From hunters interested in growing the area’s population of game birds to citizens simply interested in conserving the county’s natural resources, many throughout the region can find good reason to support Cass County Pheasants Forever’s upcoming fundraising banquet later this month.

The organization will host the event Saturday, Oct. 22, at the Dowagiac Conservation Club, located just outside the city on M-51 toward Sister Lakes/Decatur. The doors open at 5 p.m. for social hour, with dinner and other activities beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets for the banquet cost $85 for couples, $60 for individuals. Children 12 and under are admitted free of charge.

In addition to enjoying a dinner catered by Jeff Vlasicak with Cassopolis’ Vlasicak’s Meat Market, attendees will have a chance to participate in raffles and silent and public auctions, said Cass County Pheasants Forever President Jeff Nelson. A wide array of items will be up for grabs during the event, including power tools like STIHL chainsaw, worth around $750, wildlife artwork and sculptures, clothing items made from alpaca fleece and much more, Nelson said.

“My goal as chapter president is to make sure nobody leaves without getting their hands on something,” Nelson said.

Cass County Pheasants Forever has hosted the annual event since the chapter was founded in 1998, with the banquet serving as the organization’s major fundraiser for the year.

“The money we raise all stays in and is all invested in Cass County,” Nelson said.

The funds from the dinner are used to help pay for Pheasants Forever’s various planting projects around the county, designed to restore native prairie grasses, flowers and other plant life for pheasants to populate. The popular game bird has virtually disappeared by Cass County due to the destruction of such environments, something that Pheasants Forever volunteers are working to correct.

“What is beneficial for pheasants is beneficial for all types of game birds, from turkeys to quails,” Nelson said. “We want to restore habitats that support a diverse ecology.”

In recent months, the chapter has expanded its focus to helping to restore another dwindling population in the area — bees, butterflies and other types of pollinators. Earlier this year, the chapter worked with agricultural students with Southwestern Michigan College to plant vegetation on the Dowagiac campus to help support the growth of the insects, which play a vital role in the local ecology, Nelson said.

The diversity of the organization’s missions are reflected in the people who attend the banquet every year, which draws in couples from as far as Illinois, Nelson said.

“Hunting is a big part of what we do, but anyone who is interested in the environment or conservation is welcome to attend,” he said.

Tickets for the event will be on sale through next Thursday, Oct. 20. They can be purchased online at the Cass County Pheasants Forever website, http://www.casscountypf.org, or by calling 1-800-438-2658 and asking for Jeff or Cathy.