Manager of events and volunteer relations with Ducks Unlimited Canada, Doug Eglinski traveled from Edmonton to host the DUC fundraiser banquet at the Elks Hall in McLennan on March 18.

Tom Henihan
Spotlight
The 28th Smoky River Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) banquet and auction took place at the Elks Hall in McLennan on Saturday, March 18.

Approximately 70 people attended the DUC event for members and invited guests. The purchase of a ticket allowed one to become a member of DUC, which now has about 100 members in the region.

Doug Eglinski, DUC Manager of Events and Volunteer Relations from Edmonton hosted the event and presented a slide show offering a brief overview of the work and accomplishments of DUC over the past 79 years.

DUC provides leadership in habitat conservation that is essential to waterfowl. The organization restores and manages wetlands and grasslands and works to ensure that an abundance of viable waterfowl habitat is available for generations to come.

Because waterfowl migrate, the conservation work DUC does has far-reaching consequences, influencing diverse areas across the country, which includes just about every Canadian’s immediate community.

Through the dedication of volunteers and local committees such as the Smoky River Chapter, Ducks Unlimited Canada has managed to secure the funds to develop more than 2000 wetland projects covering 2.32 million acres in Alberta.

Over the past 79 years, DUC has managed to raise $74,744,111 in the province and over that time, $211,494,595 has been spent on Alberta projects.

Within a 100-mile radius of McLennan there are 80 wetland projects securing 73,328 acres of habitat with a total investment to date amounting to $5,507,681. Over the past 28 years, Smoky River Chapter alone has raised almost a half million dollars.

For every dollar raised 12.87 dollars has been spent in the region.

The banquet and auction was both a successful fundraiser and a good time for those who attended with many staying a little later than scheduled.

Diane’s Cuisine catered the event and the bar service was provided by Royal Purple.

A wide variety of DUC merchandise was available through both a live and a silent auction. Robin Lovelace of Iron Horse Auction Ltd conducted the live auction.

“Next year we are going to make it bigger and better, so look forward a really exciting things happening in the future,” says Doug Eglinski.
“This year the committee did a phenomenal job and I think it bodes well for the community to have people right there who will take the initiative and set up such an event.”

Sponsors of the Smoky River Ducks Unlimited Banquet include Bob and Sandy Thrall, Iron Horse Auction Ltd, McLennan Royal Purple, Grant and Donna Jean Hicks of Hick Honey and Bruce and Marilynne Brulotte of McLennan Home Hardware.

Members of the Smoky River 2016 Committee are Terry Dunne, Cathy Dunne, Wendy Atwood, Judith Colter, Diane Benoit, Gerry Benoit, Dale Fish, Pauline Gervais, William Stalenhoef, Rena Tansem, Sandy Thrall, Bob Thrall, Ann Trotter, Ursala Valiquette and Mark Heckbert.

For more information on the Ducks Unlimited Canada visit www.ducks.ca/

DUC members, guests and committee members attending the DUC banquet and auction fundraiser at the McLennan’s Elks Hall.