Big game banquet: 'A good time for a great cause'

COEUR d’ALENE — It’s time to get social, have some fun and raise money for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

The foundation is hosting its annual fundraiser banquet Saturday, March 25 at the Best Western Plus Coeur d’Alene Inn, 506 W. Appleway Ave.

The event begins at 5 p.m. with a social hour and games followed by a prime rib dinner at 6:30 p.m.

After dinner, there will be a live auction for wildlife art, firearms, collectibles, home furnishings, outdoor gear and more. The evening will conclude with a general raffle for a variety of prizes

“Money raised at our banquet goes toward on-the-ground conservation projects here in Idaho and in other elk country across the nation,” said Kyle Koski, chairman of the Elk Foundation’s Panhandle Chapter.

Koski, of Post Falls, volunteers with 30 other conservationists to host the annual event.

“We promise a good time for a great cause. This is our 28th annual banquet hosted here in Coeur d’Alene, and we’re proud of our continuing support for RMEF’s conservation work across the country. Our goal is to give away 30 firearms this year in pursuit of our goal to raise $115,000,” Koski said. “Last year we raised $102,000 and gave away 27 firearms. The support we have received from local donors and our generous attendees is a testament to the love we all share for elk and the great outdoors.”

The organization is still soliciting donations for the fundraising banquet, Koski said. The banquet has raised more than $1.2 million in Coeur d’Alene since 1988. Koski credits the volunteers and donors for the event’s continuing success.

“I am really proud to be part of a great team of volunteers who dedicate their time and effort to make this happen,” Koski said.

Featured prizes for the March 25 banquet include a Weatherby Banquet Edition .300 mag, Bighorn Classic safe, Montana Canvas wall tent and frame, elk ivory pendant, African safari hunt, Las Vegas Pro Bull Rodeo package, Yeti cooler, rifles, pistols, knives, optics, home décor, and more.

Since 1984, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has enhanced or conserved more than seven million acres of prime habitat — nearly all on public lands — for elk and other wildlife. RMEF also opened or secured access to more than one million acres of land for public access for hunting, fishing, and other recreation. Additionally, RMEF worked to restore wild elk populations in parts of their former range such as Kentucky, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Missouri, North Carolina, Virginia, Texas and Arkansas. When the RMEF was founded in 1984, there were 550,000 wild elk in North America. Today, it is home to more than twice that many.

In Idaho, the RMEF and its partners have completed 487 conservation and hunting heritage outreach projects with a combined value of more than $63.5 million. These projects have protected or enhanced 426,900 acres of habitat and have opened or secured public access to 24,147 acres.

Banquet ticket prices are $75 per person, $115 per couple, and sponsor tables of eight are available for reserved seating. Life members can also purchase a meal only for $40. Each single and couple ticket includes an annual membership and a subscription to RMEF’s Bugle magazine. This event sold out last year and tickets will not be sold at the door, so early ticket purchases are encouraged.

For ticket information or reservations, contact Elliot or Deanna Taub at (208) 691-1824 or by email at [email protected]. Tickets can also be purchased online by visiting bit.ly/2m4LqIk.

To make a donation, contact Keith McMahan at (208) 215-1512. For volunteer opportunities, contact Ray Casley at (509) 481-8885.