We’re ‘holding our own’ as a DU chapter in Louisiana

Another social event of the year for outdoorsmen in the Teche Area has come and gone for all those who support Ducks Unlimited.

Wednesday’s DU general membership banquet at the Cyr-Gates Community Center had the glow of the previous 37 events held at various venues around the area but mostly in City Park. I believe that’s everybody’s favorite site, especially on a cool, fall night.

Fundraising banquets these past few years really have served to get people excited about conservation and the duck hunting season right around the corner. They’re certainly tamer than they were in the raucous 1970s and 1980s.

New Iberian Burt Cestia III and the rest of the volunteer organizers pride themselves on the fact it has moved more in the direction of a family-oriented event, one you’d feel comfortable being accompanied by the missus, the kids and/or, even, dear ol’ mom.

“Our goal is for the people that attend to have a good time, raise some money for the ducks and also make it a family event,” said Cestia, who served as chairman of the local chapter.

“We had different people at the general banquet. This year I had five or six phone calls each week. That’s encouraging because you have different people that are becoming interested in not only ducks and coastal conservation but preservation of our natural habitat,” he said.

Armond Schwing of New Iberia, past fundraising committee chairman who serves as state DU chairman, noted some of the outdoorsmen who ushered in the inaugural New Iberia Ducks Unlimited Banquet attended Wednesday’s event. That’s 38 years worth of raising bucks for ducks for each of those duck hunters.

There was no jumping up and down for joy over the attendance figures. But Cestia and Schwing agreed they were far from disappointed.

An estimated 250 people filed into Cyr-Gates, including 12 corporate sponsors (up from nine in 2007) who pay $750 each and 64 sponsors who pay $330 each. General membership is $50.

Forty-four Green Wings (17 and under), who got in for $15, half of what it cost in ’07, were inside the building, too.

“We had more Green Wings this year than we had last year, which was one of our goals,” Cestia said.

That was a bright spot.

Still, Cestia said, “Our goal was to have 300 people there. We didn’t get to 300. It’s been a difficult time with the hurricanes and the financial situation in the country is something that definitely affects our attendance and our numbers.”

Schwing agreed and said, “To some degree we’re disappointed about not getting there (300). There are factors there I think outside of our control. Certainly part of it is the state of the economy. But we really feel the value of the entertainment we provide our event is worth the price of admission.

“I mean, you know, we did well (see related story on Page B7),” he said. “As state chairman I’m traveling to a lot of events around the state and looking at what’s going on everywhere. It seems like the numbers are a little flat. Again, I think it’s part of the economic times that we’re in. Some of it, especially in southwest and southeast Louisiana, has something to do with hurricanes and shuffling dates around.

“For the most part we’re holding our own. There’s no disputing the good work that Ducks Unlimited does and people recognize that and support us regardless what other things they have going on in their lives.”

DON SHOOPMAN is outdoors editor of The Daily Iberian.