Organizers are heralding the 19th Annual Ducks Unlimited Banquet & Auction a “total success from start to finish.”
The charity event at the 108 Mile Community Hall on Oct. 19 raised close to $10,000 to further wetland development and the protection of waterfowl breeding areas.
That dollar amount is up approximately $4,000 over last year's total, explains Ducks Unlimited committee chair Chris Nickless.
“With the economy the way it is, you never know what to expect. Some of the items went for a lot higher than we thought, but most of them were right on the mark.”
A variety of large and small items were auctioned off and a good number of prizes were handed out.
“The committee is extremely pleased with the participation of the public. We can't say enough about the [Peter Skene Ogden Secondary School] students who helped us. They were fantastic. The meal [catered by the Red Rock Grill] was excellent.
“Everyone we've discussed [the event] with has nothing but good things to say.”
Nickless adds people are encouraged to continue bidding on the sealed bid auction (SBA) prints on display every month at four local businesses. He thanks the Royal Bank, CIBC, Red Rock Grill and Williams Lake and District Credit Union in 100 Mile House for hosting the SBA prints.
According to Ducks Unlimited Canada, up to eight million waterfowl and 20 million shorebirds nest in British Columbia every year and the B.C. Coast is Canada's number 1 wintering area for birds. Climate change, harmful agricultural, forestry and aquaculture practices and urban and industrial expansion are the biggest threats to the province's wetlands and waterfowl habitat.