FAIRHOPE, Ala. — The Weeks Bay Foundation is working on the final details of an event that will not only honor former First District Congressman Jack Edwards for his accomplishments involving conservation along the Alabama Gulf Coast, but also raise funds to help continue the effort.

The gathering will be held at the newly rebuilt Fairhope Yacht Club on Thursday, Dec. 4, at 6 p.m. Entertainment for the evening will be provided by The Wayfarers.

Heavy hors d’ouvres will be served, along with beer and wine. Although seafood will be the culinary star, with featured delicacies including shrimp, baked oysters, crab cakes and crab-stuffed mushrooms, there will also be plenty to choose from for vegetarians and those who prefer landlubber cuisine.

“We wanted to do something special to recognize his work,” said Walter Ernest, executive director of the Weeks Bay Foundation.

Edwards served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1965-1985. His work in Washington was instrumental in the establishment of the 6,700-acre Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge and the creation of the Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Edwards also served as chairman of the Weeks Bay Foundation from 1991-2008. During his tenure with the organization, the group was a major player in all land acquisition projects of the reserve.

His efforts led to the fulfillment of the foundation’s missions of conservation management and protection, restoration of native fish and wildlife habitats for migrating birds and threatened and endangered species and greater public awareness of environmental issues.

“I’m flattered to be honored,” Edwards said. He credits Weeks Bay Foundation President Skipper Tonsmiere and John Borom, director of the Faulkner State Community College Fairhope campus for encouraging him to get involved in the drive to set aside land for conservation in perpetuity.

Edwards said, “I was in Congress in those days when they proposed the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge. We had a little land left over, and they thought we should do the Weeks Bay Reserve. They’ve been my guiding light on these issues.”

Edwards devoted a lot of time and energy to improving the quality of life for southwest Alabama residents during his 10 terms in Congress, and his work there made great strides toward protecting fish and wildlife as well, Tonsmiere said.

“He was instrumental in the establishment of the (Bon Secour Reserve) on the Fort Morgan Peninsula, which by extension led us to found the (Weeks Bay Reserve) across Bon Secour Bay,” Tonsmiere said.

The Swift Tract, a gift from the Nature Conservancy which included three miles of bayfront, was used to obtain federal and state funding for additional land acquisition.

Tonsmiere said Edwards’ successors, former Congressman H.L. “Sonny” Callahan and current U.S. Rep. Jo Bonner (R-Ala.), have also championed conservation causes in conjunction with the foundation and the Weeks Bay Reserve. Bonner is among those expected to pay tribute to Edwards during the event.

The foundation recently established the Jack Edwards Conservation Fund as another way of honoring the semi-retired Edwards, who splits his time between his Eastern Shore home and a residence in the mountains of western North Carolina.

“It will be used for various activities of the reserve such as land acquisition and habitat restoration to original condition,” Tonsmiere said. He pointed out some of the acquired parcels have been clear-cut, while others were drained, filled and farmed. Among those is a now-restored pitcher plant bog along Fish River in the Marlow community.

He added the foundation also helps fund the monitoring of conservation easement, water quality monitoring and the reserves education and research programs, which are all of particular importance to Edwards.

“On the coast, these young people are growing up remembering 15-story condos,” Edwards said. “We started Bon Secour in 1979 when a lot of the coast was demolished by Hurricane Frederic. That’s about 7,000 acres set aside that would have eventually been developed into condos.”

One of the Weeks Bay Foundation’s goals is to ensure children and adults will always know and appreciate the native environment that preceded development. Edwards said, “The big thing the foundation does and will do is acquire more wetlands and marginal lands that will be set aside. It will be an ongoing thing where funds we have will be used to acquire, and people will continue to donate.”

Ernest said, “We’re excited about this event. We think it’s going to be a lot of fun, while thanking Jack for his conservation efforts. We hope it will raise a lot of money for the fund.”

Tickets for the Jack Edwards Celebration are $50, and may be purchased from the Weeks Bay Foundation office or on the Foundation’s Web site, www.weeksbay.org.

Sponsorships are covering the cost of the event, so all proceeds will benefit the Jack Edwards Conservation Fund to be designated for land protection and stewardship.

For more information, visit www.weeksbay.org, or contact the Weeks Bay Foundation office at (251) 990-5004.