The 19th annual Hunting Heritage Banquet of Selma’s Blaster Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation will be held on Saturday at Lions Park at 7 p.m.

The doors open at 6 p.m. and Rousso’s Seafood, heralded as the Gulf Coast’s finest seafood buffet, will cater the event. NWTF CEO George Thornton will be in attendance as well.

The banquet has gained popularity as an evening that can be enjoyed by the entire family. For the ladies, there will be Women in the Outdoors prizes and raffles. Children under 17-years-old — JAKES — will get a free gift as well as a chance to win a JAKE’s grand prize. Everyone in attendance will be eligible for a wide variety of door prizes donated by local businesses that support the NWTF.

The money raised at the banquet will be used to support various NWTF conservation efforts at the national, state, and local levels. Fifty-six percent of the money is returned to the Alabama Chapter to be used for local projects in support of conservation and wildlife preservation efforts. In 2008 the Blaster Chapter contributed more net dollars through the NWTF than any other chapter in the state.

Banquet tickets are $55 apiece, $75 per couple and $20 for JAKES and can be acquired from any committee member or by contacting Jere Peak at 872-2303.