PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (WATE) — The place that is home to Challenger, the famous bald eagle, and a host of other birds of prey, will open its new, highly anticipated headquarters in a few months.

In the meantime, the American Eagle Foundation continues to get support from our community. The latest comes from a company that fits right in with the cause.

Wild Birds Unlimited recently held a Birds and Brews fundraiser at Orange Hat Brewery in Hardin Valley, which brought in triple the number of people expected.

“It was extremely successful for the inaugural year,” said Wild Birds Unlimited Manager Tiffany Hamli with a smile.

They expected 35 people to come in for a brew. Instead, there were more than 130 who wanted to support the cause.

This week, Hamlin and her team from the store presented a check for $1,172 to Jessica Hall, American Eagle Foundation Executive Director. The money will make a difference.

“It’s really critical that our community rally around us,” Hall said, “because ultimately, we’re here for them, and so when Tiffany reached out to us from Wild Birds Unlimited, we could not have been more thrilled.”

She continued, “It’s going to go a long way toward furthering our mission pillar of education, as we start welcoming students here on field trips.”

The Wild Birds group got a tour showing them where the classroom space will be; a space for students to learn about birds of prey and other species at risk.

“They’ll come here and be able to create a nest box that they will be able to take home and put in their backyard and therefore create a habitat for species at risk like the screech owls and the American Kestral,” Hall said.

Thanks to support from businesses like Wild Birds Unlimited, the projects and programs will continue to build at American Eagle’s beautiful new home.

We’re looking forward to the dedication of the new headquarters coming up in October, along with other exciting announcements to follow.

If you’d like to support the American Eagle Foundation, visit www.eagles.org.