Washington Wild Sheep Foundation Banquet

[ramslam]

As you may be aware, the Washington Wild Sheep Foundation Chapter will be having its own fundraising banquet after more than a decade of partnership.  We had a great run but the WA WSF board of directors felt it was time for a change.  That said, we need your help!

•   The banquet will be a one-day event on March 9, 2013 at the Snoqualmie Casino in North Bend, WA.
•   We’ve had a successful “Members’ Only Raffle” for the past four years but wanted to try something new and encourage new life members.  We will be giving away, yes I said GIVING away a great Dall’s Sheep Hunt with Nahanni Butte Outfitters in the NWT to one of our life members that is present at the banquet.  It is only transferrable to another life member who is in the room as well!  We will only be selling 300 banquet tickets and they are going fast!  If you are a current member or if your membership has expired, now is the time to upgrade to a life membership and come to the banquet for your chance at a great hunt.  In addition, the cost of a life membership will increase from $300 to $500 on March 10, 2013 (the day after our banquet).  Go to our website at www.washingtonwsf.org to purchase your banquet ticket or you can use the enclosed order form and mail or fax it in to the address provided.
•   Since we are not raffling the Dall’s hunt we are asking for members to donate to help offset the costs.  Because WA WSF is a non-profit 501(c) 3 organization, any donations made will be tax deductible!  Basically, we hope that whatever our members have spent on raffle tickets in the past they will simply donate to the chapter for this cause…and again it will be tax deductible!   Use the enclosed form to donate or pay on our website.  Once we receive your donation we will mail you the appropriate donation form.  So far, over $4000 has been donated to help offset this hunt.  Please help!
•   If you have any ideas for donations for live and/or silent auction items, please contact any board member.  The more items we can get fully donated or underwritten will result in greater profits for funding of wild sheep projects.   We will also need plenty of help the day of and during the banquet.
•   We are working hard to have the greatest display of bighorn sheep mounts ever in the state of Washington.  If you have a mount to bring in please contact Bryan Bailey and let him know what you are able to bring.  Check out our website or newsletter for further explanation.  Bryan has over $1000 in prizes to giveaway to those that bring in mounts to display.  Let’s see those sheep!

We anticipate this being the best WA WSF banquet ever but we cannot do it alone!  Please order your tickets, donate to the Dall’s Sheep hunt, donate live or silent auction items and bring your mounts to show off!  Feel free to contact any board member if you have any further questions.  We’ll see you on March 9th!

[scree]

Ramslam I finally got my tickets so you can quit riding me like a rented mule 

[WonkyWapiti]

I will see you guys there and will make sure to be very gracious when my name is drawn for that hunt. 

[Halo]

An interesting choice of location.

From the recent poll thread on supporting tribal casinos

Yes, same as any other business59 (31.2%) Might, but only if its more convenient or cheaper31 (16.4%) Not really, but wouldn't rule it out26 (13.8%) Only in an emergency20 (10.6%) Completely oppossed53 (28%)

[JoeE]

You're dreaming Wonkywapiti. But I'll tell you what, when I get drawn for that sheep hunt and tag a nice ram I'll let you swing by to look at the mount.

[scree]

Halo that was a big consideration for the board and it was discussed at great length.  Ultimately we decided that the overwhelming savings by having the banquet there was best.  Simply put it allows us to put the most money directly into the sheep, where it belongs.  WA WSF is very proud of our our low overhead.  On top of that you really never know what you are supporting when you have it at the Hilton or some other hotel or center.   

[starbailey]

Halo,
There is always a good and a bad no matter where you decide to have anything. We knew when the board voted in favor of having the banquet at a casino there would be those that wouldn't like the decision. But it did come down (mostly) to over all cost of the venue. There were other factors of course like location, date availability, size of room, etc. There were several people that donated a lot time trying to find a location for our banquet and believe me it's not as easy of a "find" as one might expect. We had to have it somewhere! Sometimes you have to overlook some of the "bad" to get to the "good". Where else can you win a $20,000 dall sheep hunt with a 1 in 75-150 odds? Absolutely a trip of a lifetime!
 Bring a mounted sheep and have a chance to win a Mathews bow or Tika rifle, plus other prizes. Or you can stand around drinking beer BSing with a bunch of other hunters! Just that sounds like a good time to me.
 I am excited about this years banquet as I'm excited about the opportunity to raise money to benefit bighorn sheep and other wildlife projects here in Washington state. Come join the party.
Bryan

 
 

[boneaddict]

Darn, sad to see that.

[traditionalhunt]

Hello everyone

Just let me start out by saying I'm new to the forum but I would like to weigh in on your topic of where your having your fundraiser this year. I have been involved in a fundraiser for a conservation group for the past 5 years and we deal in primarily fisheries and marine issues here in Washington. I have seen 1 chapter hold it's fundraiser at a tribal casino and it was their last not to say that would happen to the Wild Sheep foundation. I have lived in WA. State my whole life with the history off the tribal political takeover in Olympia. That started by them holding fish ins on the upper Green river where they would drift their gill nets between 2 boats down river and the WDFW enforcement officers would arrest them. The court battles started for the fish and ended up for half the fish and the taking of big game either sex out of season with little to no limits on harvest since then I have seen wild Steelhead runs destroyed in most rivers to where we are restrained to catch and release only barbless hooks,can't remove the fish from the water all a game violation by the way. While down stream the nets are still killing. The tribes enter the Governors office Thur a side door while you and I have to knock on the front door and hope some one answers. I have to sit and reflect on a society that professes non racism equal rights for all every man is the same for myself when is enough,enough. I will be at this years Sheep banquet but it will be my last if it is at the tribal casino next year. The tribes will take every last thing from us if we allow it don't think they won't with the help of all those wonderful politicians we elected again we elected not the Indians. Thanks for your time and we'll see you at the banquet at least for 1 more year.

[jackelope]

We're not going to turn this thread into a "bash the tribes" thread.

[NWWA Hunter]

I bet the sheep hunt odds are closer to 1-300 than 1-75. I'm pretty sure there were quite a few more than 75 life members prior to the sheep tag being offered. Just want to be honest to everyone. REGARDLESS. I will attend no matter where the banquet is held. WAFNAWS is a great organization and it is an honor to support them and I hope many others will come and check them out.

[scree]

Thank you Jakalope you are right that is not the point of this thread.  This event is about two things funding for wild sheep and providing a good time for the WA WSF membership.  I believe that both of those goals will be met.

NWWA Hunter I hope you are right that will mean that everyone in the room is a life member (capacity is around 300).  That is a lot of $$ going to wild sheep. Ultimately that is what we want.  Realistically that is not going to happen.   I think what Star was getting at is that odds for a 20K hunt Dall sheep with Nahanni Butte Outfitters are going to be phenomenal!  I think that is pretty cool that someone is leaving at the end of the night with a sheep hunt to get ready for. 

Any guesses as to how many names get called before it comes down to someone in the room?  I going with 4.     

[NWWA Hunter]

I missed the part about present at the event. Awesome. The greatest part is that a ton of $ can be raised to fund conservation.

[Ridgerunner]

I can't wait for the banquet, even if I don't win that dall hunt it will still be an awesome night!

[Falcon]

I am pumped to be going, and hopefully lending a hand as a volunteer for a great night.

I fully support this group for everything they stand for, regardless of some outside opinions.

I hope to see as many of our members at this quality event!

Good Hunting !

Bryan