September 22, 2017 (Photos: Album1, Album2) - The 40th Shelby County Ducks Unlimited Banquet drew a large crowd with over 300 in attendance on September 9, 2017 and the live auction portion raised over $30,000 for conservation efforts of Ducks Unlimited.
The auctioneer, Kevin McDonald, began with a special auction item, a Benelli Uberti 22 mag. which was auctioned off in memory of Jacob Hughes. This is the 6th year the SCDU has auctioned off a gun in memory of Hughes who was pursuing a degree in wildlife and fisheries science at Texas A&M at the time of his death in 2011. The winning bidder was Dr. Mark Jousan with a bid of $1,500. Dr. Jousan also won the bid on the Jacob Hughes Memorial Gun the first three years 2012-2014.
Auction items which brought in a $2,000 winning bids or over were a Benelli Camo Super Black Eagle II 25th Anniversary SBE2 won by Sharon Crelia, the 2017 Handgun of the Year Sig Sauer P320 9mm won by Dan Hodge, a SCDU Ducks Hunters Package DU Beretta A300 also won by Dan Hodge, and a 2017 ROY Weatherby Vanguard Lazerguard 7mm Rem. Mag won by Larry Joe Eaves, Sandhill Foundation.
The Pick of the Litter winner was Kevin Stevens who won a DU Kimber 1911 45 acp.
SCDU Committee Members are Bradley Waller, Cam Copelin, Casey Adair, Clayton Windham, Clint Tanner, Cody Ramsey, Cody Bryan, Colton Hairgrove, James Crelia, Johnathan Liker, Josh Havins, Kade Vandyke, Marco Pallares, Matthew Rafferty, Nathan Phelps, Rick Campbell, Roy Blackshear, Sean Watson, Stephen Gamble, and R.J. Sanders. The area chairman for the Shelby County Ducks Unlimited is Casey Williams. District chairman is Wil Blackshear, and Regional Director is "Yazoo" Thomas.
Historically the local Shelby County chapter of Ducks Unlimited raises around $100,000 annually for conservation efforts. The money is raised throughout the year and is only possible thanks to the support of the community.
Casey Williams expressed his gratitude to the community for the event's success, "We really appreciate the community's support. I don't know if most people realize that Ducks of is a non-profit organization and is a national organization which is very efficiently run with 85% of every dollar raised going back to 'dirt' or conservation efforts."
Ducks Unlimited takes a continental, landscape approach to wetland conservation. Since 1937, DU has conserved more than 14 million acres of waterfowl habitat across North America. While DU works in all 50 states, the organization focuses its efforts and resources on the habitats most beneficial to waterfowl. At this time the top 5 conservation priorities are Prairie Pothole Region, Western Boreal Forest (Canada), Mississippi Alluvial Valley, Central Valley / Coastal California, and Gulf Coastal Prairie. For more information about Texas Conservation Projects, click here.
Banquet Sponsors, Donors, and Partners:
Sponsors - Ashton Vikings, Bowden & Associates, C & S Lease Service, Cline Family Practice, Edward Jones - Casey Williams, Farmers State Bank, First Financial Bank, Gibsons Energy, Hawkeye Hunting Club, Hillary McElroy, FNP, Hometown Marine & Few Ready Mix, LeAnn Rafferty, R & K Distributors, Roughrider Tire, Roy Blackshear (In Memory of Murray Mathews), Roy Blackshear (In Memory of Jerry Phelps), Rydaco Investments, Shelby Savings Bank, Shelby Veterinary Associates, The Hughes Family, The Light & Champion, Watson & Sons Funeral Home, Yazoo Thomas, Zac's Tint Shop
Donors - ACE Hardware of East Texas, Automotive Collision Specialist, Back Country Furniture Designs, Brink Built, Brookshire Brothers, Center Motor Company, Center Tire, Cornerstone Construction, Dependable Arms, East Texas Poultry, General Shelters of Texas, Golden Eye Associates, JBA Financial Services, Lasting Impressions, Lori Eldridge, LMT, McAdams Propane Company, Payne & Payne Home 'N Suchlike, Slingin' Steele Game Calls, LLC, Smith's Sawmill, Sombreros Cantina & Grill, Texas Farm Bureau - Ryan Pinkston, Timpson Quick Stop, Toledo Automotive, and Zac's Tint Shop
Partners - Bob's Pawn & Gun Shop, Darrel's Bar-B-Que, Dudley's Designs & Printing, Handy Andy's Package Store, Hughes Florist, Huk Performance Fishing Gear, Pineywoods Beverage, Ultra Shade Plus, Watson-Tucker Florist.
