And they may surprise you…
By Bruce Urben, WWA President
This article originally appeared in Wisconsin Waterfowl Association’s April, 2022 Newsletter edition.
The Green Bay Chapter held their 21st annual fundraising banquet at Rock Gardens Supper Club on St. Patrick’s Day last month. A good crowd turned out for the event, in excess of 250 people. Contrary to the historical norm, however, this years banquet attendees were far from strictly male dominated. We have continued to see an increase in our female attendees in the past several years. This year over 30% of our attendees were women!
The youth standing in front getting ready for the youth drawing!
Most everyone you talk to would agree that our youth are the future of the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association. Events that can include youth can only increase their awareness of what WWA does and where their fundraising dollars are spent! This year we had 15 youth, guys and gals aged 16 and under lined up for a chance to win a gun at the Green Bay Chapter event (about 6% of the attendees). A local business that attends the banquet provides the funding for the youth drawing.
The lucky 12-year-old boy that was drawn as the winner was pleased as punch when the rifle was awarded to his winning raffle ticket. After a few photos, the young man announced that he wanted to donate the rifle back to be drawn again, to someone who does not have a gun of their own. Seems this young man comes from a hunting family and has his own rifle, in fact he harvested a buck last year!
The first winner of the Green Bay youth raffle with a buck he harvested in fall of 2021
The youth were lined back up and the raffle was redrawn and a young girl was the lucky ticket holder. Mission accomplished.
This is the second time I have seen this happen at a fundraising banquet. You have to agree, it’s not something that you see every day!
I know the parents of this 12-year-old young man were surprised and extremely proud of their son’s logical and generous thinking. I could see tears in their eyes when he told the master of ceremonies what he wanted to do.
It sure makes you feel good to know that we have a firm foundation with our youth. It won’t surprise me if we see this young man chairing a WWA Chapter in the not so distant future.
And that’s not the end of the story. A group at the banquet were so moved by this young man’s generosity that they brought him back on the stage and gave him a substantial gift of money for his pay it forward attitude. Maybe he’ll put it towards his college fund?
A very good investment in our future I would say.
Yep… we are in good hands!