Pincher Creek Ducks Unlimited holds 32nd annual banquet

Kristin Dyck and Remy at Ducks Unlimited bash
T. Lucas photos

Toni Lucas

"I think it was an excellent turnout tonight," said Chairman of the Pincher Creek Ducks Unlimited Gordon Dyck during the organization's 32nd Annual Banquet held in the Pincher Creek Community Hall on Saturday, October 18. "It was bigger than last year, we had about 220 people come out."   Ducks Unlimited has a mandate to conserve wetlands.

The event featured raffles, draws, games and auctions after the dinner. "I am very happy," said Dyck.  "We have the older ones that have spent their time, now we have the young ones coming in, it's great. This is what we want, young kids to join. We pass on to the younger generation what it is all about and how it operates,  it is learning by doing." At more than one table there were three generations of one family represented, making it a truly family friendly evening.

MC Nigel Whittington

Auctioneer Bob Westrop

Auctioneer Grant McNab

Nigel Whittington acted as the Master of Ceremonies, with Grant McNab and Bob Westrop performing the role of auctioneers for the live auction portion of the evening. The walls were lined with live and silent auction prizes, and the bidding was friendly and competitive. The 'High Flyer' raffle holding a lot of interest. For this raffle 14 people bid or won the right to take part. Then there was an elimination. If your number was picked you were out, but drew the next number. Anticipation was high throughout the process. The one last person standing would bet to chose from a selection of trips, a gun package, a diamond bracelet, or $1,500 in cash. The 14 at the front dwindled to finally leave Josh Hutchinson as the winner. Hutchinson chose the camo gun package as his prize.

High Flyer raffle winner Josh Hutchison

Loundsbury table

Founding member Bob Lounsbury with his 88th birthday cake

Founding member Bob Lounsbury has not missed one of these dinners in the 32 years it has been running. His family celebrated his 88th birthday at the event. Loundsbury talked about how he and his friend Howard Armstrong started Ducks Unlimited in Pincher Creek. "Howard went to one in Ontario, and when he came back, he said 'Why don't we start one in Pincher Creek?' So we did, just the two of us."

Mayor Don Anderberg

Silent auction winner Riley Belcher

Riley Belcher lucked out during the silent auction. He was volunteering with the Matthew Halton Grad Class as part of their fundraising, and he noticed a gift certificate from Grumpy's Greenhouse, a place that he already buys supplies from each spring. "I saw that nobody had put a bid on it yet," explained Belcher. He put down $10 and did not think about it for the rest of the night. As it turned out, he won the bid, and was delighted with his prize.

The Yagos table

The theme for the evening was hats. A number of fun hats were worn by people who attended, but the table with Sinnott's and Hammond's won prizes for their chapeau's. Later in the evening, they generously offered to donate their hats to be raffled off gaining more money for the charity. All in all, the event was an evening of fun, camaraderie, and gaining money for the cause of protecting wetlands in Alberta.

The hat saga

Dixon and Myra Hammond and Ed and Val Sinnott

Kristin and Remy

Auctioning off one of the hats

Ed Sinnott being the top dog

The ladies were tops at the table

Mayor Anderberg winner of the chapeau