Thompson Rivers University (TRU) is ready to host its annual Beef and Beer Celebration alongside an exciting new free event this Saturday.
Gillian Watt, the program co-ordinator for the Applied Sustainable Ranching Program, said the event originally started purely as a graduation celebration for the program’s end. However, both TRU and the students wanted to mark the event in a special way, while involving industry members as thanks for all their support over the years.
“Every year now we have a bit of a celebration. We have five local ranchers paired with five local chefs and five craft breweries and then we have a beef and beer tasting,” Watt said. “Every year it’s a different menu item, so last year was chilli and this year it’s beef sliders.”
While primarily geared towards students who have just completed the course and their final projects in late August and early September, first-year students are welcome to come by and network with the community. The primary focus, however, Watt stressed is the handing out of diplomas to those who have passed the course.
The actual awards ceremony has been kept to one of the five hours, according to Watt, in favour of a focus on socializing and networking. With doors opening on Saturday at 5 p.m. for the Beef and Beer portion of the night, the grad ceremony takes place from 6 to 7 p.m., with festivities going on into the night.
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“So it’s a really nice time for the community to get together, socialize and see people they haven’t seen for a while, taste the different beef and beers and then at the end of the night they get to vote on which pairing they like the best,” Watt said.
Tickets are $50 per person and are available at The Laughing Loon in Williams Lake or at the door. For those who prefer not to spend money, however, Watt said there is a new free event that ties into Beef and Beer at 1:30 p.m.
Each of their graduating students will be presenting 10 minute pitches in a Dragons’ Den-style format, dubbed the Bull Pen by Watt, and is the first of what will be an annual event.
A panel of six local experts and industry leaders will serve as the bulls for this Bull Pen and Watt said they will evaluate each students enterprise, giving feedback on what works and what does not.
Watt said anyone who owns property or is involved with ranching or other agricultural enterprises and investing, would be interested in seeing what these students have learned and have to offer.
“We’re really encouraging people to come on out, watch and have a good time,” Watt said.
The Bull Pen and the Beef and Beer will give the people of Williams Lake an opportunity to find out how TRU is preparing the next generation of agricultural producers. According to Watt there is also always a demand for host ranches for the program and the night presents an opportunity for local ranchers to find out more about how they can get involved with all stages of this program.
“This is going to be wonderful to show the community what young business people the students have become over the two years,” Watt said.
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patrick.davies@wltribune.com
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