I'm not going to sugar coat this at all, I'm just going to tell you how it is.
As an MMA member:
– you need to be there
– you need to buy raffle tickets
– you need to bid on the silent auctions
– you need to bid on live auctions
Yes, I know that you can get lures and tackle cheaper online or in a store sometimes but that's not the point of the banquet!! MMA needs money to keep doing what we've been doing and without YOU spending money at the banquet (our only real fundraiser) we wouldn't be able to DO anything. No tracking studies, no KTD signs, no tagging, no hatchery assistance, etc.
Let me also remind you of this little fact, more than once the muskie program in the state of Michigan has nearly been cut… Why did it get saved? Because of MMA and our cooperative efforts with the DNR. They knew they could count on MMA to assist and we need to be there for them. Without MMA, dare I say, that the state would have abandoned the thoughts of a Great Lakes strain program.
Will's right, guys. This is the 1 and only major fundraiser that we have, and it needs ALL of our support. Even if some of the stuff is only a couple bucks more at the Banquet, isn't it worth that to keep us going in the right track? Literally anything that you will need to get started, or continue muskie fishing will be available here. If you think that sometime throughout the year, you may be purchasing a net, lure, rod, reel – why not get it at the Banquet? Remember, all this stuff was not free. MMA has to PURCHASE these items, and have YOU BUY them for at least a little more than we bought them for. Otherwise, our bank account stays at $0. And when the account is at $0, and the hatchery calls us because the 50,000 GLS muskies they are raising at the hatchery need minnows or they're going to DIE, and they are out of funds, guess what will happen to those muskies when we don't have any money to give them? We end up only stocking 1/20th of the amount that we were on track to stock. Step up to the plate, and save your pennies until March 10th. Put away $2 per day into a "Banquet Jar". Seriously! $2 per day. That will get you about $50 to spend the night of the banquet. When you are thinking about going and getting a BigMac, STOP! Go home, and put that little bit of cash in your jar, and eat a grilled cheese sandwich. (Rant Over) [smilie=biggrin.gif]
Definitely a "not to miss" event. It's a great time hanging out with fellow muskie nuts and a chance to pick up lure that you won't find online. There will be a lot of custom paint jobs there and the lake packages are truly worth their weight in gold. Free up a little cash and come on out. $50 in most cases would be enough to win a silent auction item and even put into the raffles but bring more money anyways, you'll find something to spend it on [smilie=2thumbsup.gif] . I hope to see lots of people with fat wallets!!!!
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