A while back, this column reported the winners of a raffle contest held by the Chautauqua County Federation of Sportsmens Clubs.

The prizes were a high-end rifle and scope, several fishing charters generously donated by the Eastern Lake Erie Charter Association members, and a spotting scope. The profits from that raffle, as well as several donations, raised enough money to make nine Chautauqua-area youths, and their families, very happy.

The money was used to purchase nine lifetime Sportsmen licenses for Chautauqua County youths ages new born up to the age of 16. All year long, Chautauqua County youths, in the appropriate age bracket, were invited, and encouraged, to submit a free application to be eligible for this drawing.

Federation members were alerted to the drawing, as well as members of the public, at functions like the Chautauqua County Fair, and on several occasions, the application was printed in the OBSERVER, with instructions on where to deposit the filed applications.

The drawing was held on Jan. 28 at His-Way Archers Club in Jamestown during the monthly meeting of the Federation. Because the cost of the Lifetime licenses varies according to age groups, the Federation reviewed how many children applied, split them up into their age groups, and selected nine winners using the money that was raised.

There were 73 entries in the 0-4 age group (two winners were drawn), 186 entries in the 5-11 age group (five winners) and 100 entries in the 12-15 age group (two winners). Each group had one alternate drawn.

Jacqueline Chiarot, of Congressman Tom Reed’s office, selected the winners by random draw. And the winners were:

Madalyn Glasier, of Fredonia, who is 15 months old, Henry Congdon, of Dunkirk, also 15 months and Maxwell Ball, of Fredonia, was the alternate in the 0-4 age group. Sophia Burrows, of Dunkirk, Samuel Harrington, of Jamestown (six years old), Austin Henry, of Ripley (10 years old), Madison Huggins, of Frewsburg (11 years old) and Dino Delmonte, of Fredonia (5 years old), were the winners in the 5-11-year-old bracket.

Mackenzie Graziano, of Forestville, was the alternate. In the 12-16-year-old group, Joey Kowal, of Westfield (14 years old) and Ella Conley, of Kennedy, were the winners, with Bernadette Banach, of Dunkirk, the alternate. Congratulations to the winners!

Note the Federation made a motion to increase the upper-age group to include youths up to the age of 18 for the next drawing. The purpose of this raffle is to help introduce area youths to the outdoors. The Federation would like to thank everyone for entering this program and those who supported the raffle and/or made donations. Without everyones’ support, the program would not be successful.

Watch for applications to be distributed for the next drawing, and raffle tickets will soon be in the works. 100 percent of the proceeds from the raffle are dedicated to the free Lifetime license giveaway. The Federation would also like to acknowledge that Joe Jemiolo, who passed away recently, was instrumental in organizing this program in both Erie and Chautauqua counties.

Let the smell of barbecued chicken remind you that spring is right around the corner. The Northern Chautauqua Conservation Club will have dinners from 1-3 p.m. at their club, which is located at the foot of Mullet Street, in Dunkirk. Proceeds will go for the Con Club’s Take-A-Kid-Fishing Day, which will be held on Saturday, June 6. Dinners are $10 at the door.

Calendar:

There is a bird watch scheduled for the Dunkirk Harbor area Sunday.

The Sports Fishery Advisory Board announces its 23rd annual Fishing Essay contest. Students from Chautauqua County, who are in grade 3 through grade 6, can submit an essay for prize contention. Essays must follow this years topic: “What is your favorite fish that you fish for in Chautauqua County? Why and with who? Entries must be 250 words or less and can be submitted singularly or together as a class.

Each entry must include the student’s name, grade, teacher and school. Teachers are encouraged to submit their e-mail addresses with their students essays to allow for quick and easy communication during the school day about contests results. All entries must be submitted by March 23 to: Chautauqua County Sports Fishery Advisory Board, Office of the County Executive, Gerace Office Building, 2 North Erie Street, Mayville, NY 14757.

All the participants will receive a certificate and eight winners from each grade will receive a fishing pole. Among these 32 winners, there will be two selected to be the grand prize winners who will get to go on a fishing trip with County Executive Vince Horrigan this summer. For more information on this project, contact the County Executive Office at 753-4211 or call Olow at 640-2776.

The Northern Chautauqua Conservation Club will be holding its annual rabbit hunting contest on Saturday, Feb. 21. Contestants must be sighed up prior to that date. Entry fee is $5 per person for members and guests. Weigh-in is from 1-3 p.m. at the club. An awards party will follow after the weigh-in. Members are encouraged to bring a dish to pass.

Gene Pauszek is an OBSERVER outdoors columnist. Send comments to sports@observertoday.com

The “Con Club’s” annual February Chicken BBQ will take place on Sunday, Feb. 22, from 1-3 p.m. Tickets are $9.50 pre-sale and $10 at the door. Proceeds from this event go to benefit the “Con Club’s” annual Take-A Kid Fishing Day which is planned for Saturday, June 6.

There will be a Hunter Safety Training Course at the Northern Chautauqua Conservation Club on Feb. 25-26 from 5-10 p.m. You must pre-register for this course by going to the DEC website. Note: If you register and then find that you cannot attend, you MUST notify the DEC or you will not be able to register for another course for a certain amount of time. Classes are limited and you do not want to deprive another person from attending.

The Bear Lake Rod & Gun Club will host a 20 target, 3-D archery shoots at its facility, located at 4391 Cassadaga Stockton Road, Stockton, on, March 8 and March 22. Registration is from 8 a.m. until noon. For more information, call Rob at 485-3773, or Tom at 680-0209.Note the February 3-D shoots have been canceled due to extreme snow fall.

The Hanover Fish & Game Club, located at 780 Overheiser Road, Silver Creek, offers trap shooting on Thursdays from 6-9 p.m. Sporting Clays, on Saturday, starting at 9 a.m., and trap shooting on Sunday, starting at 9 a.m. Club membership is $25 per year, with a $10 initiation. For information, call 934-4028, or visit their website at www.hanoverclays.org.

The Sportsman’s Show at the Seneca Allegany Casino & Hotel, located at 777 Seneca Blvd., Salamanca, will be held Feb. 21 from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., as well as Feb. 22 from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. For more information, contact Show Chairman Jim Buck at 569-6810.

The Northern Chautauqua Chapter of Ducks Unlimited will be holding their annual banquet on Saturday March 14th at the Dunkirk Moose Lodge located at 296 Lake Shore Drive west, in Dunkirk. Those persons who are interested in the Early Bird raffle and prize opportunities must respond by the February 28 deadline. For tickets and information call 410-4848 or e-mail to sdzentz@netsync.net.