The Cape Henlopen High School Ducks Unlimited Varsity Club held its first banquet April 28 at Lewes Fire Dept. Station 2 in Nassau, where the group raised funds for DU wetlands conservation. Over 300 people from the local area came out to help the DU Varsity continue its work of supporting the nationwide Ducks Unlimited.

The Cape DU Varsity is a group of 44 students who believe in the mantra of Ducks Unlimited, the world leader in wetlands and waterfowl conservation. DU conserves by restoring grasslands and watersheds, replanting forests, working with landowners, acquiring land and conservation easements, and using management agreements and geographic information systems to determine where their habitat work will be most effective. They also monitor the results of their work.

“It was a great showing for our first annual banquet,” said Cape DU Varsity advisor Bobby Maull. “I heard it was the biggest DU Varsity fundraiser for the Delaware region. We have an awesome group of Cape students.”

The Cape students from grades 9-12 sought sponsorships for the event.

“The group worked very hard for the banquet,” said Maull. “Our Cape family and the sponsors really came together for a fantastic evening.”

The Cape Ducks Unlimited Varsity officers are Nolan Brown, president; Garrett Catts, vice president; Riley Klopp, secretary; Delany Zolper, treasurer; and Liam Zolper, membership chair.

The Cape DU Varsity Club thanks the sponsors and the Cape Henlopen administration, the Cape school board, DU Regional Director Ben Vaughn, Chairman Bobby Maull and his assistant Justin Marino, Raymond Harp and Kenny Hopkins from the Eastern Shore DU Chapter, Mike Simpler, Mark Layton, Mike Cerchio, Butch and Will Emmert, Eastern Shore Ducks Unlimited, Troy Virden, Lewes Fire Department and Rehoboth Beach Volunteer Fire Department.

For more information about Ducks Unlimited Varsity, go to: http://www.ducks.org/get-involved/ducks-unlimited-youth-programs/du-varsity.