Share: 

Rehoboth Beach fire company hosts Ducks Unlimited event

Event raises more than $55,000
Selling tickets for the shotgun raffle are Ashley Lyons, left, and Carley Bond. DAN COOK PHOTOS
Dan Cook
March 9, 2022

The Rehoboth Beach Volunteer Fire Company and Eastern Sussex Ducks Unlimited held the Lucky 7 Gun Bash March 5 at Fire Station 1 on Rehoboth Avenue.

Food, camaraderie, tall tales and stories, guns and fun were the order of the evening as 300 tickets were sold for the event. A silent auction, live auction, 50/50 and games were played to win Ducks Unlimited items, pictures, bikes, pistols, shotguns, tree stands, coolers, grills and many more prizes.

Guns were donated by Best Shot, Hopkins Gun Shop and Steele’s Gun Shop. Twenty-two guns were raffled by Lucky 7 tickets; 10 shotguns were given by drawings from walk-around raffle sales, and other guns were won by goose band raffle drawings.

More than $55,000 was raised for Ducks Unlimited and the Rehoboth Beach Volunteer Fire Company. Ducks Unlimited uses the funds for wetlands conservation. For every $250 raised, it conserves one acre of wetlands.

“I was thoroughly impressed by the turnout tonight,” said Ducks Unlimited Past Chair Raymond Harp. “Especially since it’s our first year for the event. We couldn’t have done it without our sponsors and volunteers.”

Getting 3-month-old Forrest started early with Ducks Unlimited are aunt Maggie Lingo, left, and mom Carrie Lingo.
Enjoying the evening are friends (l-r) Rob Medd, Thad and Bonnie Truitt, Kelly Widdoes and Fred and Nicole Best.
Making the event a family affair are (l-r) Sean, Reba, Mike, Terri, Mark and Madelyn Tappan.
Placing a bid on the DU copper duck weathervane is Brittany Reynolds.
Working behind the scenes making the evening run smoothly are (l-r) Vicki Card, Kati Miller, Terry Brewster, Ruth Ann Reynolds and Joyce Burton.
A duck call windchime was part of the silent auction.
Working the DU event are (l-r) Anthony Carmen, Kenny Hopkins, Raymond Harp, DonDon Mitchell, Cole Fluharty, Jeremiah Burton, Bryon Burton, and Mike and Wyatt Simpler.
Working the Spinning Wheel game are Jade Conaway, left, and Wyatt Simpler.
Serving a cold beer to Chatham Marsch is Rehoboth fire company member Julie Del Giorno.
F3 members pose for a picture at the event. Shown are (l-r) Jacoby Spittler, Kasey Mitchell, Chris Silvestre, Mike Giesecke, Jason Dypsky, Jeff Chorman, Brandon Mallon, Chris Mattioni, Brian Reynolds, Dallas Reynolds and Scott Layfield. They are a part of a free peer leader workout group open to all men; they meet rain, shine, heat or cold in the mornings at various locations throughout Sussex County. They are called F3 for Fitness, Fellowship, Faith.
A Ducks Unlimited neon light and a copper duck wind vane were part of the silent auction.
What youngster wouldn’t want a camouflage Ducks Unlimited bike from the silent auction?
Ronnie Hagan from Best Shot donated guns and pistols for the event.
Rehoboth Beach Volunteer Fire Company members volunteered to put on the event. A few volunteers shown are (l-r) DonDon Mitchell, chief engineer; Bryon Burton, past chief; Mike Bateman, Eastern Shore Ducks Unlimited chair; and Mike Simpler, RBVFC secretary and fundraising chair.
Ducks Unlimited prizes were given in the high/low card game.
Pictures and Ducks Unlimited gear were included in the silent auction.
Bidding on the silent auction items are (l-r) Mike Testa, Matt Cicchini and Conway Bristowe.
Selling goose band tickets for the Gun Wall giveaway is Gina Horsky.
Christina West, left, purchases a raffle card from Carley Bond, center, and Ashley Lyons.
Milton friends Guy Wiggins and Zach Crouch enjoy a conversation at the event.
Drawing and reading the names for the gun raffles are Raymond Harp, Ducks Unlimited past chair, left, and DU Regional Director Taylor Deemer.
Examining a raffle shotgun are Ramsey Schrader, right, and Frank Green.
Sharing some family time at the event are Craig Pleasants, center, and his sons Owen and CJ.
Enjoying the event are (l-r) Jeff Clendaniel, Katie Goldsborough and Kaylee Fluharty.
Having some guy time are (l-r) Ted Nowakowski, Sanford Hazzard and Bill Klemkowski.
Bartenders for the event are Ashley Eaton, left, and Maggie Lingo.
Paiton Long, left, and Morgan Catts Howard share some gal time.
Troy and Kathy Virden volunteered at the event.
Jill and Bryon Burton enjoy being at the event.
An injury didn’t keep Ciera Barnett from volunteering at the Lucky 7 Gun Bash.

Most Popular

Dan has worked for the Cape Gazette for more than 30 years as a photographer and reporter, covering high school sports and happenings around eastern Sussex County. He won a photography award from the National Newspaper Association, and numerous awards from the Maryland, Delaware, D.C. Press Association. A Delaware native, Dan graduated from Cape in 1972 and returned as a teacher and coach in the 1980s. He retired from the classroom in 2016. He was inducted into Cape High’s Legends Stadium in 2016. In his spare time, Dan enjoys spending time with his wife, two sons, grandchildren and dogs. 

Most Popular