March 31, 2009: The Prairie Canada Carvers’ Association is pleased to announce that the Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre received the Carver’s Award of Excellence for excellence and achievement in promoting and engendering the art of wildlife carving in North America. The internationally acclaimed Interpretive Centre received the prestigious award at the Association’s 23rd competition banquet March 21 at the Victoria Inn in Winnipeg.
“The Centre’s service to the carving community in prairie Canada is exemplary and worthy of national recognition,” said Ted Muir, President of Prairie Canada Carvers’ Association. “This award also serves to acknowledge the wonderful support of Ducks Unlimited Canada for having sponsored the Prairie Canada Carving Championship over the past 23 years” said Muir. The one of a kind bronze sculpture, presented to Ross Gage on behalf of the Centre, was crafted by acclaimed wildlife artist Peter Sawatzky of Glenboro, Manitoba.
The Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre is the premier wetland education facility in the world. Operated as a joint venture between the Province of Manitoba and Ducks Unlimited Canada, the Centre is located north of Winnipeg near Stonewall and attracts 30,000 people annually. Its mission is to foster public understanding and awareness of the values of wetlands and associated ecosystems.
Since its inception in 1993 the Centre has played a pivotal role in fostering public understanding and appreciation of the history and value of waterfowl decoys. Towards this end, the Centre supports the ongoing operation of a carving guild which organizes a spring decoy carving competition, a summer carving workshop weekend and an endangered species carving contest. The Centre also offers, through Dr. Frank Baldwin and other instructors, public decoy carving classes each year and makes carving supplies available to carvers through its gift shop.
The Centre seeks to preserve the history of waterfowling in Canada by collecting historic working waterfowl decoys for public display. The Centre supports excellence in the carving community by sponsoring a $ 1,000 purchase award through the Prairie Canada Carving Championship. Award winning pieces of wetland wildlife are exhibited at the Centre.
One of a kind bronze sculpture, presented to Ross Gage on behalf of the Centre, by acclaimed wildlife artist Peter Sawatzky of Glenboro, Manitoba.
For Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre information contact Karli Reimer at (204) 467-3279 or k_reimer@ducks.ca