The 14th annual Sportsman Event, featuring dinner, a guest speaker and an opportunity to win prizes, will be presented by the Outdoorsman Ministry Group at the Christian Life Center (CLC) on Saturday, March 9.

Doors will open at 3:30 p.m., during which time attendees can view silent auction items and displays by vendors, including sports memorabilia, taxidermy and wildlife displays by various local outdoor groups. "We will have a lot more vendors this year, including a fly fishing outfitter and a dog tracking vendor who will talk about drones and how they are used in recovering (lost pets)," said Steve Shuster, event organizer.

The program will begin at 5 p.m. in the church sanctuary with introductions, and dinner will follow at 5:15 p.m. The dinner will be catered by PureBread Catering. "They will cater a great meal," said Shuster. "There will be pulled pork, red potatoes, coleslaw, salad and many desserts."

The silent auction will also open at 5:15 p.m. Participants will be able to bid on a variety of hunting, fishing and outdoor-related items, including artwork, woodworking and hunting packages. "We will also have some gift baskets," Shuster said, adding, "The event is appealing to all ages and men and women. We will also have some women-specific baskets in the silent auction."

All attendees will also be entered into a drawing to win door prizes.

Guest speaker Bob Foulkrod, a professional hunter, will present a talk beginning at 6:15 p.m. Foulkrod is the founder and instructor of the Bob Foulkrod Bowhunting School, located in Troy. He appears on many hunting videos and TV shows, including videos for Bass Pro Shops and "Winchester Legends." Foulkrod is a strong proponent of archery education and was inducted into the Anderson Archery International Bowhunters Hall of Fame in 1993, as well as the International and National Halls of Fame.

Shuster met Foulkrod while producing a hunting show on the ESPN Outdoors Channel. "Bob was one of the guys I had on the show. I know him personally," said Shuster. "Some call him the modern-day Daniel Boone. He has hunted everywhere. We are excited to have him."

The program will end with the prize drawings and the announcement of silent auction winners from 7:15 to 8 p.m.

Shuster noted that this year's program will start at 3:30 p.m. rather than at 4 p.m. as in previous years. "We do a survey, and the feedback was that people loved our event, but they wanted it to start a little earlier, so we moved it a half hour earlier," he added.

CLC is located at 125 Saginaw Road, New London. Since seating is limited, it is recommended that tickets be purchased in advance; a limited number of tickets will be available at the door.

There will be separate prices for people age 12 and over and children under 12 years of age. For more information and to order tickets, visit http://www.eventbrite.com and search for "2024 Sportsman Event." Proceeds will benefit the Outdoorsman Ministry Group, which offers a youth archery program as one of its activities.