DOWNTOWNERS OPTIMIST
WILD GAME DINNER
A Brief History
The Downtowners Optimist Club of Regina is located in an area that has some of the best big game hunting in North America. Several members of the club are avid hunters and although they all were making good use of their game, they gladly agreed to contribute a portion to the club for a wild game dinner to raise funds to help with the club’s many projects in the community.
The concept was that the members would provide the food, get together, prepare and serve a meal of as many types of wild meat as they could get. Among the members of the club are many who enjoy getting involved in the preparation of the food. It was a natural fit.
The first dinner was held in January 1989, with slightly over 100 tickets sold. At the end of the night the club had realized a net profit of approximately $1,500.00. Over the next few years, several ways of increasing profits were found. With the addition of events like silent and live auctions, prize tables and door prize draws, the dinner has progressed to where it is today with annual profits of between $12K and $15K, and sell out crowds. The dinner became so popular in Saskatchewan, with people coming from all over the Province, it became necessary to limit attendance to a maximum of 230 people. The membership is still involved in hunting, preparation and serving of all the food. They are also involved in obtaining donations of items for the door prize draws, the prize tables and original art and other items for the auctions.
Approximately 90% of the membership are involved in one aspect or another of the dinner, either in planning, ticket sales, hunting, cooking, serving, up to and including the entertainment. It has become one of the clubs best fund raisers, as well as promoting great fellowship and participation at all levels.