth, 21 points behind the leader, while Paludo is 15^th, facing a 49-point deficit.

The Camping World Truck Series returns to action Saturday at 1:30 p.m. on SPEED for the SFP 250 from Kansas. The Nationwide Series has the weekend off before returning Friday, April 27, from Richmond for the NASCAR Nationwide Series 250 at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.

The annual Children’s Art Contest is one of a trio of events held each year by the F.O.E. to inspire creativity in our youth and promote community safety and awareness. In addition to the art contest, the Eagles’ holds a God, Flag & Country Oratory Competition each year in which children ages 10-15 prepare and deliver three-minute speeches centered around how the three titular ideals impact their day-to-day lives. Winners from each state/ province deliver their speeches on the grandest stage of all – the F.O.E.’s International Convention.

The organization also holds a Child Advocacy Day event in which Aeries and Auxiliaries are encouraged to plan and host a one-day event educating community youth on proper safety techniques and promoting the benefits of pride and involvement.

Throughout the year, Aeries and Auxiliaries are encouraged to start and maintain a Junior Order of Eagles. The J.O.E. provides a chance for those who do not meet the minimum age requirement of the F.O.E. to give back to their town through fundraisers, community service and more. These groups provide youngsters with a chance to learn the positive nature of philanthropy, gain leadership skills and establish a sense of tradition under the guidance of senior leaders of the organization.

The 2012 Children’s Art Contest drew several entries from around the United States and Canada. The full list of winners from this year’s contest can be found below.

Grand Prize

Emily Smith, 6^th Grade, Parkersburg, WVa. #4487

• Grand Prize Entry

Third Grade

1^st – Wyatt Stockert, Newberry, Mich., #3701

• Third Grade, First Place Entry

2^nd – Madisyn Sabo, Chillicothe, Ohio, #600

3^rd – Derek Cadwallader, Pender, Neb., #3757

4^th – Rachel Sand, Valley City, N.D., #2192

Fourth Grade

1^st – Emily Kramer, Brookville, Pa., #983

• Fourth Grade, First Place Entry

2^nd – Natasha Vrba, Sanborn, N.D., #2192

3^rd – Mason Gumm, Sharpsburg, Md., #1136

4^th – Jairo Ray, Ft. Stockton, Texas, #3220

Fifth Grade

1^st – Vera Mae Adizas, Folsom, Calif., #929

• Fifth Grade, First Place Entry

2^nd – Alexandra Espinoza, Folsom, Calif., #929

3^rd – Andrew Govertsen, Ormond Beach, Fla., #4435

4^th – Chloe Oleyar, St. Marys, Ohio, #767

Sixth Grade

1^st – Sam Young, St. Marys, Ohio, #767

• Sixth Grade, First Place Entry

2^nd – Tommy Risner, St. Marys, Ohio #767

3^rd – Shayna Bonfardine, Summerville, Pa., #983

4^th – Emilee Bott, St. Marys, Ohio #767

James Buescher continued his hot start to the 2012 season with a third place finish at Martinsville, Saturday, in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Kroger 250. Cup Series regular Kevin Harvick took the checkered flag, followed by Ty Dillon, Buescher, Justin Lofton and Timothy Peters. F.O.E. Racing drivers Nelson Piquet Jr. and Miguel Paludo finished sixth and 17^th, respectively.

The win moved Buescher up 10 spots to sixth in the series points standings after two races. With 69 points, Buescher sits 13 behind leader John King with 82. Peters and Lofton are tied for second, one-point back, followed by Dillon in fourth, four points back and Jason White in fifth with 74 points. Piquet Jr. is currently eighth with 61 points, while Paludo is 17^th with 43 points. The NASCAR Nationwide Series was off this week.

All three of NASCAR’s main series will take a break this weekend for the Easter holiday before returning to action next week. The Nationwide Series will be in action at 8 p.m. on Friday, April 13 from Texas on ESPN2 for the Series’s first night race of the year. The Camping World truck series hits Rockingham Sunday, April 15 at 12:30 p.m. on SPEED.

California was kind to the F.O.E. Racing team this weekend as two drivers placed in the Top 12 of Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series Royal Purple 300 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana. In his first race of the season, driver Brad Sweet, who will share the No. 38 car with Kasey Kahne throughout 2012, led the way for the F.O.E. team with a sixth place finish.

James Buescher finished 12^th, with teammate Justin Allgaier finishing 32^nd after engine troubles. For the first time this season, a Nationwide Series race was won by a Cup series regular as Joey Logano took the checkered flag. Defending series champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr., finished second with Brad Keselowski, Brian Scott and Austin Dillon rounding out the Top 5.

After five races, Elliott Sadler continues to lead in points with 214. Stenhouse Jr. is currently second with 196 points (-18), followed by Dillon (-27), Trevor Bayne (-34) and Sam Hornish Jr. (-54). Allgaier leads the way for the F.O.E. team in ninth with 126 points (-88). Sweet enters the standings in 30^th with 38 points (-176). Buescher, a Truck series regular, and Kahne, a Cup series regular, do not accumulate points in the Nationwide Series.

The Nationwide Series will take a two-week break before returning to action Friday, April 13, from Texas Motor Speedway for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 at 8 p.m. on ESPN2. After several weeks off, the Camping World Truck Series returns to action Saturday at 1 p.m. on SPEED with the Kroger 250 from Martinsville.

Results
Driver Standings
Owner Standings

The F.O.E. Racing team made the most of its trip to Thunder Valley on Saturday, posting two Top 7 finishes in the NASCAR Nationwide Series Ford EcoBoost 300 at Bristol.

Kasey Kahne led the way for the team, finishing second, just behind race winner and series points leader Elliott Sadler. Teammates Justin Allgaier and James Buescher finished seventh and 14^th respectively.

Cup series regulars Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano and Dale Earnhardt Jr., rounded out the Top 5. Through four races, a Cup series regular has yet to win in the Nationwide Series, providing a welcome competitive change for fans.

Sadler maintains a 25-point lead over defending champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr., in the series points standings. Trevor Bayne sits 29 points behind in third, followed by rookies Austin Dillon (-30) and Cole Whitt (-41). Allgaier is currently 65 points behind in ninth.

Kahne, a Cup Series regular, and Buescher, a Truck Series regular, do not accumulate points in the Nationwide Series. In the owner standings, the No. 30 driven by Buescher and the No. 38 of Kahne currently sit 39 points back tied for seventh. Allgaier’s No. 31 Chevy is 14^th in points.

The Nationwide Series returns to action Saturday, March 24, at 5 p.m. on ESPN for the Royal Purple 300 from Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif.

Every successful organization relies on three key components: an organizational structure, a clear mission and people. The Fraternal Order of Eagles understands the importance of people and how they build and shape our efforts to achieve greatness. That same understanding carries over to the F.O.E. Diabetes Research Center, where the University of Iowa is dedicated to shaping the course of diabetes by recruiting world class researchers to help in our quest for a cure.

The latest addition to the Diabetes Research Center team is Matthew Potthoff, Ph.D. Potthoff will serve as an Assistant Professor in Pharmacology with an appointment to the Diabetes Research Center. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Oklahoma and his Ph.D. in Genetics and Development from the University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas.

Potthoff did post-doctoral training with David Mangelsdorf at UTSW where he explored how certain genes regulate glucose and lipid metabolism, which are key issues in the fight against diabetes and obesity. His research on the subject has been published in various top-tier medical journals and will be the focus of his time with the F.O.E. Diabetes Research Center.

He and his wife, Manda, have a daughter, Emma, and anticipate the birth of their son in April. Potthoff comes highly recruited by several renowned medical centers and is another exceptional example of how finding success begins with finding the right people.

Editor’s Note: Information used in this story was provided by the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine with medical terminology and scientific explanations summarized for a broader audience by The Fraternal Order of Eagles.

Members of the Marketing & Communications Department (Zack Timmons, Mike Goldsmith, Lori Warner and Nancy Schlagheck) judged entries based on a uniform set of criteria. All entrants will receive by mail a letter, summary comments from the judges, and a complete list of winners.

“Communication in any organization is key to its success,” Schlagheck said. “The recent Strategic Plan Survey from the general membership tells us how important communication is to our members. Our Bulletin Editors are a vital source for communicating news on a local, regional and national level. At the Grand Aerie we want to continually be able to support their initiatives to create a stronger organization.”

All winners (placing first, second or third in a division) will receive a plaque commemorating their achievement. When produced, plaques will be shipped directly to corresponding State/Provincial Secretaries for presentation at the State/Provincial Conventions this spring.

Grand Worthy President Mel Fry and Grand Madam President Gwen Stallkamp issued the following joint statement to winners this morning upon receiving the results. “It brings us great joy to see so many Aeries and Auxiliaries dedicated to communicating with their members. We know every Editor sacrifices a significant amount of their personal time to make these bulletins come to life because of the pride they share for the F.O.E. We thank all of you for your passion in making your Aerie or Auxiliary the best it can be. Congratulations to each of our winners and we look forward to seeing your work again in 2013!”

Following is a complete list of 2012 Bulletin Contest Winners by category:

HVE Direct Connect – Flat Rock, MI

• PDF Version

1^st – HVE Direct Connect – Flat Rock, MI
2^nd – The Eagle’s Nest – Tri Cities, TN
3^rd – O’Neill Aerie and Auxiliary #3644 Newsletter – O’Neill, NE

Class B
1^st – Gorge Eagle – Stevenson, WA
2^nd – Eagle Herald – South Gate, CA
3^rd – Aerie and Auxiliary News – Mount Pleasant, MI

Class C
1^st – Rochester Eagles Newsletter – Rochester, MI
2^nd – F.O.E. 595 Grand Junction, CO – Grand Junction, CO
3^rd – Eagle Talon – Rainier, OR

Class D
1^st – Lima Eagles #370 News Views – Lima, OH
2^nd – Fredericksburg #4123 Newsletter – Fredericksburg, VA
3^rd – Durand Eagles Informer Aerie 3851 – Durand, MI

State/Provincial
1^st – Bear Necessitees - MO
2^nd (tie) – Nebraska State Auxiliary - NE
2^nd (tie) – The Tell All Bulletin - MD

Electronic Local
1^st – DCE Slugger – Louisville, KY
2^nd – The Eagles Talon – Orlando, FL
3^rd – Flying Eagle – New Port Richey, FL

Electronic State/Provincial
1^st – Arizona State Eagle Extra - AZ
2^nd – Wisconsin Lady Eagle - WI
3^rd – Kentucky Eagle - KY

In November 2011, the Grand Aerie Strategic Planning Committee chaired by P.G.W.P. and Grand Treasurer Jim West conducted a survey of Fraternal Order of Eagles leadership, membership and staff. More than 800 participated, providing a tremendous amount of data which can be used to make improvements and help the committee determine future plans.

Results for the survey are available in PDF format below. These results are broken down into an Overview section, which explains the survey and provides demographics for participants and basic results, as well as a Comments section, which features a sampling of extended responses to open-ended questions, selected to best represent the opinions of the participants. The Board of Grand Trustees and the Board of Grand Auxiliary Trustees both reviewed the results this week and have provided valuable feedback.

The Strategic Planning Committee will now take the results and redevelop a plan to guide ongoing efforts in the organization. The committee thanks all who have participated – and continues to welcome the voice of all members.

• Strategic Plan Survey Results - Overview
• Strategic Plan Survey Results - Sample Comments