January 28, 2006 was a wild night in Warriors Mark – for dinner that is. Complete with mountain men, quick shooting cowboys, and the self-proclaimed biggest liar (storyteller) from Elk County, over 400 people enjoyed the 12th Annual Wild Game Banquet held in the gymnasium of the Warriors Mark Methodist Church.
Last August, the Wild Game Task Force began organizing the 2006 dinner. The theme chosen was Under God’s Skies. This was the first year to offer seminars that included pre-dinner programs by Greg Hoover, Eric Baker, Fred Diehl, Ken Johnson, Sherry Bumbarger and Chuck Dean.
Taxidermy displays, complete with a nearly fourteen-foot alligator, killed by John Galen Gilliland, decorated the church hallways. Several mounted bear, deer, fish, foxes, coyotes, turkeys, and many small woodland creatures added to the displays. The crowning glory was the banquet hall stage decorated by wildlife taxidermy artist, Don Ketrow.
At 6 p.m., Task Force Chairman, Tim Nowlin, welcomed the hungry crowd with a rousing howdy and then he turned the evening over to Master of Ceremonies, Justin Beamer. Stan Morrissey led the Pledge of Allegiance and then Howard Wiggin led the group in singing “America the Beautiful”. Jerry Sneath, former Tyrone science teacher, shared a Bible reading. Pastor Peggy Bonsell blessed the food and the rush was on.
The buffet menu was as follows: salad with delicious hot bacon dressing (made by Thelma Brodzina), cheese, venison and bear sausage, elk meatballs, moose meatballs, mule deer, pheasant, rabbit, squirrel, turkey, roast venison and bear, venison kielbasa, scalloped potatoes, corn, rolls and butter, plenty of desserts and beverages. Local hunters donated all the meat items, and volunteers under the direction of Terry and Betty Rudy spent the entire day cooking.
The evening’s after-dinner program began with the coveted Sportsman of the Year award. Ken Sollenberger received this year’s commendation for his contributions to the taxidermy industry and lifetime enthusiasm for hunting and fishing. Ken presented a heartfelt thank-you speech and received a resounding applause.
All youth hunters from ages 12 through 16 received a gold medallion commemorating the Warriors Mark Wild Game Banquet.
The guest speaker was storyteller, Dennis Murray, who entertained the crowd with humorous hunting tales and down-home jokes. His top hat, long beard, and comical mannerisms had everyone rolling in the aisles.
Many local businesses donated items for the evening’s auction. The auctioneer was Jim Stere. At the close of the auction, the master of ceremonies closed the evening’s activities with safe wishes and an invitation to next year’s banquet.
A spokesperson for the Game Committee stated that this year’s banquet had the largest attendance and was the most profitable in the organization’s twelve-year history. After expenses, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the United Methodist Committee on Relief. This organization helps to fight poverty and bring relief to disaster victims in our country.
New this year was the addition of a Sportsmen’s Memorial Plaque that hangs in the church. Anyone wanting to honor the memory of a special sportsperson can do so for a $50 donation.
The Task Force includes: Tim Nowlin (chairman), Dee Granger, Sandy Adams, Terry and Betty Rudy, Lee Walls, Betty Conrad, Steve Focht, Jerry Sneath, Ding Bonsell, Jason Walls, Stan Morrissey, Brian Morrissey, Don Sellers, Frank Germino, Kirsten Nowlin, and Thelma Brodzina.
