ARCOLA - The Moose Mountain Wildlife Federation's (MMWF) 20th annual fundraising dinner and auction was held on April 6, with a sold-out crowd at the Arcola Prairie Place Complex.
At each table, commemorative pens and mugs were placed for guests to take home as a keepsake of the 20 years.
Another item displayed at each table was a cast-iron moose, elk or deer and this determined which tables were served first.
This MMWF branch includes Arcola, Carlyle, Kisbey, Lampman, Manor and Stoughton, and the surrounding areas which is part of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation (SWF).
Over the years, the MMWF has sponsored family fishing derbies, youth camps and the dock at Grant Devine Lake near Alameda. This year the dock will be replaced with a new one. These are among the various initiatives that are supported by the organization.
MMWF vice-president Devin Brown was the MC for the evening, and he welcomed everyone and thanked them for their continued support over the years.
The crowd of 250 people represented all ages, and they were eager to eat when they saw the prime rib roast meal, with all the fixings, that Weir's Catering had prepared.
A draw for a guaranteed $1,500 for the 50/50 was held and 65 items were part of the silent auction.
Three tables holding 42 items each were part of a raffle, and two other raffles of a fun wagon filled with booze and a freeze filled with meat could also be purchased.
The Arcola Hospital Retention and Recruitment committee held a raffle for a $500 gift certificate for the Temple Garden Spa in Moose Jaw, and this sold out quickly.
There was a special gun raffle throughout the evening as well for a Charles Daly 410g and a Chappa .22.
Ty Cutler of Moosomin, who was the rookie auctioneer of the year, kept the crowd engaged in bidding.
Cutler said he had never seen so many items for a silent auction or for the raffle prize table. Items being auctioned off were carried around the crowd for viewing, while Cutler and his team watched for bids.
A ping pong ball auction draw was one of the evening's highlights. Twelve ping pong balls were auctioned off to the highest bidder. These 12 winners were seated on the stage and if their ping pong ball was the last one drawn from the bucket, they had the first pick of the special prizes offered.
Another item that Cutler highlighted was the mystery box that was up for auction.
“I have never auctioned off a mystery box that no one knows what is inside,” said Cutler. This item brought $1,675 and was a gun case, and inside was a three-day ice fishing trip to a lake near Flin Flon, Man.
The highest-selling item at $1,850 was an autographed Connor McDavid jersey.
As the evening came to an end, some people gathered their items and went home, while others remained to socialize.
The MMWF members and their families spent hours organizing and volunteering to ensure the success of this event.
They say this event is not possible without the help from local businesses and families who donated items and sponsored, and they are truly thankful for their support.
