UNION COUNTY

DUCKS UNLIMITED

Welcome to the Union County, NC chapter of Ducks Unlimited.  For 2009, we are changing the web site to reflect more closely the needs and plans of our local chapter.  We encourage you to visit often, to use this site for information on meetings, exhibits, and other banquets in our neighborhood, for information on conservation, hunting, firearms, dogs, licensing, and related information.  Be sure to check “Area Events ” for other banquets and outdoor activities. Also check out our Volunteer page for some of the activities we are doing. “ Volunteer Page ”

Our next meeting is Wednesday, October 7, 6:00 PM at:

www.vinniesrawbar.com
Vinnies
142 E John St
Matthews, NC 28105-4842
(704)  849-0202

 Map  of 142 E John St Matthews, NC by MapQuest
 

We are especially looking for Volunteers and others, who can pre-sell tickets to the Banquet. We are asking each Volunteer to compile a list of 10 people to whom they can sell a ticket. Tickets will be available for purchase online again this year, as well as printed tickets. In any event, we need more attendance.

Above is a copy of the billboard signs that Adams Outdoor Advertising will place for us in 2 locations.  Union County Ducks Unlimited is appreciative of their assistance and donation of the sites. We are also appreciative of the extra effort they extended in making this possible.

HERE’S SOMETHING EVERYONE CAN DO

Download the following PDF poster file, print several, and place at your work and at other locations where you do business. Place some business cards with them. Contact us if you do not have a supply of cards

Poster for October 23, 2009 Banquet

SOMETHING ELSE EVERYONE CAN DO

Make your homepage on your computer link to ucdu.org.  I am not going to explain how, but if you cannot set up ucdu.org as your homepage, take a look at this google search for more information. Note that we are listing useful information here, so that our activities are open to others, and that this will both serve our current volunteers and encourage others to volunteer.

Click  here: set homepage - Google Search

 Here are some items we are working on, and we need Volunteer help with these. Contact us if you can help. info@ucdu.org

 1. October 23 Advance Banquet prices are $45 single, $60 couple, $600 for Corporate/Group table, which includes 1 bronze sponsor membership, 7 individual memberships, and $800 in tier raffle tickets, and reserved table for 8, dinner and drinks, Ducks Unlimited magazine and decals, listing in Auction Brochure and Union County Ducks Unlimited website. We have preprinted admission tickets for sale. They will be distributed at the Planning Meetings. Let us know if you need tickets to sell, but cannot attend these meetings. Note, however, that tickets can be purchased online on this website. Just take the money for any tickets, buy them online, and print the admission tickets on your own compuer/prints and get them to the recipient.  This gives you the form we need to turn in for Ducks Unlmited, and this would save a lot of time on check in. John Palko is working on making the check in and check out more efficient.

 2.We have business cards for you to distribute now, and will have them for you at the Planning Meetings. Let us know if you need some but cannot attend.

 3. Billboard are finalized and will be up for a month.  See above, and thanks to Adams Outdoor Advertising.   We also have 2 4ft x 8 ft road signs that will be posted.   This is something we have been missing and other chapters show significant increased attendance with these signs.

 4. We are trying to expand the games we have at the events, as these have become very lucrative. With our move to the Union County Agricultural Center, we will have more space, and we have more volunteers now to expand our activities.  We welcome input on this. We have identified 2 additions and need help on both.

    A.  Add a Shotgun Shell Toss (that's an empty shell, of course) with appropriate prizes. We need someone/team to make the target box and stand.  We can provide the artwork for the box. Chris Foster and Nicole Foster will assume all aspects of this project... thanks Chris and Nicole.

     B. Add a bean bag toss game and prizes.  We can supply artwork to make this a Ducks Unlimited toss.  The game typically has 2 boards, and we could use 2 for use as individual activities (same prize, just keeps the waiting line down.) We need a volunteer/team to make 2 of these, or we probably can easily modify an existing game without damaging the original.  Jim Smith has volunteered to assume all aspects of this project. Derek Anderson is assisting with this also. Thanks Jim and Derek..

 4.  We are looking for Donors, large and small, for the banquet. We think we will need more variety in the prizes/auction items than we have had in the past.  Identify those who you think would support Ducks Unlimited with a donation and follow up with a request and ticket sales.

 5. Place information on banquet and online ticket sales on NC Ducks Unlimited website, and our website. This has been done.

 6. Form a Call Team: We need volunteers who will call 25 or 50 or more people on our list and invited them to attend the banquet, and provide information and tickets. We have 725 people to call, and can add back the 500 others if needed.  We have phone numbers for some, but not all. Phone lists will be assigned to our Chapter Subcommittees.

7. Sam Cox has volunteered to head a Committee to present a Greenwing program (Greenwings are age 17 and under) and is looking for adult/family assistance, and asks all those interested in joining as a Greenwing and/or helping with this program to contact him at: Click Here:  greenwing@ucdu.org

Also, Sam will present a Greenwing Raffle to raise funds for the Greenwing Project, and provide information about Ducks Unlimited’s Greenwing program at our October 23 Banquet. Thanks to Sam for taking on this project.

8. Deanna Epps has pledged to invite 160 people to the Banquet.  Great Work! Everyone else is going to have to step up their contacts and invitations to keep up with Deanna and our newest volunteers.

9. Terry Price and Angela Cheek are working on a puppy donation.

10. Our Banquet is listed on NCDucks.com.  If you have any other sites that are appropriate, please post them and link to our website, ucdu.org

11.  The group at Asia America (Jim Johnson, John Hornberger, and John Eberling) are reworking our Oyster Roast steel plates and will make them into a much more useful piece of equipment. We should be able to use these for roasting oysters and cooking hotdogs and hamburgers. I am sure we can put these go very good use. Especially for our future Greenwing Events and Shooting Events.

12. Chris Eanes is making some easels and gun racks for our use.

13. Brianna Castle is working hard on donations and has been in contact with a lot of vendors about donations. This includes Bass Pro, Benellli, Autumn Wings and others. She has also obtained a commitment for some custom duck calls and a champion duck caller to demonstrate them.

14. John Edwards and Kevin Hicks have worked out the details on catering and food. We will have fried fish, shrimp, barbeque and grilled chicken and all the usual sides.

15. Jimmy McDonal will be our acutioneer for the Banquet. Thanks to Jim for taking this on, and thanks to Becky McDonal for her help also with our banquet.

16. James (Jay) Murray is working on a shooting and maybe a hunting event for us.  This will likely be next year (2010)

17. I have been too slow to acknowledge that Deanna Epps has started a site for Union County Ducks Unlimited on Facebook.  It already has 50 members on this site, in just a few weeks.  Please take a look, and sign up. Thanks to Deanna for taking on this project. And Thanks to Deanna and Jennifer Gordon for most of the recruits.

Also, Jay Murray has started a Facebook site for our Chapter, so take a look at that link also. Both are listed below, and we are picking up people who have become associated with our chapter. Please sign up for both of these.

18. We accepted Cabell Barrow's challenge to raise our attendance by 30% and increase our bronze sponsors by 5, and receive a Beretta O/U at no charge to our  chapter. We are looking for more support at this level from our volunteers. Bronze sponsor and banquet admission for sponsor/spouse, is $300, and can set up  for $25/month.

Note: We will have a drawing for a firearm for Sponsors only. There will be one firearm for each increment of 10 sponsors. Corporate Tables include one bronze sponsor, and will be included in the drawing.

Challenge to Volunteers and Others:  I have committed to a Gold Sponsorship, and have challenged all volunteers to commit to a bronze sponsorship or above. I challenge those of you who have been bronze sponsors and all Corporate Sponsors to increase your level of support to Silver (additional $250) or Gold Sponsorship (additional $750). I challenge all others to increase their contributions above the admissions price or to bronze sponsorship. Union County Ducks Unlimited is pleased with the response to this challenge by our volunteers.

One of Sponsor Only Firearms

19. We are ordering 8 firearms to hold a raffle, 52 cards x $100 each, with 8 winners. Will have to set minimum number of sales to reach, otherwise will  split the money, and DU keeps the firearms for later use. This works out at 1 winner per 6.5 cards or $12.50 per chance to win a firearm.

Note: We are significantly increasing the number of firearms for this event. It look like we will have at least 16 firearms, and probably a few more.

20. In process of setting up subcommittees and job assignments, not quite  there yet, but lots of good work going on anyway.

21. Ordering wood decoys from outside sources. Waiting for first look, and will bring to next meeting. Should be an upgrade for us. They are from long time/family carvers from Maryland and Virginia, most of them signed and dated, not all are new (meaning more valuable) and are mostly working decoys but will never see water.

These are all true wood, hand carved decoys. We have about 20 total. This is a great opportunity to add to your collection.

22. Distributed printed tickets to sell, 20 per package, and reminded  volunteers they can collect money and go online at ucdu.org and buy tickets, print entry form, pass on back to purchaser for them to fill out so that the check in line will move much faster.  John Palko is changing the process for  quicker processing, and members will have to have wristband for alcoholic drinks, and for dinner. ID's/age will be checked at the door.

23. Distributed business cards for handout purposes to inform/remind those who may attend our banquet.  Note, they are handy to place on vehicles that appear to be "duck friendly." Passed out about 1,500 total business cards to the volunteers and businesses.

Click  here: Causes on Facebook | Union County, NC - Ducks Unlimited

Click  here: Facebook | Ducks Unlimited - Union County, NC Chapter

SUCCESS FOR THE DUCKS!

Ducks  respond positively to wet conditions in Prairie Pothole Region The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service  released its preliminary report on mid-continent breeding ducks and habitats,  based on surveys conducted in May and early June. Total duck populations were  estimated at 42 million breeding ducks on the surveyed area. This estimate represents a 13 percent increase over last year's estimate of  37.3 million birds and is 25 percent above the 1955-2008  long-term average. "The increase in duck numbers in relation to the increase in habitat conditions is  consistent with what we would expect to see in U.S. and Canadian breeding grounds this spring," said Ducks Unlimited's Executive Vice President Don Young.  "History has repeatedly shown that when water returns to the breeding grounds  ducks respond with a strong breeding effort." While  numbers are up, DU Chief Biologist Dale Humburg explains that hunter success  will still depend heavily on weather, which will dictate migration patterns. For  further details, see the press  release posted on the Ducks Unlimited Web site.

Union County Ducks Unlimited Annual Banquet

Friday, October 23, 2009
Doors Open at 6:00 PM
Location: Union County Agricultural Center
3230 Presson Rd
Monroe, NC 28112

Click  here: Map of Union County Agricultural Center, 3230 Presson Rd Monroe, NC by  MapQuest
Contact: Don Smith 704-619-1000 or info@ucdu.org

Auction Brochure for Oyster Roast, Fall Banquet Brochure not yet available

If you are a current member, please email info@ucdu.org with your email address (name, mailing address, phone number) so we can properly keep you informed of the activities of Union County Ducks Unlimited.

Note that we have deleted nearly 500 people from our mailing list due to a lack of response or attendance at any of our events in the past 2 and a half years.  We made a special mailing to you prior to the 2009 Oyster Roast, and if you did not attend the Oyster Roast, you will no longer receive mail notice of our activities. To remain on our mailing list, email us as requested above.

Ducks Unlimited conserves, restores, and manages wetlands and associated habitats for North America's waterfowl. Ducks Unlimited is the world's largest private, non-profit, waterfowl and wetland conservation organization. By any measure, Ducks Unlimited is one of the largest conservation/environmental groups in the world, with more than 1 million supporters in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Since its inception in 1937, DU has conserved more than 12,283,000 acres of waterfowl habitat throughout North America. DU supporters have raised over $2,700,000,000 for conservation since 1937. These wetland serve as habitat for more than 900 species of wildlife that use wetlands and the associated environment. No other conservation or environmental group can match DU's accomplishments on behalf of waterfowl, wetlands, and related habitats.

DON SMITH, CHAIRMAN

JOHN PALKO, TREASURER

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

John Edwards, Kevin Hicks, Pat Caldwell, Jim Johnson

VOLUNTEERS

Derek Anderson, Lindsay Carroll, Chris Dickerson, Chris Eanes, John Eberling, Tyler Gaddy, Nelson Hall, John Hornberger, Patrick Nance, Bill Baumgartner, Randy Blackley, Travis Creech, Brittany Evans, Chris Foster, Chris Owens, Nicole Foster, Keith Gustin, Jay Murray, Dwayne Richardson, Matthew Richardson, Terry Price, Amanda Price, Jim McDonal, Becky McDonal, Mike Wilson, Jim Smith, John Snyder, Phillip Gaddy, Sam Cox,  Bryan McCarver, Michelle McCarver, Brianna Castle, Jennifer Gordon, Deanna Epps, Larry Lowe and Will Bynum

Union County Ducks Unlimited is particularly pleased with our recent volunteers. Since March of this year, Terry Price, Amanda Price, Jim McDonal, Becky McDonal, Mike Wilson, Jim Smith, John Snyder, Sam Cox,  Phillip Gaddy, Bryan McCarver, Michelle McCarver, Brianna Castle, Jennifer Gordon, Deanna Epps, Larry Lowe and Will Bynum have volunteered to help with our programs and to promote the conservation work of Ducks Unlimited. Please welcome them to our group, and thanks to you all for volunteering for this worthy effort.

Volunteers Needed for 2009, Contact UCDU Now at volunteer@ucdu.org 

Last Update October 6, 2009

VISITORS SINCE SEPTEMBER 30, 2005 2884 VISITORS IN YEAR 10-22-2007 TO 10-22 2008