The Centralia College Foundation and TransAlta are building a package that might entice regional hunters and benefit local students. The package allows elk hunting access on TransAlta property for the winner of a raffle.
“There’s at least 300 elk on that land, maybe more, so it is very desirable for a hunter,” said Michael Wagar, external communications advisor at TransAlta.
Proceeds from the raffle will benefit the Dave Sherwood Memorial Scholarship, a Centralia College foundation scholarship fund. The drawing will select an individual to hunt on over 14,000 acres of private land, the entire TransAlta mine area, one weekend during regular modern rifle elk season.
“There’s a lot of people that would like to get on that land,” Wagar said.
The winner can bring one guest. A TransAlta representative who knows the land will accompany them.
“The idea is for a successful hunt. The guys that work out here know where the elk are going to be. It’s about as good a guarantee as you’re going to get,” Wagar said.
The winner must have a valid Washington state hunting licence tag.
“Whoever gets the tag, if they’re any hunter at all, is about guaranteed to get a bull,” said Dave Hilliard, a heavy equipment operator at the Centralia mine.
The scholarship honors Dave Sherwood, a former TransAlta plant supervisor.
“His workers thought about how they could honor him and they approached management and it just took off from there,” Wagar said.
Sherwood loved hunting and lived his life with an avid appreciation for the outdoors.
He died last fall in an accident while hunting. TransAlta, his employer, is instituting the Dave Sherwood Memorial Scholarship Elk Hunt to honor his memory.
Tickets for the hunt cost $25 and the raffle is open to the public. The drawing will be held May 1, in the Centralia College Foundation office. The winner does not need to be present to win.
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Amy Nile: (360) 807-8235
