Month: December 2023

Conservation Dinner Committee encourages people to buy tickets for themselves or as gifts for loved ones during this gift-giving season

The Conservation Dinner community fundraiser and auction takes place on Thursday, April 11, 2024. Tickets are available now.

Chris Keller, of the Exeter Lions Club, is Conservation Dinner Committee Chair. He said people are encouraged to buy tickets for themselves and guests. He also said tickets are a great gift during this holiday season.

People can buy their tickets from a Conservation Dinner Committee member or from the Ausable Bayfield Conservation office. People can pay for their tickets by cheque, cash or credit card. They can even pay by e-Transfer. (If you are buying your ticket by e-Transfer, be sure to use the dinner@abca.ca email address and include your mailing address and/or email address in the e-Transfer message box and specify if the payment is for a Conservation Dinner ticket or if the payment is a donation to the Dinner).

The Conservation Dinner takes place at South Huron Recreation Centre at 94 Victoria Street East in Exeter. Tickets are $100 each and patrons receive a charitable gift receipt, for income tax purposes, for a portion of that amount.

To buy tickets to the Conservation Dinner, or to donate, phone 519-235-2610 or toll-free 1-888-286-2610 or email info@abca.ca or visit the Ausable Bayfield Conservation office east of Exeter at 71108 Morrison Line (just south of Highway 83).

The 2024 Conservation Dinner is the 34th event since 1990. This community fundraiser has raised more than $1.335 million for the community over 33 years. The Exeter Lions Club has been co-partner, with Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation and the watershed community, on the Dinner, since 1991. Net profits are split 50-50 between community conservation projects of the Conservation Foundation and community conservation projects of the Exeter Lions Club.

The auction and dinner supports projects such as a family-friendly fishing derby, accessible nature trails in Bayfield, Clinton, Parkhill, Lucan, Arkona, Exeter, and Varna; opportunities for students to experience outdoor nature education; a $1,000 student environmental grant for students in local communities; a summer job at Ausable Bayfield Conservation for a senior secondary school student; turtle monitoring and events in Port Franks and Ailsa Craig; aquatic habitat studies in Old Ausable Channel, Grand Bend; nature day camps; Owl Prowl; and parks and conservation areas.

The annual event features live and silent auctions of art and distinctive items such as travel packages and sports and entertainment memorabilia.

The Dinner has special raffles, general raffles, appetizers, wine tasting, fun and fellowship, and a wonderful meal.

Find out more at conservationdinner.com and the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation’s Conservation Dinner web page.

Chair of Conservation Dinner 2024 is Chris Keller

Chair of gala dinner and auction encourages you to save the date for Conservation Dinner on Thursday, April 11, 2024

The Conservation Dinner Committee Chair for 2024 is Chris Keller of the Exeter Lions Club. The Chair of this gala community auction fundraiser encourages people to ‘save the date’ for this popular community event on Thursday, April 11, 2024.

“It is an honour to be a Chair of this committee and to be part of an event that has done so much for the local community over 33 years,” he said. “I encourage everyone in the area to mark their calendars for April 11, 2024 and to save the date.” The 34th Conservation Dinner, in 2024, promises to be another great event for fun, fellowship, and community betterment, according to this year’s Committee Chair.

The Conservation Dinner takes place at South Huron Recreation Centre at 94 Victoria Street East in Exeter. Tickets are to be available starting on December 21, 2023. Tickets are $100 each and patrons receive a charitable gift receipt, for income tax purposes, for a portion of that amount. To buy tickets to the Conservation Dinner, or to donate, phone 519-235-2610 or toll-free 1-888-286-2610 or email info@abca.ca or visit the Ausable Bayfield Conservation office east of Exeter at 71108 Morrison Line (just south of Highway 83). Find out more at conservationdinner.com and the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation’s Conservation Dinner web page.

The Conservation Dinner auction event has raised more than $1.335 million for the community over 33 years. The Exeter Lions Club has been co-partner, with Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation and the watershed community, on the Dinner, since 1991. Net profits are split 50-50 between community conservation projects of the Conservation Foundation and community conservation projects of the Exeter Lions Club.

The Conservation Dinner gala charitable auction and dinner supports projects that include accessible nature trails in Bayfield, Clinton, Parkhill, Lucan, Arkona, Exeter, and Varna; making it possible for more students to experience outdoor nature education; a $1,000 student environmental bursary benefitting students in local communities; a summer job at Ausable Bayfield Conservation for a senior secondary school student; turtle monitoring and events in Port Franks and Ailsa Craig; aquatic habitat studies in Old Ausable Channel, Grand Bend; and projects like nature day camps, fishing derby and Owl Prowl, and parks and conservation areas.

The annual charitable event features live and silent auctions of art and other distinctive items including travel packages and sports and entertainment memorabilia. The Dinner also includes special raffles, general raffles, appetizers, wine tasting, fun and fellowship, and a wonderful meal.