A small auction to support local wildlife and nature conservation efforts was held at Evered Hall in the UFV Abbotsford campus, with art and goods all made by local artists.

The art auction is put on by the UFV’s Wildlife Protection Club to raise money for the Fraser Valley Conservancy. It was the second year that the WPC held their silent auction at UFV, and last year helped raise $4,000 for the conservancy.

CIVL spoke to Hallie Gillies, president of the UFV Wildlife Protection Club.

“I come from a family of artists so this is something that's really personal to me, I'm an ecology student so it combines my two loves,” says Gillies. “Doing it at the university I think helps people who are interested in conservation and interested in art, to promote it to students and community members, and I just think it's a really great way to bring all of those groups of people together.”

Joanne Nielsen, executive director of the Fraser Valley Conservatory, is grateful for the contributions and how these events bring awareness to local wildlife.

“It's great that the Wildlife Protection Club puts on this art auction to help, um, and the donations come to our organization.” says Nielsen. “It's a great way of raising awareness of how art and the beauty of nature are so interconnected.”

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