Calvary Independent Baptist Church, 1225 Robert Fulton Highway, Quarryville, will host its annual Sportsman's Banquet on Sunday, March 17. The free event will be held from 5 to 7 p.m., and it will include a shared meal, door prizes and a demonstration from seasoned hunter Chad Schearer. Doors will open at 4:30 p.m., and limited seating will be available.

Although there is no entry fee, guests are encouraged to bring a food item to share with others. Many guests typically bring wild game such as venison, elk meat and other food acquired from hunting or fishing, but other items will be accepted. In recent years, attendees have brought food such as pizza and fried chicken to contribute to the meal. Calvary Independent Baptist Church will provide vegetables, salads and desserts.

Door prizes will include $1,200 worth of hunting equipment, fishing gear, camping accessories and clothing items. All guests who are 18 years of age or older will be entered into a prize drawing for a black powder rifle. Every year, Calvary Independent Baptist Church purchases various items for the prize drawings, and members of the church will receive donations during the event.

Schearer is an elk hunter based in rural Montana, and he has served as an outfitter and hunting guide for more than 30 years. Schearer has also won numerous elk calling competitions throughout the United States, and his demonstration will include various tips and tricks for avid hunters. Schearer hosts "Shoot Straight TV," a family-friendly outdoor program, with his wife, Marsha; sons, Walker and Wyatt; and daughter-in-law, Breanna.

Calvary Independent Baptist Church has hosted the annual Sportsman's Banquet for more than 20 years. The tradition was started by two members of the congregation who frequently traveled to areas such as Colorado and Wyoming to hunt elk, and they wanted to create an event for other big game hunters in the community to share food and stories with one another. Although the founding members have since passed away, church members and hunters throughout the Southern End continue to support the event, which averages approximately 125 attendees annually.

"People just enjoy being able to get together to share some food and wild game with one another," said Daniel Crisman, pastor of Calvary Independent Baptist Church. "You get to see some faces you probably only see once a year, and we get a lot of people from outside the church."

Calvary Independent Baptist Church will offer services at 8 and 10:30 a.m. on Easter Sunday. A community breakfast will be held at the church in between services.

For more information, visit http://www.calvaryindependent.org.