Good location, great volunteers and the commitment to make the event the best it could be were a winning combination for the Alaska Ducks Unlimited chapter. Their spring event in Anchorage in late April topped the charts with just over 900 attendees, making it the largest in Alaska DU event history.

Four years ago the event hosted 100 people and has grown each year. If you ask any committee member how, the answer is the quality of the event. "If you have the quality, the people will come, and continue to come year in and year out," said area chairman Marlin Scoby.

The chapter's event came in at #9 on the President's Top 100 List in 2008, and with their focus on quality and making what worked better, they are geared up to make a run for the list again this year.

Past area chairman and current co-chairman for the event Corey Doil said, "When I recruited Marlin to this committee, he kept telling me about all the ideas he had. I said show me, don't tell me. Marlin did just that."

Scoby put his ideas into practice and showed what a determined group of DU volunteers could accomplish.

"Giving those who attend the best event possible is what allows you to have growth. This committee wanted people to leave with the thought of 'I can't wait till next year,'" said Scoby. "This is the overall impression from attendees given the variety and quantity of quality items that were both raffled and auctioned off. We have a philosophy: give the people what it is they want, and give them more than they expect."

The event committee consisted of 40 volunteers who took on all the planning, promoting and ticket sales. Other volunteer support came from the local Sportsman's Warehouse employees, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game's "Becoming an Outdoors Woman" group and the Boy Scouts of America.

With the spring event behind them, the committee can start looking forward to next year's event and figuring how to top the charts once again.

"If you ever thought of coming to Alaska, we can make it tempting to set your schedule around our event," said Scoby.

Area chairman: Marlin Scoby | Event co-chairman: Corey Doil