The Carman Game and Fish Association is inviting residents to its annual banquet on Saturday, Jan. 24, at the Carman Golf and Curling Club.
The membership-based organization focuses on conservation, outdoor education and community engagement, working year-round to make outdoor activities welcoming and enjoyable for people of all ages. Vice-president Jeff Wytinck said the banquet is an opportunity to celebrate members’ accomplishments while encouraging greater youth involvement.
“We want to bring excitement back to the sport, and that starts with the youth,” Wytinck said. “It’s about bringing awareness to our club and what we have to offer.”
This year’s banquet will include awards recognizing members who harvested notable game or fish during the year. The evening will also feature a silent auction, a 50/50 draw, additional fundraising activities and a celebration marking 50 years of the Giesbrecht Trophy for the largest whitetail rifle category.
Wytinck said the association hopes to sell all 150 available tickets, a milestone that would reflect continued growth following recent efforts to revitalize the club.
“Previously, excitement was running out for our sport. We felt the need to rejuvenate the association, so we set up a whole new board and let the younger generation take control,” he said.
“In our first year we completely doubled our attendance for both the banquet and our Stephenfield ice fishing derby, and we’re looking for a full house again.”
The banquet will feature a buffet prepared by the Carman Golf and Curling Club. Cocktails begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 6 p.m. Tickets must be purchased in advance and cost $40 for adults and $20 for children under 10, with sales closing Jan. 17.
Funds raised will support future association events, including next year’s banquet and the annual ice fishing derby scheduled for March 7, 2026.
Members hoping to be considered for awards must submit photos of qualifying fish by Dec. 31 and big game by Dec. 23. Entries can be texted to 1-204-362-1507 or 1-204-750-1995, or emailed to carmangameandfish@gmail.com by the respective deadlines. All big game head entries must be dropped off at the Carman Golf and Curling Club at 10 a.m. on the morning of the banquet, where they will be measured and scored by judges.
Big game award categories include the top three largest typical whitetail, largest non-typical whitetail, largest youth whitetail, most even whitetail over 90 inches, and first place in other large game categories such as elk, moose, caribou and bear.
Fishing awards will recognize the top two largest fish in the adult and youth divisions for northern pike, walleye and perch.
Evening prize draws will be open to the public, with payment accepted by cash or e-transfer only. The night will include a variety of silent auction items, multiple grand prizes, several gun draws, a 50/50, a hunter package giveaway and members-only draws.
Memberships will be available for purchase during the banquet and year-round, costing $15 per person or $25 per family, with annual renewals required by Aug. 15.
The association is also encouraging 2026 graduates to apply for its Embrace the Outdoors bursary scholarship. Interested students can contact the club for more information.
“Let’s see what excitement we can bring back to the outdoor community,” Wytinck added.
