Annie Get Your Funds

Now its ninth year of auctioning a gun to raise funds for scholarships, the Hi-Line Sportsmen's annual fundraising banquet continues to grow and grow. Despite falling on a sports-heavy weekend, the banquet drew approximately 180 outdoorsmen and women to St. Raphael's Parish in Glasgow.

While this is the sixth banquet, 2022 marks the eighth year the local non-profit organization has awarded scholarships to area students. Over eight years, Hi-Line Sportsmen has given out $20,000 in scholarship funds.

This year's recipients were Aidan Redstone, Glasgow; Trey Johnson, Hinsdale, and Montaya Idler, Hinsdale. Each of the Valley County seniors received $1,500.

Past president and Sportsmen member Jenn Jackson explained that the number of scholarships awarded, as well as the dollar amount of those gifts, varies from year to year and is based on monies raised. This year the scholarships were increased to $1,500 over last year's $1,000 awards.

No matter the dollar amount, the college-bound young adults were grateful for the financial assistance and already have plans for their funds.

Redstone plans to attend Bismarck State College and pursue a career as a lineman. "This helps me pay for my gear," he said, "so that will really help."

Johnson will be attending Carroll College in the fall where he will be playing football and studying anthrozoology. He chuckled as he told the Courier, "Carroll's not a cheap school as you know and this will help me out greatly in my endeavors." The Hinsdale native will putting his award towards his tuition in Helena.

"It means a lot, coming from our community and being outdoors, growing up hunting and the family bonding – it just means a lot," Idler said about her Hi-Line Sportsmen scholarship. She will be using her winnings to help with tuition when she attends Dickinson State University this fall to pursue a degree in exercise science.

Also awarding scholarships was Hi-Tech Electric Inc. of Glasgow. Now in their second year of giving back, Hi-Tech awards two scholarships a year to students entering a trade school seeking a technical career.

This year Dawn Daubner and Spencer Marsh were on hand to present $1,000 scholarships to Nik Burke and Blake Lloyd, both of Glasgow.

Burke, like Redstone, will be pursuing his continuing education at Bismarck State College with the goal of a lineman career. He will be putting his monies towards housing and expressed gratitude to Hi-Tech, "Thanks for the money. It will really help."

Lloyd said he will be attending Gallatin College's HVAC-R program. He intends to "hang around the area for a bit" before possibly returning to Glasgow. Lloyd said his scholarship funds will go to "helping with school in general."

Scholarship funds are raised every year when the organization auctions off their "scholarship gun." This year's gun – a Stevens 555 20-gauge with engraved stock – was purchased by Joe Younkin and Karen Jackson and donated to Hi-Line Sportsmen meaning all funds raised go directly to scholarships.

Younkin and Jackson's late husband Mark were instrumental in the founding of Hi-Line Sportsmen. Though Karen moved back to Washington after the passing of her husband, she sought a way to remain involved in the organization.

According to J. Jackson, her mother-in-law's friendship with Younkin grew stronger and the two remain committed to the organization and the future of sportsmen along the Hi-Line, as demonstrated by their largesse.

The Stevens 555 20-gauge – along with an auction item and a raffle gun donated back for auction – raised $3,500 for the Hi-Line Memorial Scholarship fund.

Banquet attendees praised the group for providing a "different avenue" for students to pursue scholarships, in addition to all the work done by the volunteers.

The live auction was presided over by local auctioneering legend Brian "Auzzie" Austin with a number of donated items from local artists and organizations. Levi Sugg and Drew Henry assisted.

A prime rib and shrimp dinner was prepared by Charles and Chelsea Dodd and served by local students raising funds for their annual DC trip.

Between the auction and the "guns and games" J. Jackson estimated the group raised $20,000 this year. With a core mission of "Keeping Conservation Local" Hi-Line Sportsmen will continue to focus on improving wildlife habitat and recreational access in this corner of the state.

Hi-Line Sportsmen makes funding available through their mini-grant program, with up to $1,000 for projects working to enhance wildlife habitat, provide public access and encourage community-wide outdoor activities. For more information contact Andrew McKean at 263-5442.

In addition, the banquet highlighted the Hunter Mentoring program which pairs first-time hunters with experienced outdoorsmen to introduce new participants to outdoors traditions. This reporter and emcee Jack Medlicott spoke about their experiences as apprentice and mentor, respectively.

Information on monthly meetings and other questions can be obtained by contacting Jenn Jackson via the Hi-Line Sportsmen's Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/groups/1225094827523138/

This article has been updated from the print version. The following "of auctioning a gun to raise funds for scholarships" was added to the first sentence of the article for clarification.