The Eagles have almost landed.

The 105th Minnesota State Eagles Convention is being hosted this week by Austin Eagles Aerie No. 703.

By week’s end, more than 500 Eagles and their spouses/partners will be here.

The convection takes place at the Holiday Inn of Austin Convention Center, but the 2-year-old Austin Eagles Club headquarters will also be the scene of several activities.

“There will be 275 delegates at the convention this week,” said Dick Brekke, one of the local chairpersons planning the event.

The last time the Austin aerie hosted a state convention was 1991, according to Clayton, and before that it was 1954. “This isn’t something we do that often.

“Individual aeries have to bid on hosting the state convention and be selected for the honor,” Clayton explained.

The local aerie started planning for the state convention over a year ago.

Not only is being chosen to host the convention an honor for the local aerie, but there is a grant awarded to the hosts by the state organization.

“Every year, the local aerie received a grant from the grand aerie and this year it was $5,000,” Clayton said.

The Austin aerie decided the money should go to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Mike Holweger, state Eagles president from East Grand Forks, will preside over the convention.

Bina Silverthorn, state Eagles Auxiliary, will preside over the convention’s auxiliaries.

The Austin aerie has 1,250 members and the auxiliary has 410.

The impact of the Austin aerie on community life is impressive.

From scholarships for the best and brightest high school graduates to sponsorship of youth sports and countless other gestures to enhance the quality life, the Eagles makes its presence known.

Perhaps, the highest profile project is the Eagles support of cancer research.

Who doesn’t know of the 5th District Eagles Cancer Telethon each January in southern Minnesota?

The Austin aerie leads the way in raising money locally, but every town in northern Iowa, southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin comes through with successful fundraising efforts.

The proceeds go to the Hormel Institute, Mayo Clinic and University of Minnesota Cancer Research Fund.

That the local aerie has grown so large and been so successful takes on added importance when one considers how calamities — fire, but more often floods — have interrupted their mission to serve.

Today, they occupy a 2-year-old facility off 11th Street Northeast.

Only 4 years ago, the club was a flood victim at its old site along the banks of the Cedar River.

“If we were still in the old location, we would have had to cancel holding the state convention,” said Clayton without hesitation. “The flood would have did us in.”

“Part of the reason for bidding on holding the state convention in 2008 was the fact we were going to building a new building,” Clayton said. “We had confirmed that with the city and we knew that 2 years ago.”

“This is kind of a show-and-tell thing for us,” he said.

“We’re excited, but we’re worn out, too,’ said Brekke at the last pre-planning meeting before the convention.

Valeria Maloney, president of the Austin Eagles Auxiliary compiled a history of the organization’s roots in Austin.

“Austin joined the Eagles family on June 20, 1904, when they were chartered with 79 men’s names,” Maloney said. “Many of these were local businessmen and prominent citizens.”

The Eagles Auxiliary was chartered in June 1935.

Donald R. Stillwell Sr. was named to the Eagles’ Hall of Fame in 1985; Clayton received the honor in 2004.

Registration begins today for both Eagles and auxiliary delegates.

Then, the state convention begins in earnest Thursday and heats up Friday before adjournment Saturday.