Cal U Student Chapter hosts record fundraiser

The California University of Pennsylvania Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society celebrated its 20^th anniversary with its largest fundraiser ever.

“It was kind of a big milestone for our club,” said Chapter President Laken Ganoe.

Each year, the Outdoor Bash is the group’s biggest fundraising event, raising money to send members to the TWS Annual Conference. It features raffles with prizes donated from the community, Chapter members and local stores; T-shirt sales; and a game dinner with a spread of wild meats prepared by Student Chapter members with guidance from their cook.

This year’s table included selections of turtle, bear, elk, deer, pheasant, squirrel, rabbit, beaver, wild boar, buffalo and alligator. “All kinds of wild game that club members have gone out and harvested,” plus some contributions from local butchers, Ganoe said.

This year, the Outdoor Bash brought in 325 attendees and raised a record $9,500 to send 10 students to the 24^th Annual Conference in Albuquerque, N.M., which runs Sept. 23-27.

“That’s pretty far for us to travel and we’ll have to fly,” Ganoe said.

The March 25 Outdoor Bash at the Richeyville Volunteer Fire Co. hall  was organized by the student TWS Chapter in association with the National Wild Turkey Federation, the Ruffed Grouse Society and the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Participating members were awarded certificates for a wildland fire training they attended during the fall and spring semesters. The event was broadcast by the university TV station CUTV.

“We’ve been trying to push to get our name out there,” Ganoe said. “I think it’s working.”