Farmville Ducks Unlimited Chapter raises over $40k

Despite the nasty weather, the Farmville Chapter of Ducks Unlimited held their annual banquet on Friday, March 7 at the Fuqua Lower School Gym.

The event featured a silent auction, as well as a live auction which included items such as guns, knives, tents, furniture, barstools and framed prints of wildlife. Most of the items have the Ducks Unlimited emblem on them and have been purchased from the company to resell and raise money. Additionally, local businesses donate items to the auctions that appeal to men and women.

The Ducks Unlimited banquet is a family-oriented event that is held to raise money for wetlands conservation for ducks and other creatures. At this year’s banquet, over $40,000 was raised.

According to the Ducks Unlimited mission statement, “For over seven decades, Ducks Unlimited has maintained a singleness of purpose that has guided the organization to become the leading waterfowl and wetlands conservation entity in North America. Ducks Unlimited conserves, restores and manages wetlands and associated habitats for North America’s waterfowl. These habitats also benefit other wildlife and people. Ducks Unlimited got its start in 1937, during the Dust Bowl when North America’s drought-plagued waterfowl populations had plunged to unprecedented lows. Determined not to sit idly by as the continent’s waterfowl dwindled beyond recovery, a small group of sportsmen joined together to form an organization that became known as Ducks Unlimited. “

The money raised at the banquet will enable Ducks Unlimited to reclaim just under 100 acres of wetlands.