The Ephrata Area Churches' annual sportsmen's banquet was canceled in 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions, but this year, the group, which includes about a dozen Ephrata- and Akron-area churches, is planning to hold the event. The speaker will be Tracy Breen, a full-time outdoor writer, speaker, and marketing consultant. He will speak on the topic of "Outwitting a Big Game Animal's Senses."

The family-friendly banquet will be held on Friday, March 11, at Yoder's Restaurant, 14 Tower Road, New Holland. Doors will open at 5:15 p.m. so attendees can view vendor and other displays. Dinner will be served at 6:15 p.m. A number of door prizes will be given out at the event as well.

Breen is from Muskegon, Mich., where he was raised by a family that included a number of hunters and trappers, who introduced him to their love of outdoor adventures when he was quite young. His father made a living trapping into the late 1970s, when he turned to taxidermy. His father's influence led Breen to choose a career in the great outdoors.

Raised in a Christian home, Breen sought to connect his faith with his work in a significant way. He has served as editor of God's Great Outdoors Internet Outdoor Magazine, and he has written for New Pioneer, Petersen's Bowhunting, and Outdoor Life. He has experienced hunting, fishing, and speaking throughout North America. Breen has cerebral palsy, which affects much of his right side. When he speaks at game dinners and other outdoor-themed events, he often discusses the struggles and disappointments he has been dealt, sharing how God has used his life as he overcomes physical challenges.

There is a fee to attend the dinner, and a limited number of tickets are available. Tickets may be purchased at http://www.eventbrite.com by searching for "Sportsmen's Outreach Banquet" or by calling 717-738-0963.