This past Saturday marked the return of a familiar fundraiser to The Elks Hall in Kindersley. The annual Ducks Unlimited Banquet took place for the 39th time and marked the first time since 2019 the event was held. 

Longtime Treasurer of Ducks Unlimited, Grant Caswell was thrilled to have the event happen this year and says it did not disappoint. 

“We had pretty much a full house. A couple of people couldn’t make it that were originally going to come, so I would say it was a sellout. We had 174 people at the banquet, and we usually aim to have 180. Couldn't ask for a better crowd to be honest. Everybody is just happy to be out and in person doing things again.” 

Guests were kept entertained all night long with a variety of activities and opportunities to win some auction items. Caswell says it was a busy night from the get-go. 

“We had people rolling in early. There were cocktails from 6 to 7 then Simply Satisfying catered and did an awesome spread for us and then we carried on into the night. We played some games, finished up with some auction items and some raffles. I think everybody had a really good time.” 

Ducks Unlimited currently has 12 projects around the Kindersley area with a focus on maintaining the habitats for the creatures that call it home.  

Caswell has been with Ducks Unlimited for the better part of 12 years and explained how the money raised is spent. 

“They do a lot of wetland conservation. A lot of projects around here. We have dams that have been put in to hold water. It helps with so many things with the environment, drought, flooding, the whole 9 yards. So, we have quite a few of those. They buy a lot of land and basically put caveats on it to preserve the wetlands and then sell it back or rent it out for use.” 

Caswell explained further why the preservation is so key not only in this immediate area, but coast to coast across Canada. 

“Wetland drainage has been happening for hundreds of years and it didn't kind of present itself as a problem right away, but there's less and less wetlands available for birds and all animals, everything really. We're just trying to preserve what's here and even recreate some that have been maybe passed by.” 

This edition of the annual Ducks Unlimited Banquet raised an estimated $30,000 which goes directly back into the province of Saskatchewan. Plans for the 40th anniversary of the Ducks Unlimited Banquet are already in place which will be held in October of next year. 

Ducks Unlimited