What is the Gear & Beer Bash: A Night Out for Conservation?

Embodying the atmosphere of Pint Night and structured in the style of a traditional banquet, the Gear & Beer Bash provides a relaxed and fun setting for attendees. The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP) club successfully hosted this event for the past two years and plans to host this night out for conservation for many more years to come.

Last year, the UWSP club was the first club to spearhead such an endeavor and they wanted to continue to set an example for what BHA’s collegiate clubs are capable of accomplishing. This year, the goal was to put a more profound emphasis on the conservation aspect of BHA, and the club achieved this goal by partnering with the Wisconsin Sharp-tailed Grouse Society (WSGS). The Sharp-tailed Grouse is a native species of Wisconsin in desperate need of help from conservation-minded individuals and organizations. UWSP BHA and the WSGS rose to the occasion by allocating a portion of the revenue generated from this event straight into the groundwork and restoration needed to help ensure the survival of the Sharp-tailed Grouse in northwest Wisconsin (a portion of the funds also supported future efforts of both the UWSP BHA chapter and BHA Collegiate Program)!

This year's bash boasted over 30 different raffle packages, unique games, several silent auction items/trips, an exclusive BHA x WSGS Planetary Design tumbler, and two wildlife-themed grand prize packages. Within the past two years, this one-of-a-kind event has seen approximately 400 attendees and raised over $20,000 supporting the efforts of both the UWSP BHA chapter and BHA Collegiate Program to better protect and advocate for our public lands, water, and wildlife.

Even the local Stevens Point brewery, District 1 Brewing Company, where the event was hosted, supported conservation by donating 5% of the proceeds from the limited-edition Sharp-tail Ale back to BHA and the WSGS. If you are in the Stevens Point area we highly recommend stopping in to support a business that supports BHA. Who knows, maybe the next event could have another limited-edition BHA beverage!

An event this big and successful wouldn't have been possible if it wasn't for the kind donations of numerous businesses and organizations. Thank you to our sponsors, attendees, and those who supported our Gear and Beer Bash: A Night Out for Conservation! The UWSP collegiate chapter looks forward to partnering with these wonderful organizations for future nights out for conservation.

A final thank you to YOU, our supporters and members who showed up to support our efforts and work on behalf of public lands. This event would not have been possible without the BHA community.

We owe a special thanks to these businesses and organizations!

Keep up with the UWSP BHA club on Instagram!

Read more about BHA's Collegiate Program!