The Greene County Gobblers chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation held its 10th annual Hunting Heritage banquet Saturday evening at Clover Hall in Jefferson.
About 125 hunting enthusiasts enjoyed a meal catered by Lidderdale Country Store. The evening included a silent auction that raised $1,625 and a live auction cried by Kevin Lentz raised more than $5,000. The 41 items up for live auction included several wildlife prints, jewelry, a Big Green Egg grill, knife sets, several NWTF logo items and more.
At the outset of the live auction, all attendees were invited to purchase sealed envelopes for $20, one of which would give the holder the first choice of any item on the auction. About a half dozen envelopes were not purchased, including the winning one. The first choice was then auctioned off, with the high bid of $185. The bidder selected a NWTF gun concealment wooden storage bench.
The hat auction returned for another year, along with reverse bingo, a torn card drawing, and several raffles. A fundraising total is not yet available.
Greene County Gobblers president Fred Long started the evening with brief comments about how the NWTF uses funds raised at events like the Hunting Heritage banquet. Last year, the national organization allocated $100,000 in funds in Iowa. Of that, $20,000 came to Greene County.
Greene County conservation director Dan Towers explained that two parcels of hunting ground west of Jefferson were purchased at $5,000 each. The remaining $10,000 went toward the purchase of 160 acres of timber near Rippey. The money was used to demonstrate local support in a pending grant application to cover the $344,000 cost. All NWTF land is available for public hunting.
Dennis Conger, NWTF regional director, served as emcee for the evening. He highlighted NWTF’s “Save the Habitat – Save the Hunt” campaign, which two years set a goal of attracting nationwide 1.5 million new hunters, enhancing 500,000 acres of habitat, and opening up 5 million acres to public hunting.
Pictured (from left) are Conger, Long and Towers as they spoke about NWTF activities.
Sponsor members that donated items for the auction included Doc’s Stadium Bar & Grill, Home State Bank and Dr Steve and Julie Karber.
Underwriting auction items were Peoples Trust & Savings Bank, Greene County Soil & Water Conservation District, Scheel’s All Sports, Edward Jones/Dean Dozier, Jefferson Telecom, Muir Embroidery, Des Moines Symphony & Academy, and Sportsman’s Warehouse.
Local committee members were Susan Cort, Long, Kevin Devilbiss, Steve Cort, Dean Dozier, Jeff Gorsuch and Aaron Sloan.
