By VERNON ROBISON
Moapa Valley Progress
The newly formed local chapter of Ducks Unlimited (DU) held its first annual fundraiser dinner on Saturday evening at the Old Logandale School. About 80 people attended the event which featured a steak dinner, a raffle and a fundraising auction.
Local organizers of the events were pleased with the turnout at the fundraiser. The Overton chapter of Ducks Unlimted was established in November of last year and currently has a local membership of 15 people. Saturday’s dinner, raffle and auction yielded more than $18,000 to the national DU organization, according to local chapter president Gerry Swanson.
“The turnout was great!” Swanson said. “We had originally expected only about 50 people or so. But as the word got out the numbers grew. Considering we are such a new chapter, it really turned out to be a great event.”
According to Tim Fehringer, Nevada Regional Director for DU, the new chapter’s first fundraising event received significant support from DU members in Las Vegas.
“We have a strong contingent of supporters in the Las Vegas area who have been excited to hear about an Overton chapter,” Fehringer said.
DU had publicized the event extensively in the region through its website, mailers and a grassroots volunteer base, Fehringer said.
The evening began with a delicious steak dinner which was prepared and served up by Logandale resident Rik Eide, owner of Great Basin Cooking Company.
Master of Ceremonies Lindsey Dalley introduced the distinguished guests present at the event.
U.S. Congressman Steven Horsford (D-Nev.) attended the dinner and remained throughout the evening mingling with the other guests. Horsford was recognized for his support of the recently passed Farm Bill which also provided significant grant funding for conservation of wetlands in the United States.
State Assemblyman Cresent Hardy, of Mesquite, was also in attendance. This year, Hardy is running against Horsford in the race for the Congressional District 4 seat. Hardy ended up being a big winner in the after-dinner auction. He was the top bidder on the DU Rifle of the Year, a beautiful 308 Winchester bolt action hunting rifle with scope which he picked up for a cool $1100.
Assemblyman James Oscarson of Pahrump was also in attendance at the event.
State Senator Mark Hutchison, currently the Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor, was unable to attend but sent a representative on his behalf: Troy Tanner of Mesquite.
County Commissioner Tom Collins was also an active participant in the dinner, raffle and auction. He won several raffle prizes and then came away with a great deal on the DU Handgun of the Year, a Baretta 9 mm pistol, upon which he placed the winning bid of $875.
The auction, which was called by Cedar City Livestock auctioneer Joe Taylor, continued on with a large variety of items including decorative decoys, a number of DU signature paintings, gift baskets, a handsome hunting knife, a gun locker, and a whole line-up of special edition, DU-engraved rifles and handguns.
In addition to the auction, a huge raffle offered lucky ticket-holders with generous prizes like backpacks, totes, rifle and pistol cases, archery sets and other DU paraphernalia.
Event participants also had a chance to enter a national-level DU raffle where the grand prize is an all expenses paid big-game elk hunt in New Mexico. The winner will be drawn later this year at the DU national convention.
Ducks Unlimited is an international non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of wetland habitat for waterfowl, other wildlife and people. The organization uses funds raised from members to obtain matching grants which leverage those funds up to 20 times.
