Conservation Auction
Grand Bend's Kaleigh Clemens wins 2025 50-50 raffle draw worth $5,000
Generous local community buys all 1,000 tickets printed
Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation (ABCF), Exeter Lions Club, and the Conservation Auction Committee would like to congratulate Kaleigh Clemens, of Grand Bend, winner of the 2025 50-50 Raffle Draw.
She wins $5,000 as the generous local community bought every one of the 1,000 tickets printed.
ABCF, Exeter Lions, and the Auction Committee thank everyone who bought a ticket in support of needed local community projects that could not happen otherwise.
The winning ticket was drawn at 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 3, 2025 at South Huron Recreation Centre in Exeter.
In photo, from left to right, drawing the ticket, are Chris Keller, Chair of the Conservation Auction Committee, and Dave Frayne, Chair of the Conservation Foundation.
The 50-50 Raffle Draw was operated under lottery licence #M835225.
The winning ticket was sold by Tom Hartai at Brigitte’s Fashions & Thomas H Fine Menswear in Exeter.
The 50-50 Raffle Draw is over but the 35th Conservation Auction (online for 2025) is still ahead! Enjoy the chance to support your community and bid on some amazing items online.
The virtual auction begins at 8 a.m. on Monday, May 12, 2025 and continues until Thursday, May 15, 2025 at 8 p.m.
The Conservation Auction Committee will be hosting its virtual auction on the Zeffy.com platform. A link, to the Zeffy auction site, will be shared in the coming weeks on the Online Auction web page.
#ConservationAuction
Committee sets May 12-15 dates for virtual auction in 2025
Conservation Auction, online for 2025, begins at 8 a.m. on Monday, May 12, 2025 and continues until Thursday, May 15, 2025 at 8 p.m.; Watch in coming weeks for link, to online auction, on virtual auction web page
The Conservation Auction Committee has set the dates for the 35th Conservation Auction, which is online for 2025. The virtual auction begins at 8 a.m. on Monday, May 12, 2025 and continues until Thursday, May 15, 2025 at 8 p.m.
The Conservation Auction Committee will be hosting its virtual auction on the Zeffy.com platform. A link, to the Zeffy auction site, will be shared in the coming weeks on the Online Auction web page.
Save the May 12-15 dates for the online auction this year.
The online format means more people are able to take part and they will have more opportunities to take part as the virtual auction runs for four days instead of a single evening.
Even though we won’t be hosting the auction in person this year the online auction will be a lot of fun.
There are going to be many wonderful items to bid on, and it’s a fantastic way to make a positive difference for your community.
If you have questions, or would like to donate, phone 519-235-2610 or toll-free 1-888-286-2610 or email info@abca.ca or visit the Ausable Bayfield Conservation office east of Exeter at 71108 Morrison Line (just south of Highway 83).
The Conservation Auction has raised more than $1.39 million, for work in local communities, over its history dating back almost three and a half decades. The Exeter Lions Club has been co-partner, with Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation and the watershed community, on the Auction, since 1991. Net profits are split 50-50 between projects of the Conservation Foundation and the Exeter Lions Club.
The annual charitable auction (online for 2025) supports needed community initiatives such as parks and trails and conservation areas, outdoor recreation events and experiences for youth and families, conservation education, job and education opportunities for youth, and other projects in local watershed communities.
To find out more visit abca.ca for the Conservation Auction web page.
35th Conservation Auction goes online for 2025
Auction Committee plans to continue to support needed projects in the community by changing fundraiser from dinner to online auction for 2025
The 35th Conservation Auction is changing for the 2025 year. The community auction committee has decided to change the fundraising event from an in-person dinner to an online auction for this year.
The Conservation Auction Committee Chair for 2025 is Chris Keller of the Exeter Lions Club. He says the organizers will miss the fellowship of an in-person event this year but he said changing the format is the right thing to do at this time.
“The community projects that are possible thanks to this auction still need our support – we just need to raise that money in a different way,” he said.
“The business community has been really supportive this year with sponsorships and donations and we thank them for their support,” he said. During the current economic uncertainty, however, ticket sales for the in-person event have not kept pace with previous years. There were also fewer special raffle and live auction items donated this year. He said the committee didn’t want to proceed with an in-person event this year if it couldn’t meet the high standards set at previous Conservation Dinners.
The Auction Committee plans to reimagine the event in 2025 and conduct an online auction, likely in May. The Committee Chair encourages the public to watch for updates on dates and times, expected in the coming weeks.
“We appreciate all the people who have supported the Conservation Dinner over the years and we hope they will continue to support this community fundraiser in a different format this year,” he said.
This is not the first time the Auction Committee has held this community fundraiser online. During the pandemic, the auction was held virtually in 2021 and 2022 before returning as a live event in 2023 and 2024.
“We were very grateful to the community for its support of our online auctions in 2021 and 2022 and we hope people will enjoy bidding on some great auction items at the online auction we plan to hold in 2025,” said Chair Keller.
Anyone who has purchased a Conservation Dinner ticket will be eligible for a full refund, if they so wish, upon return of the charitable gift receipt, for income tax purposes, that was provided at the time of ticket purchase. Alternatively, ticket purchasers may choose to donate all or part of their ticket purchase and receive a charitable gift receipt for the full amount of their donation.
If you have questions, or want to donate to the online auction fundraiser, phone 519-235-2610 or toll-free 1-888-286-2610 or email info@abca.ca or visit the Ausable Bayfield Conservation office east of Exeter at 71108 Morrison Line (just south of Highway 83).
The Conservation Auction has raised more than $1.39 million, for projects in local communities, over its history dating back almost three and a half decades. The Exeter Lions Club has been co-partner, with Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation and the watershed community, on the Auction, since 1991. Net profits are split 50-50 between the Conservation Foundation and the Exeter Lions Club.
Even though the Auction is an online event this year, there is still a need to raise the funds for the programs supported by this charitable event. You can continue to support projects in your community.
Find out more at conservationdinner.com and the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation’s Conservation Auction web page.
The annual charitable event supports needed community projects including parks and trails and conservation areas, outdoor recreation events and experiences for youth and families, conservation education, job and education opportunities for youth, and other needed projects in local watershed communities.