Wildlife and Fisheries Fund Raiser

Written by Dustin Krueger

                How does a Valley City State University student in the career field of Fisheries and Wildlife management help out the community and find job opportunities? Well every year the Fisheries and Wildlife Club gets together and has a fundraiser supper at the back of the VFW that is usually held in late January or early February.  According to Bob Anderson, the wildlife and fisheries professor and club creator at VCSU “The fundraiser was started in 2007, since then there have been three spaghetti feeds, and one taco feed that was last year.”

                The club members which all have to pay a fee of ten dollars at the beginning of the year all get together and put on the fundraiser. The members go out and pick up all the materials ranging from around seven to eight hundred dollars. Bob said “last year that the supper and all the selling of club attire which includes sweatshirts and t-shirts grossed around $1800, making the profit of around $1000.” So where does the profit money go and what is it used for?

                Well some of the money will go toward food for events that the club members together including fishing trips, picnics or any other group gathering for the members. A main reason is for the Junior Naturalist Program. It’s a program that is put on for grade school children, to help their interest and knowledge of the outdoors. Many activities include fishing, archery shooting, and many more interesting events for the children to enjoy. The money supplies any materials need for the events. It’s a way for the college students to get together with other business and organizations including the recreation and park and US Fisheries and Wildlife, also with the community.

The Fisheries and Wildlife ice fishing trip to Devils Lake, ND.

Picture taken by Amanda Bryson used by permission.

                “Four hundred dollars is taking out for the North Dakota Chapter of Wildlife society and North Dakota Chapter of the American Fisheries Society,” Bob mentioned. These are meetings put on each year by the different organizations in each division. They go over topics throughout North Dakota and what is going on. The meetings have many higher ranked positioned people mingling around. It is a great opportunity for students in the career field to find job opening and positions throughout the state. It also opens the eyes of the student to find out what different kinds of jobs there are available. Also they never know who they may meet and make an impression on. The fundraiser is a great event put on by the club. It is a great way for the club to interact with the community and make a good name for them.