Submitted by brad.white on Tue, 2019-09-03 08:24 Fallen Timbers - 035 Vote Up Down +5 + 20181103_231943.jpg We will be having our annual conservation banquet at Rockwell Springs Trout Club on Saturday, November 2, 2019. Our guest speaker this year will be Joe Hemming. Joe Hemming is current president of Anglers of the Au Sable. Joe has been an attorney for 35 years and been involved in the successful efforts to prevent oil and gas drilling in the Mason Tract as well as being one of the attorneys in the recently concluded litigation to close a commercial fish farm operating in the old Grayling fish hatchery. This four-year legal battle was supported and funded by the entire board and membership of the Anglers of the Au Sable in addition to other conservation organizations including many chapters of Trout Unlimited. To recognize Anglers for this successful fight, Fly Fisherman Magazine and Simms named Joe 2019 Conservationist of the Year. Previously Joe served on the board of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge Alliance and the Au Sable River Property Owners Association. Being a history buff, Joe is also a lifetime member of the Lovells Historical Society. Joe splits his time with his wife Betsy and two daughters between their home in Beverly Hills, Mi and a cabin on the Au Sable River. Joe will discuss the efforts of the Anglers of the Au Sable to fulfill its mission of preserving and protecting the Au Sable River, one of the finest trout streams in North America. Anglers was founded in 1987 with its first president being Rusty Gates. Anglers since that time has been at the forefront of preserving and protecting this special river. The mission of Anglers takes the organization from courtrooms to classrooms to boots in the river. Hear of the challenges presently confronting the river and Anglers’ efforts to address those challenges. The banquet will be Saturday evening. We have reserved all the rooms at Rockwell for attendees who may wish to spend the night. Attendees will also be able to fish on Saturday (showers and locker rooms available for changing before dinner if you aren't spending the night) or Saturday and Sunday if you are spending the night. We will also have the usual bag raffles and silent auction at the banquet. You can download a ticket order form here (PDF).