Rod and Gun Club president Rick Hoar. File photo
By Breanne Massey
Pioneer Staff
American comedian Jay Leno once said that taking a hunting trip with Dick Cheney might not be on everybodys bucket list.
However, experienced hunters should weigh up their catches of the past season and allow foodies to delightfully reap the benefits of consuming wild game at a major fundraiser for local outdoors enthusiasts.
The Wild Game banquet hosted by the Lake Windermere District Rod and Gun Club is being held at 5:30 p.m. at the Invermere Community Hall on Saturday, February 20th.
Its been running since the mid-50s as a continuation, said Richard Hoar, Lake Windermere District Rod and Gun Club president and chair of the Wild Game banquet. There was some stuff going on before that but because weve been around since 1919, this is our annual banquet.
The social evening will include both a silent and a live auction; a balloon draw; bucket raffles; card draw; youth raffle items; and a photo contest for members with $100 for each category winner.
This years card draws are for one rifle and one compound bow with a second firearm through ticket sales.
In addition, Mr. Hoar added that some of the money raised last year has been put towards the Abel Creek restoration project to help habitat for Kokanee, salmon and rainbow trout move and spawn in the area.
And were going to be doing some more work up at Abel Creek in the future, he said, noting there would also be funding put towards nesting boxes for the Lewis woodpecker and another for waterfowl in the wetlands area.
At the Wild Game banquet, trophies and awards will be presented to youth and adults for their contributions to the club throughout the hunting season after supper and appies.
We serve wild game, said Mr. Hoar, noting the menu includes black bear, cougar, deer, elk, beaver, mountain goat and geese. I like it all, but I think my favourite part is seeing the awards because the most interesting part is probably watching the youth who got a trophy that year for hunting and for fishing some of the youth are so proficient, it actually puts some of the adults to shame.
At the end of the presentations, there will be a dance and a midnight snack before the doors close at 12:30 a.m.
There will be roughly 200 tickets for the event sold on a first come, first serve basis starting this week at RONA, K5 Mechanical, Kootenay Coffee, Home Hardware and the Horsethief Creek Pub & Eatery.
We usually sell out within a couple of weeks because the event is fairly well received in the community, concluded Mr. Hoar. Tickets for adults are $45 and tickets for youth are $25.
