Document text
Click Here 60 °F Forecast | Road Cams Saturday, March 6, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend February 12, 2004 Rogue Gobblers to hold fund-raising banquet By MARK FREEMAN Mail Tribune Those attending a March 13 banquet in Medford not only will be talking turkey, they’ll be judging it as well. The Rogue Gobblers chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation is putting more spice and smiles in its upcoming fund-raising banquet. The banquet features a turkey-calling contest in which the top two finishers from a Feb. 25 qualifying round will do their best gobbling for two judges. The banquet attendees will act as the third judge — kind of like America text-messaging votes for a talent show. "I’ve been to a lot of boring banquets over the years," says Mike Ayres, the chapter’s president. "I want this to be fun." But there’s more at stake than smiles. Advertisement The winner of the banquet’s call-off will enter the statewide call-off during a banquet July 24-25 at the Flying M Ranch in Yamhill. The local banquet is March 13 at the Red Lion Hotel, 200 N. Riverside Ave., Medford. It begins with a no-host cocktail hour and auction viewing at 5 p.m., with a sit-down dinner at 6:30 p.m. and the auction at 7:15 p.m. For information on ticket packages, call 779-8926. An early-bird package is available until March 1. This year’s banquet is being chaired by Brian Heil, a North Medford High School senior who is organizing the banquet as part of his senior project. Last year’s banquet raised about $35,000. Only 10 callers will be in the preliminary round to qualify for calling at the banquet. The preliminaries will be held Feb. 25 at G.I. Joe’s in Medford’s Poplar Square. To enter, call Jeff Heil at 779-8926. The federation is comprised of chapters across the country that raise money to fund habitat-improvement and other projects aiding wild turkeys and their habitat. America’s boaters are less enraptured by the war on terror and more into the pleasures of being on the water — that is, if you believe watercraft christenings are a good barometer of boaters’ views. "Liberty" and "Victory" gave way to "Happy Hours" and "Carpe Diem" as the most popular new boat names for 2003 as compiled by BoatUS, the nation’s largest recreational boat-owners association. Since 1991, BoatUS has tracked the names that its members choose for their new boats, and the 2003 list of the top 10 contains six newcomers. "Happy Hours" is a repeat, but it’s the first time as the top name, while "Carpe Diem" is new. "Reel Time," another repeat, was third. That differs sharply from 2002, when the war on terror and pending war in Iraq led to the patriotic names. This year, however, only "Freedom" in the no. 5 slot alludes to patriotic themes. "Sea Biscuit" broke into the list in the no. 4 slot following the popular movie of the same but differently spelled title, and "Summer Wind" ranked sixth. They are followed by "Aquaholic" and "Serenity," two perennial favorites, with "No Worries" and "Mental Floss" rounding out the list. The annual list is compiled by the BoatUS graphics department, which produces custom graphics for its members’ watercraft. The group offers an online library of more than 1,500 boat names for stumped boat owners to peruse. Check out the site at www.boatus.com on the Web. Reach reporter Mark Freeman at 776-4470, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times