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ANNUAL SCI EVENT A HUGE
SUCCESS
By: Ron Wilson
May 7, 2008.... Several people that I
have talked to think that SCI dinners are just a fundraiser for people
that
hunt. That is only a partial truth. Yes it is all about hunting and the
right to be able to continue to do so but the dinners are so much more.
They are a time for hunters and
non-hunters alike to get together to socialize over a good meal and a
fine bottle of wine and chit chat about ones views of the world as a
whole.
The dinners are a place for you to bring
the kids, wife, girlfriend or other family members out for a dining
experience so that you or them may meet new people and make new
friendships.
I attended the Northern San Joaquin
Valley Chapter Safari Club International’s 7th Annual Hunters Banquet
held at the Roen Ranch near
Waterford, California.
The atmosphere was rustic and fit in with
what SCI is all about in my view. Open outdoor air, an old barn, corrals
and pasture land under your feet. While it may not have been every ones
cup of tea as a dinner setting, it at least gave them a taste of the
outdoors and somewhat of an idea why we like to enjoy mother nature.
Some of the tender feet there seemed a
little out of step with open ended sandals and shorts. I watched one
such tenderfoot have his wife bring out a new set of clothes so he could
change as the grass was causing his legs and feet to itch.
The dress code was very informal where
the cowboys, want-a-bee cowboys, okie’s, farmers, plumbers, politicians,
etc. all fit in. I sat at a table with one politician, Les Weidman who
is running for a Supervisors position, I sure hope he makes it because I
think he would make a good one.
The open bar in the barn was ran smoothly
and kept the guests well fortified for the upcoming silent and live
auctions, where the bidding rolled along quite well. Jerry and Karen
Fountain owners of the Copper Spur Bar-B-Que did one heck of a job
keeping the attendees supplied with a wide variety of appetizers and
then later a great serve your self dinner. If nothing else the quail
that Jerry and Karen fixed is worth attending this event.
I love watching all the diversity of
people there. Husband buying there wives furs and jewelry and other
goodies making good brownie points. Fathers and sons and daughters,
mothers and sons and daughters, grandpas and grandchildren, they were
all in attendance. I had the opportunity to watch Ken Nichols and his
two grandsons enjoy the event along with my son and his son Derrick.
 All
you had to do was watch and look around the tents and you could see the
love the families all had for each other.
One of the Nichols boys saw a gun that he
wanted and put all his tickets in one barrel and the whole family was
excited when his ticket was drawn for the gun. The whole family
celebrated over the lucky draw.
I hate to say it but, there were so many
people there I knew, I was kept busy shooting the bull so much that I
never got around to visit the silent auction. I was going to go in there
and see what my buddy Mike Monschein was bidding on but I kept getting
detained with chit chat or the need to go check out the bar for a refill
or check and see what my grandson was up to, which cost a few coins.
Some of the old friends that I met there
were Carl Haney, Bob Gomes, Ken Nichols, Frank and Mike Monschein, Mark
Vejar, his mom and brother, a whole group of grass land duck hunters
that included Mike Minor. They came up for the event in a van from the
Merced area along with another Waterford local Bret Boetto. There were
so many people that I knew, its no wonder I never made it to the silent
auction tent. In fact I never made it to the appetizer table until after
dinner. There was all kinds of vegetables, sausages, shrimp and cake
still there for the eating.
All that food and a couple three bottles
of water and by the time the silent auction, live auction by auctioneer
Bill Lefty and his crew and the general raffle were over at
10 p.m. I was in good shape to drive home.
Now the event wasn’t over at
10 p.m. as there was a band there for listening and dancing to if
one so desired. I had my grandson Derrick take me and my two left feet
back to my vehicle in Waterford and called it an enjoyable night. |
