Soaring Eagle

COEUR d'ALENE — Eleanora Capaul can't say enough good things about the Coeur d'Alene Eagles Auxiliary.

Great organization.

Great people.

Great spirit.

"It’s a great group," Capaul said.

And she wants you to join them.

It's not just talk.

The secretary of the CDA Eagles Auxiliary 486 was recently honored with a trophy for being the second-place top producer of new members in the country for 2019.

That means the Coeur d'Alene resident either recruited the newbies herself, or sponsored someone who needed one.

Last year, that number was 30, which made her No. 2 nationally. In the past eight years since she joined the Eagles, Capaul has been responsible for 188 new auxiliary members — and it currently has 814 active members.

Last year, she said, was her best for getting new members to sign on with the Eagles Auxiliary.

What sells others is her enthusiasm and her firm belief in the product.

The Eagles Club on Sherman Avenue is not just a place where you can get cheap drinks and beer, shoot pool and gab away the night with friends. Well, you can. But you can do more.

"I just tell them what a great organization that the Eagles Auxiliary is," Capaul said. "It's people helping people. We try to raise money for our local charities."

The Coeur d'Alene Aerie, the men's side, has been among the top producers of new members nationwide two years running.

Eleanora was a 25-year member of Kootenai County Fire & Rescue when she retired from that and looked to become a member of another benevolent group.

The Coeur d'Alene Eagles seemed like a good fit for Eleanora and husband Bob.

"So we joined and became members," she said.

The Eagles became a big part of her life, and she does her best to be sure it becomes a part of other lives. Strangers or friends or casual acquaintances, Capaul is more than happy to talk shop when it comes to the Eagles Auxiliary.

It costs $25 to be in the Eagles Auxiliary, and $15 for the registration fee.

What is her secret of success?

Well, she doesn't like to take no for an answer, but that's not it. And it's not that she's all that persuasive or a super saleswoman.

"I'm not a good salesman at all," she said, laughing.

It's just that the Eagles Auxiliary is an easy sell. Capaul said all she does is let people know what they're missing and what they could be contributing.

Most like what they hear.

And, later, they thank her.

Capaul keeps coming back to one line about the Eagles: "It's a great group of people."