For decades, the Creston Valley Rod and Gun Club’s wild game banquet has been a highlight of the winter season in Creston. This year was no exception with a sold-out crowd of 200 adults and nearly 50 youngsters enjoying a wide variety of game meats, a variety of draws for firearms and other neat stuff and, of course, the awards presentations.
As usual, the evening commenced with the trophy awards presentations, which recognize members who have harvested a game animal or caught a fish that is a worthy representative of its species. These awards are divided into senior and junior categories. The club was proud to promote youth participation in outdoor activities by recognizing Abbey Prier as junior hunter of the year and Timmy Faulks as junior fisherman of the year.
The awards were followed by a wonderful banquet at which everyone tried the full range of “free-range” organic game meats, including mule deer, white-tail deer, elk, moose and cougar. Other offerings of rabbit, pheasant, turkey and salmon kept people coming back for the seconds. This year’s exotic meat, alligator, was served as a delicious appetizer.
The meal was followed by recognizing two members as sportsmen of the year, Mark Halonen and Walter Morse, who completed an archery range at the club’s Mawson Lake property. This award is presented to a member who has made an outstanding contribution in the past year.
Occasionally, the club recognizes a member who has provided long and valuable service to our organization by installing them as life members. This year, the great team of Brian and Wendy Lansing were presented with life membership cards.
Before and after the banquet, the crowd enjoyed vying for numerous valuable prizes in a variety of fun ways — bucket draws, card draws, a guessing game and silent auction. Scores of prizes went out the door, including several firearms. The club very much appreciates the support shown by the local business community in providing donations and discounts for these prizes. The banquet is a celebration of the outdoors and also a fundraiser that enables the club to maintain the Kidd Creek Rifle Range and Mawson Lake, host activities related to hunting and fishing, support youth involvement in the outdoors, and fund conservation and habitat projects.
Finally, many stayed to dance to an excellent DJ service provided by Vern Gorham.
Special appreciation goes to banquet chair Traven Huscroft, who co-ordinated everything, and to Tanya Wall, who did a fabulous job as announcer, and also to all the members of the banquet and trophy committees who helped make this a success.
For more information about the club, like it on Facebook and visit creatonvalleyrodandgunclub.org.
—CRESTON VALLEY ROD AND GUN CLUB