Dane Gibson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Oct 20/99) - Tim Sewell and Joe McCaw might very well be half-chicken hybrids, and it's a good thing they are.

It was mayhem at Sam's Monkey Tree Pub on Sunday in Yellowknife as more than 150 people piled in to gorge on chicken wings and cheer on the chickens.

The day was organized by Sewell and McCaw as a fund-raiser for the Yellowknife Learning Centre.

"We raised over $20,000 for an afternoon of fun," said McCaw.

"We're prouder than a couple of three-legged chickens."

The main event was the releasing of a live chicken onto a playing board that had 100 squares. Each square had a number and if the chicken pooped on your number -- you were a winner.

They ran three "dropping" events with two different chickens. Each winner donated their prize back to the Learning Centre. That event alone raised $5,000.

When asked if they had to do anything to prepare their chickens, Sewell replied, "Of course."

"It took about three weeks of priming with high-grade protein feed. No synthetic feed is allowed, according to wing-aroniun law," he explained.

"Also, the chicken itself has to be a year-and-a- month old. That's when the sphincter has matured."

As the day progressed, attention was directed to the front of the room where a special presentation was taking place.

Representatives from NWT Rock Services and McCaws's Drilling and Blasting came forward and presented learning centre administrator, Jan White, with a cheque for $10,000.

"We see what the learning centre has done for the kids in this community. It gives them an opportunity to learn with a system that works for them, which is why we support them," said McCaw's Drilling operation manager, Cliff Friesen.

When all was said and done, 3,900 chicken wings were served and everyone went away happy, especially Jan White. The centre, which has 15 students, two full-time and one part-time teacher, will put the money to good use.

"I think what we're now looking at is focusing on getting a permanent, suitable home for the centre rather than renting and jumping from facility to facility," said White.

"We can also continue to meet the needs of children with learning differences and difficulties."