The public is invited to join the Botetourt Longbeards Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation for its annual Hunting Heritage Banquet Saturday, March 21 in the Lord Botetourt High School cafeteria in Daleville.
The banquet is the Longbeards’ largest fundraiser and proceeds go toward the Turkey Hunters Care Program that provides hundreds of frozen turkeys to four Botetourt food pantries each Thanksgiving and Christmas. It also provides support for the chapter’s JAKES Youth Shooting Event, Botetourt Children’s Fishing Carnival, Women in the Outdoors event, handicapped hunting and fishing events, and habitat projects. The latest habitat project will be on the Short Hill Wildlife Management Area on the Rockbridge/Botetourt County line where the NTWF is funding $7,500 in invasive species control, mowing, seeding and road opening work.
Tickets are $45 single, $80 couple, $25 JAKES (youth 17 and under), $270 sponsor, $290 sponsor couple, $600 Grand Slam Table (eight tickets and more) and Royal Grand Slam Table (eight tickets and a firearm).
Tickets can be ordered online at www.nwft.org/events and scroll to Botetourt. Tickets are also available from any Longbeards member or by calling Ned Honts at 540-380-3115 or Jimmy Wilhelm at 540-529-0157. The banquet includes a meal and an opportunity to participate in a number of games, a silent auction and a live auction with a variety of different outdoor-related prizes and products. For more information, call 540-380-3115.