For the Pamlico chapter of Hunters Helping Kids, its sixth-annual Conservation Banquet and Auction raised the money it needs to carry out its mission.
That mission is to make children aware of the environment, educate them about wildlife conservation and provide them with hunting opportunities. The annual fundraiser allows the chapter’s supporters to help the chapter carry out that mission.
“We grossed $100,000. We were very pleased,” said Willie Allen, chapter president, on Monday.
Allen said the event’s attendees
included children the chapter has taken on hunting excursions over the years and families the chapter has helped financially.
The Pamlico chapter of Hunters Helping Kids is the largest in the nation.
Glenn Weatherington, owner of Down on Mainstreet in Washington, was among those attending the event.
“We help support Hunters Helping Kids — it’s a national organization for starters, but at the same time it helps a lot of people in the local community,” he said. “A lot of people in the community are hunters or support hunting in some way, form or fashion. We take handicapped children, underprivileged children hunting. We bring their families out. We feed, we clothe them, we take them out to do a big hunt every year right after Thanksgiving. It’s just a great cause. It’s something I believe in; it’s something I like to do.”
Lisa Woolard, executive director of the Beaufort-Hyde Partnership for Children, was helping run the children’s games and activities at the banquet. While she was supporting Hunters Helping Kids, it was helping support the Beaufort-Hyde Partnership for Children.
“They allow us to run their games, and then they give us a nice little donation. We get to help kids, and we get to help kids,” Woolard said. “So, it’s really a cool deal. We’ve been doing this about four years now. It’s wonderful.”
The event, held at the Auction House, drew 500 people.