Milestones and memories

Fundraising history made in Ontario

Three of the chapter founders were honoured at the 40th anniversary dinner for 50 years of volunteering with DUC. Dr. Dunc Sinclair, one of the DUC’s Magnificent Seven that brought the DU fundraising concept to Canada, Herb Kebbel and Percy Whitcroft were all part of the first dinner committee in Tillsonburg in 1974. After the chapter moved to Port Rowan, the trio continued to be part of it. Coming from Aylmer, eventually they considered a dinner in their hometown, which is a 50-minute drive from Long Point. 

Taking a moment out of the dinner to talk, Sinclair said they initially struggled with the idea of a satellite dinner, not wanting to take away from Long Point’s success. “I had been to so many DU dinners down in the U.S. and they said you can have one next door,” he said of the conclusion they eventually reached. 

Memories of the early years were a room that was always sold out at 300 people. “It was so big there we could have had 1,000 people it was so popular,” said Kebbel. 

“We doubled it with 300 here and 300 there,” Sinclair said of numbers in Aylmer and Long Point. 

Since then, the Aylmer chapter has raised $1.8 million for conservation. 

Recognizing 50 years of volunteer excellence

As the 50-year volunteer certificates were presented to the founding trio, Tim Binch, DUC’s national manager of volunteer fundraising, acknowledged the incredible contributions of Sinclair, Kebbel, Whitcroft and the Aylmer committee had made to the organization. “This area is where DUC fundraising got started. It’s because of these gentlemen and this large committee.” 

Binch noted that the average tenure of a volunteer in Canada is six years, so being a volunteer for five decades demonstrates incredible dedication to the cause.   

Close-knit group with international conservation influence

Several Aylmer committee members have made a difference for DU provincially and nationally as well. Sinclair was DUC’s national president and played a role in the launch of DU in Australia and New Zealand, while lending a hand in impressing the importance of wetland conservation and protection in Mexico. Kebbel was a past director of DU Canada, Kim Black was the first Greenwing Chair in Canada, Dan Boehm was the a past district chair of the senior volunteer council, as was Gary Austin, who was also the provincial sponsor chair. 

Sinclair described them as a “close knit group.” Many are also members of The Order of Good Cheer, a local group Sinclair and Kebbel started to fund local conservation and community projects. Often the committee members fish and hunt together. 

“It’s dedication to the cause and the camaraderie,” said committee member Fred Neukamm. 

“We play together,” Black said with a characteristic smile. “We know each other’s hunting camps; we co-ordinate going fishing at Long Point on the same day.” 

As an attendee over the past 40 years, and as a member of the Order of Good Cheer, I have seen firsthand the bond between friends has been a winner for this committee, and conservation in Canada. Sadly, there will be a presence missing next year. Sinclair passed away 15 days after the Aylmer dinner at the age of 87. The dinner was the last time I saw him. The wisdom of a man who was a conservation mentor to many, including me, will be missed.