Toast of Tamarac raises funds for continuing education programs at the wildlife area

Detroit Lakes, Minn. (KDLM) – Supporters of Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge and the Friends of Tamarac, a nonprofit support organization for the wilderness area, packed Lakeside Tavern and Brewery in Detroit Lakes Sunday afternoon for their annual Toast of Tamarac fundraiser.

The event had been held at Richwood Winery in recent years, but moved to a new home this year since the winery closed last September.

Kelly Blackledge, visitor services coordinator for the refuge, said she thinks the attendance for the banquet seems to keep growing every year. 

“We have people that always come every year, so they are regular supporters and we love that,” said Blackledge. “And then some new people that we haven’t seen out here. Some people that just happened by. So we are really glad to have all kinds of new people join us this year.”

Attendees flock to the silent auction table during the Toast of Tamarac fundraiser in Detroit Lakes on Sept. 10, 2023. (Michael Achterling / KDLM)

She also said the silent auction seemed more active than previous fundraisers and the group would post the final donation tally once it becomes available on Monday. 

Blackledge added the money raised during event will go to continue funding Tamarac’s youth education programs.

“All of these funds will help fund out educational programs, so it’ll keep kids coming out to the refuge,” she said. “There’s a few snow shoes that we need to replace and then some of the equipment that we use, it’s so fun, we’ve been doing environmental education for a lot of years, so it’s kind of fun to see some of our equipment wear out because we are getting so much use out of it. So this is really going to help us out.”

Tina Pierce, co-owner of Lakeside Tavern and Brewery, is also a Friends of Tamarac board member and said she loves seeing the awestruck looks on the face of third graders when they see the seasons change.

“When I was a kid, anytime I got to go anywhere outdoors, that was ‘it’,” said Pierce. “And that’s what I loved learning and participating in. I love volunteering with the environmental education program, especially the third graders that come out three time per year. It’s super exciting to see how enthusiastic they are about getting out there, and when they learn certain things that they never knew before and they get to see the  different seasons change.”

Years ago, Pierce actually worked for a summer at Tamarac as a park ranger and will always remember her time there as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

“You get paid to be out on the trails hiking and doing all the things that you love,” she said. “And interacting with guests, I just loved working in the visitor’s center, and watching all the birds at the bird feeders, and talking to people who come in from different states who have never seen chipmunks before or ground squirrels, or certain birds … and just the families that come in, and the kids especially. Their minds are blown by everything that’s out there.”

The Friends of Tamarac will continue selling raffle tickets for a 3-person Eskimo fish house and other prizes over the next few weeks to continue their fundraising efforts. Raffle tickets can be purchased by emailing: info@tamaracfriends.org; by reaching out to a Friends of Tamarac Board Member; or through the group’s Facebook page.