Few tickets left for DU banquet

Ducks Unlimited (Fort Frances) will hold its 23rd-annual banquet, auction, and raffle on Friday, May 5 at La Place Rendez-Vous.
And those who may not have gotten their tickets yet still have a chance, event chairperson Barney Maher said yesterday, noting about 20 are available at Cousineau Brokers.
Tickets cost $50/person and $75/couple. This cost includes an annual DU membership, which is valued at $25.
Last year’s event netted roughly $30,000, and Maher said he’s hoping to see that number at least matched—if not exceeded—this time around.
There will be a great selection of 35 live and 60 silent auction items, including local artists’ prints, carvings, and furnishings.
One item Maher is expecting to fetch a pretty penny is an autographed and framed Bobby Hull jersey. This can be seen right now in the window at Wilson’s Business Solutions.
Last year, an autographed Guy LaFleur Montreal Canadiens jersey and an autographed Bobby Orr hockey stick were among the hottest auction items.
As well, former local artist Kari-Ann Anderson will be contributing at least one piece to the fundraiser. Last year, a different print of Anderson’s was selected as the Manitoba provincial sponsor print for 2005.
The event also will feature its usual raffles of more than 100 donated articles from local and district businesses.
The banquet begins with a mix-and-mingle at 5:30 p.m. to give people a chance to check out the silent auction items.
Dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m., followed by the raffles and the live auction, which once again will be conducted by Telford Advent.
Proceeds from the banquet and auction, the group’s major annual fundraiser, will go to Ducks Unlimited’s wetland conservation efforts.
The local Ducks Unlimited chapter was founded in 1983. To date, it has raised almost $530,000 for DU’s national conservation projects.