It’s all hands on deck for Kindersley Wildlife’s Awards Banquet
By Joan Janzen
The Kindersley Wildlife Federation is busy preparing for its annual awards banquet, which is being held on March 11, 2023, at the Elks Hall. The non-profit organization held a meeting on February 6 at their clubhouse when they finalized plans for the event.
“Typically, it’s the only fundraiser the Wildlife Federation holds,” said secretary Brooke Kachmarski. “We start planning months in advance, in November or December. Sometimes booking the venue is done in the April meeting following the banquet. We bring in volunteer help to run the bar and hire a caterer, and the Board members run the entire evening.
”It’s all hands on deck for the event, which has not been held since 2019. The eight members of the executive, led by President Richard Bluett, are seeking both monetary and physical donations.
“It’s a ton of work canvassing, so we divide it up amongst the board members,” Brooke said. “It’s like a full-time job.” Brooke is currently on maternity leave, so the volunteer work is in addition to caring for her young family.
However, Brooke has also enjoyed the benefits of using the range since she was 13 years old and able to take the hunter safety course. “I trap shoot competitively in Saskatchewan and Alberta. My dad, my brother and I are on the competitive circle,” she explained. “Provincially, I brought home all three Sask. ladies’ titles.” But she admitted the competition is tougher at the Canadian level, with double the amount of competitors. The love of the sport motivates Brooke to be a hands-on volunteer for the Kindersley club.
Any monetary donations will be used to purchase items for the raffles and door prizes, and companies and individuals will be recognized throughout the evening for their donations and contributions. No item is too big or too small to be accepted. They welcome clothing with company logos, gift cards, lawn furniture, hunting gear and more. Brooke said they’re also putting together three larger packages for a special raffle.
The 2022 hunting season is celebrated at the awards ceremony that evening. Everybody gets their big game animals scored and submits their game birds and fish to be in the running for the 2023 awards banquet. The top one in each category is selected, Brooke explained.
Proceeds from the event help maintain the local gun range, which includes rifle, trap, handgun and archery ranges, as well as a clubhouse that is used for various private and public events. They also continue to fund the hunters’ safety program for youth and adults and help with conservation and education initiatives within the community.
“We’re often approached by the town regarding anything going on at the walking trail, as well as stocking fish in the dam, and there is a conservation camp offered through Sask. Wildlife that we have sent kids to in the past,” Brooke explained.
Memberships to the Kindersley Wildlife Federation are available all year long. Last year the organization had 325 members, and have had close to 400 members in the past.
Memberships are $50/per person, $55 if you add a spouse, and $60 for a family (children under 18). Membership entitles you to full insurance to 24-hour access to the gun range. But Brooke noted the clubhouse and trap shoot aren’t open 24 hours/day.
“We’re always looking for new members. Meetings are the first Monday of the month, and both members and non-members are welcome to attend. We’d love to see new faces,” she said.
While several hundred members use the range, only a handful of people dedicate time to keeping the place up and running. Additional volunteers contributing a couple of hours of volunteer help a month from spring to fall would not only help lighten the workload for everyone, but would also bring new ideas for future activities.
The Wildlife Federation would also love to see new faces at their upcoming awards banquet. There’s still tickets available for this family-friendly event.