2025 Banquet and Fundraiser

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THANK YOU! 

What an incredible evening we had at our very first AWC Banquet—and we couldn’t have done it without all of YOU!

First off, a huge thanks to the amazing hospitality team at the Horse & Hunt Club in Prior Lake, MN—from the AV crew and set-up team to the bartenders, cooks, and waitstaff—you all crushed it! Dinner was absolutely phenomenal and the service was top notch. 

A special shoutout to Lance Nichols, our fantastic auctioneer who came all the way from Colorado, and to our Emcee Shane Clouse and his wife for making the trip from Western Montana—your energy and presence helped make the night unforgettable.

And to our featured speaker Billy Molls—what an incredible job! Thank you for sharing your stories and wisdom with such passion. You truly inspired the room.

To our incredible volunteers: Owen Gentz, Jerry Freund, Taylor Tix, Chris Hagness, Mai Nguyen—and EVERYONE else who pitched in behind the scenes—thank you for your time, heart, and hustle. We couldn’t have done this without you.

To all our outfitters, donors, and Founding Life Members—your generosity powers our mission. To all the bidders, both live and silent auction—thank you for stepping up! Whether you bought 1 raffle ticket or 500, your support means the world.

A heartfelt THANK YOU to all the youth who participated—your involvement is the future of conservation and the heart of what we do. Seeing your enthusiasm was one of the biggest highlights of the night. 

This was just the beginning—and what a kickoff it was. We’re already working on our next youth project, with hopes of launching a scholarship and dreaming up the next big hunt or adventure.

Got ideas for how to make the next one even better? Want to help out or get involved? We’re always open to feedback and looking for ways to grow. Reach out—we’d love to hear from you.

Thank you again from all of us on the
AWC Board of Directors