The Rimbey Fish and Game Association had their Annual Awards Banquet at the Peter Laugheed Centre on Sat. March 10. The banquet, which is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the organization, included a live auction, silent auction, as well as a 50/50 draw.
Many Fish and Game volunteers were on hand helping out with a variety of the draws and games going on throughout the evening. Along with bidding on auction items, members were invited to put their name in to win prizes such as a new hunting rifle or a barbecue. There were also games included such as guessing the size of a set of deer antlers.
“This banquet is a great opportunity for our outdoor people to get together and discuss outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing.” said Rimbey Fish and Game President Jim Koenig.
Awards were given out to members for different categories such as hunting, fishing, and photography. Most of the money raised will go towards helping to maintain the Open Creek Dam Campground, which is privately owned by the organization and is used to put on youth training camps.
“A lot of our training camps consist of helping kids learn things like wildlife, fisheries, and habitat conservation”, says Koenig. “Community wise, we have been able to pay full cost for kids to come and learn outdoor skills which help them out in life in the long run.”
The Rimbey Fish and Game Association started as a club in 1920 before becoming a non-profit organization in 1972. As of this year, it consists of about 180 members and is affiliated with the Alberta Fish and Game Association.
The organization received great support for their banquet by the community, according to Koenig. Over 100 items were donated by local businesses for the event’s silent auction.
“We have an unbelievable cross section of people coming into our door all the time,” said Koenig. “Everyone is very enthusiastic about what we do and learning about the outdoors.”
