Outdoor clubs raise funds for conservation

Outdoor clubs raise funds for conservation
O.F.A.H. Conservation lottery proceeds spent locally and provincially

Hard work and long hours are needed to support fish and wildlife conservation initiatives, and member clubs of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (O.F.A.H.) meet that challenge year after year. Through the O.F.A.H. Conservation Lottery, tens of thousands of dollars have been raised for conservation projects as large scale as the restoration of Atlantic salmon, or to address local needs, such as the building of nesting boxes for birds and ducks.

Since the lottery’s inception, O.F.A.H. clubs have been in friendly competition to see which group can raise the most money through ticket sales. To recognize the immense effort that many clubs put forth, the O.F.A.H. created the Bert Austin trophy. In 2009, for an impressive ninth time, the Sudbury Game and Fish Protective Association took home the trophy as the O.F.A.H. Conservation Lottery’s top selling club, with sales of 899 books of tickets.

The Windsor Sportsmen’s Club Award is given annually to the club that sells the second largest number of O.F.A.H./Conservation Lottery tickets. For 2009, the award went to Royal City Fishing Club of Guelph, another repeat winner, with sales of 711 books of tickets.

“Along with everything else they do, O.F.A.H. member clubs help raise the money that makes our conservation projects possible,” said Rob Hare, O.F.A.H. President, who presented the awards at the recent O.F.A.H. 82nd Annual Fish & Wildlife Conference, with assistance from long time Windsor club member, Bruno Vanden Berghe. “These hardworking volunteers are making a difference, both provincially and locally, to the health of our natural resources, and we owe them a great deal.”

In third place was the Sydenham Sportsmen’s Association of Owen Sound, with 510 books of tickets sold, in fourth place was NDHQ Fish & Game Club of Ottawa, with 507 books, and in fifth, the Windsor Sportsmen’s Club, which sold 401 books of tickets.

The 82nd O.F.A.H. Annual General Meeting and Fish & Wildlife Conference was held March 18-20, in Mississauga. Candice Hoeppner, MP for Portage-Lisgar and sponsor of Bill C-391, (bill to repeal the long gun registry), was the keynote speaker, and addressed an audience of over 400 attendees.

With over 100,000 members, subscribers and supporters, and 660 member clubs, the O.F.A.H. is the largest nonprofit, charitable, fishing, hunting and conservation-based organization in Ontario, and the voice of anglers and hunters. For more information, visit www.ofah.org.

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