More than 230 people attended the ninth annual Venison Donation Banquet Saturday night at the Holiday Inn in Oneonta. The event raised more than $18,000 for the Conservation Alliance of N.Y. (CANY) Venison Donation Program of Otsego and Delaware counties, a not-for-profit organization that supplies ground venison and ground beef to food pantries in the two counties.
The money raised will enable the organization to provide more than 31,000 meals next year for needy families in the area.
CANY is a worthy cause, said Karin Householder, who attended the banquet along with her husband, Jim Householder. The couple, one of the event's 63 sponsors, own Night Pasture Horse Farm in Stamford.
They said they mark their calendar every year to attend the benefit.
"We've gone away from other organizations and stayed with this,'' Jim Householder said. "This truly helps people in our area."
According to Ron Martini, an event committee member, the community's response and support is "awesome."
"The outpouring of support is incredible. We're awed by the whole thing," he said.
This year's event raised $4,000 more than the previous year. Last year, hunters donated 700 pounds of venison and purchased more than 3,000 pounds of ground beef.
Since it started in 2000, the group has donated more than 32,000 pounds of meat to the food banks in Delaware and Otsego counties and provided more than 128,000 meals for the needy in the two counties.
Mount Vision resident Brad Beers, a return attendee, said he couldn't think of a better way to spend the evening than to bring three generations of Beers men to the benefit.
"It's a really good thing as far as a benefit is concerned and everyone has a great time,'' he said. Attending with Beers were his two sons, Jason and Bryan, as well as his 9-year-old grandson Cody, all of whom are sportsmen.
Sponsors included Annutto's Farm Stand, Boyle Excavating, Inc., Country Club Automotive Group, Dundee Brook Co., Frank Mann Media Co., Losie's Gun Shop, Night Pasture Horse Farm and West End Archery.
The donors include Steven's Hardware, Sonny's Pizzeria, Dairy Queen and Bath and Body Works.
This year's Super Donors are Goodyear Lake Polar Bear Club, Northern Eagle Beverages Inc. and Wal-Mart Super Center.
The banquet is organized by five committee members: Chairman Al Bowers, John Brooks, Jim Losie, Rich Gravelin and Ron Martini. Bowers said because the local food banks are pressed for storage and the group delivers large quantities of meat, there are two separate deliveries throughout the year.
The group works with local butchers to process venison donated by area hunters, and the remaining money is spent on ground beef. The group seeks bids annually from local butchers for the meat and processing.
"We have asked for bids from three different companies, and the lowest bid will be the one chosen,'' Bowers said.
Last year, Steiner Packing Company of Otego provided the ground beef and Don Toombs of Lawrence processed the venison.
The group does not limit its efforts to the annual event. Last year, it donated a freezer to a local food bank and $1,000 to a local family for medical expenses for their child who has a rare spinal disorder. In 2006, the group donated $2,500 to each county to help assist flood victims.
