Evening Receptions and Banquet

Tuesday Night Welcome Reception, Wildlife Photo Gallery, and Nacho Bar:

  • Tuesday, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
  • Extra Fee Required!

Join us on Tuesday evening to kick-off the Annual Meeting and make connections with new & old friends and colleagues. We will serve up our famous nacho bar, and a well-stocked no-host bar will also be available. Tuesday evening will also launch our  wildlife photo exhibit. Check out what fellow Western Section members have been up to lately and celebrate the opening night of our 61’st Annual Meeting. Relax, you have arrived in Santa Rosa! We have a great week ahead of us.

We need your photos! Win an iPad! A slideshow will be displayed at the Welcome Reception at our upcoming annual meeting. The content is up to you! Send in your photos of wildlife, coworkers, TWS workshops, study animals, unexpected situations, beautiful locations, etc. Help us celebrate wildlife and the wildlife profession! Please send photos in jpg format to evelarrucea@gmail.com. Each person that submits a photo(s) for the Tuesday night wildlife gallery will be entered in a drawing for a brand-new iPad! The drawing will be held on Tuesday evening at the Welcome Reception. Need not be present to win.

 

Member’s Banquet and Section Awards:

  • Wednesday, January 28, 2015
  • 6-7pm – No-host Cocktail Reception
  • 7-10pm – Banquet, Awards Presentation and Dutch/Bucket Raffle
  • Extra Fee Required!

Enjoy an evening of reconnecting with your colleagues and friends and making new acquaintances over a good meal at the annual member’s banquet.  During the banquet, we will also celebrate and recognize individuals, groups and chapters for their achievements and accomplishments with our Western Section Awards.  If you haven’t previously attended a Western Section banquet, now’s the perfect time to start a new tradition.

Awards Banquet Schedule
6-7pm No-Host Cocktail Bar in the Alex Foyer
6:45pm Doors Open for seating
7:00pm Banquet Begins, Salads Served
7:20pm  Entrees Served
8:00 pm Awards and Recognitions (Extra seats available at 8pm for those who did not sign up to dine.  All meeting attendees welcome to join us at 8pm for the Program.)
9:00pm Bucket Raffle

Awards Banquet Menu:

Baby Mixed Greens with Dried Cranberries, Pistachios, Golden Raisins and White Balsamic Vinaigrette

Entrée Selection (pre-selected):

  • Sliced New York Strip Loin with Herb Mashed Potatoes, Seasonal Vegetables and Bordelaise Sauce
  • Grilled Organic Mary’s Chicken Breast with Crimini Mushroom Sauce, Vegetable Harvest Rice, and Seasonal Vegetables
  • Ratatouille Stuffed Eggplant topped with a Herb Crust served with Roasted Asparagus and Artichoke Sauté

Lemon Mousse Served in a Chocolate Cup with Fresh Berries

Coffee and Tea Service

 

Raffle and Silent Auction:

The raffle will be a little different this year!  Raffle tickets will be sold starting at the Tuesday night Welcome Reception and continuing through 3pm Thursday.  All ticket sales support student activities!  The raffle will be split into two pieces.  The first raffle will be a Dutch/Bucket raffle at the end of Wednesday night’s banquet.  Place tickets in the buckets for the prizes you hope to win.  We will hold a separate raffle on Thursday at the Annual Business and Member’s Meeting.

The silent auction will open on Wednesday and will close during the morning break on Friday. Items must be purchased and picked up by 1:00 p.m. on Friday.

Raffle and auction proceeds support the Western Section’s student programs including travel grants, awards for best papers, and student-mentor activities. We encourage everyone to purchase raffle tickets, which are available at the Registration Desk or from Western Section Executive Board members and volunteers. Raffle and silent auction items will be displayed near the Registration Desk.  Please contact Raffle and Silent Auction Co-Chairs Sandra Hunt von Arb and/or Lisa Ollivier if you have any questions or would like to donate an item to the raffle and/or auction.  lisaollivier2013@gmail.com   pnwb@suddenlink.net 

 

Poster Session and Reception:

  • Thursday, 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
  • Session Chairs: Jessica Martini-Lamb and Carlos Alvarado
  • Poster Session and Reception included with conference registration fee!

A poster session will be held on the evening of Thursday, January 29, 2015. At this time, authors will be available to answer questions about their posters. Light hors d’ouevres will be served and a non-hosted bar will sell beer, wine, cocktails and soft drinks. Posters will also be available for viewing at other times throughout the week. Posters should be no more than 3 feet high by 4 feet wide. Presenters must bring their own supplies (T-pins, push pins, etc.) to attach posters to the display boards. Display boards will be provided. Poster setup is Wednesday, 11am – 1 pm.  Posters exceeding the size standards may have to be relocated or not exhibited in the session.

The poster session is included in the meeting registration price. No extra cost to registered conference participants to attend the Poster Session.

Link to poster session titles, presenters, and abstracts