20 Aug 2014 Outdoor hall of fame banquet scheduled for Sept. 5

The Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation will hold its annual Arkansas Outdoor Hall of Fame Banquet on Friday, Sept. 5, at the Statehouse Convention Center. This year’s event will be hosted by Phyllis Speer.

Tickets are $100 and tables of 10 are available for $1,000 each. The reception and silent auction will begin at 6 p.m., and dinner will begin at 7 p.m. Auction items will include fishing trips, duck hunts, SeaArk Express and War Eagle boats and trailers, a Badboy mower, jewelry from Sissy’s Log Cabin and a youth permit for the Arkansas elk hunt. “This event supports the important program initiatives the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation is a part of throughout the year, all of which positively impact outdoor enthusiasts across the state,” said Chuck Dicus, president of the Game and Fish Foundation.

At the event, four individuals will be added to the list of the previous 79 Outdoor Hall of Fame inductees; C.B. Thompson Jr. who founded Fort Thompson Sporting Goods; All-American competitive trap shooters Dr. Doyne and Nancy Williams; and the late Sgt. Darrell Monty Carmikle who died in the line of duty as a wildlife officer with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

The Foundation will be presenting the Legacy Award, which recognizes an individual whose life has demonstrated a commitment to the outdoors, conservation and has supported the passing of outdoor traditions to the next generation. This year’s award winner is Congressman John Paul Hammerschmidt who is best known for his work to designate the Buffalo River as the country’s first "national river."

"This is a night we come together to celebrate the passion for the outdoors we share and to pay tribute to those who have worked so hard to conserve the natural treasures in Arkansas," Dicus said.

To purchase tickets to the event or for more information, contact the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation office at 501.223.6468 or email [email protected].

The Foundation, created in 1982, is an independently operated foundation supporting the goals of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Proceeds from the Sept. 5 banquet and silent auction will help finance the Foundation’s continuing mission to support youth education initiatives that focus on the outdoors including archery, youth shooting sports programs, fishing programs and education centers that serve young Arkansans.