(Dallas County Commissioner Candidate Theresa Daniel and Dallas Building and Construction Trades President Joe Hall helped raise more than $60,000 at the USA’s first conservation dinner event held in the Lone Star State.)
Nashville, TN— Three hundred union sportsmen, contractors, leaders and special guests from the Lone Star State dined in the name of conservation during the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance’s inaugural Dallas Area Conservation Dinner held during National Hunting and Fishing Day on September 22.
Organized by Dallas Building and Construction Trades President Joe Hall and seven local committee members, the dinner raised more than $61,000 and drew support from 25 local organizations and table sponsors.
Each attendee received a U.S. made sportsman gift set and table sponsors earned the right to raffle off a Weatherby pump shotgun to one lucky guest sitting at their table. Nearly $10,000 worth of firearms were given away during the event but one of the most exciting moments occurred when Betty Pennington from Pennington Mechanical won a Weatherby Ultramark during the live auction raffle which raised $3,500.
Strongly supported by the community, the event drew a number of special guests including UA Local 100 Business Manager Craig Berendzen, IUEC Local 21 President Wayne Misialek, Bank of Labor President Bill Arnold, Ullico Vice President and Chief Communications Officer Christine LaPaille and Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.
In addition to raising imperative funding, the Dallas dinner also served as an opportunity to educate attendees about the USA’s flagship conservation program, Boots on the Ground, and sign up volunteers to participate in this uniquely union-dedicated initiative. The USA also announced that a portion of the funds raised at the dinner will be used to fund Boots on the Ground projects that benefit all hunters, anglers and outdoor enthusiasts in the Dallas area.
“Every day union sportsmen are making an impact in their communities by educating future generations on the importance of conservation efforts,” said USA Executive Director Fred Myers. “Hosting these conservation dinners not only helps further that mission but facilitates conversations about imperative conservation issues among a group of sportsmen and women who have the skills and expertise to immediately enact change.”
Through programs like the conservation dinner series, the USA—North America’s only 100% union-dedicated outdoor organization—brings together union sportsmen, who are willing to volunteer their time and expertise, to tackle conservation projects that improve and enhance public access, wildlife habitat and outdoor experiences for communities across the U.S. and Canada.
Several other dinners are currently in the works for 2012 including events in New Jersey, the Texas Gulf Coast and more. For a complete list of events or to find out how you can get involved, visit UnionSportsmen.org.
The Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA) is a union-dedicated outdoor organization whose members hunt, fish, shoot and volunteer their skills for conservation. The USA is uniting the union community to expand and improve hunting and fishing access and wildlife habitat throughout North America. For more information, visithttp://www.unionsportsmen.org or http://www.facebook.com/unionsportsmen.
