CAMBRIDGE, OH – Classic American dreams, the stuff of legendary grit, determination, and team spirit, are coming true in the Buckeye State.

The engaging success story is directed by the emerging National Whitetail Deer Education Foundation. A concept that award-winning taxidermist and outdoor visionary Dean Ziegler has been crafting for decades is about to become reality, accompanied by an immediate, $2.5 million economic impact contributed to eastern Ohio.

At least 8,000 if not 12,000 people from Ohio and dozens of other states will attend the first ever Deerassic Classic on August 23. The Classic is the first major fund raising event for a non-profit, independent Foundation that hopes someday soon to break ground on a world-class museum and tourist attraction near the main entrance to Salt Fork State Park.

The dream is real, measured by an astonishing early public response that will be illustrated by a long line of cars and trucks winding their way eastbound along Route 22 on the fourth Saturday in August. Ziegler and others believe that if the Foundation builds something good, the people will come …

Ziegler, his Foundation members, and dozens of ticket agents sold all available 10,000 tickets by early August to an event that will give away numerous trucks and sport utility vehicles, including a new Hummer, among more than 200 prizes. The grand prize is $50,000 in cash.

The facility already is in use as a center for education and genetic research and the scenic land will become a showcase for Ohio’s incredible whitetail bucks. It will salute generations of deer hunters as well as non-hunters that have created and sustained a proud and ethical American tradition of conservation leadership.

Many state and national sources say that Ohio now has the best trophy whitetail deer hunting in America; superior to Texas, Michigan, or Maine. For instance, Licking County in 1998 reported there were 11 Boone & Crockett trophy whitetails harvested that year. Most states do not record that number on any given year. Two other Ohio counties, Muskingum and Guernsey, reported more trophy whitetails taken over the past decade than the entire state of Pennsylvania during this span of time.

Ziegler shares the same kindred spirit and game plan with famed Field of Dreams actor Kevin Costner and his classic Hollywood movie. After years of skeptics doubting the veracity of Ziegler’s concept, the fields of the Foundation’s 117-acre property are about to become a place of dreams and almost heaven for outdoor enthusiasts. "We will build this museum the right way, and people will indeed come here from all over America, Canada, and the world," Ziegler said.

Regional tourism officials are pleased that the August 23 event will generate at least $2.5 million in economic impact. The fiscal rewards would increase dramatically when the Foundation moves ahead with concepts to provide educational outreach to schools and other outlets prior to completion of a museum not far from the busy Interstate 70 and 77 interchange.

There will be people perhaps deliriously happy at the Classic. Other premium prizes are Harley-Davidson motorcycles, diamonds, four-wheelers, camping trailers, and nearly 100 rifles and shotguns. There are additional, bonus promotions during the day for more prize giveaways that include the Hummer and interesting items such as a side of beef along with a large freezer. Winners in the primary prize program are drawn lottery style via a professional ping-pong ball selection process that could allow a ticket holder to win more than once.

A team of professional outdoor educators will also present a free Outdoor Education & Information Station during the day-long event that concludes just after the grand prize of $50,000 is awarded at 6 p.m. Avid hunters and non-hunters alike, Ziegler says, will benefit from a Classic day of outdoor information.

Spectators without an advanced ticket are also invited to attend the Classic event ($15 gate charge) that also features two live bands, and the architectural drawings of what Ziegler and Foundation members promise will be a spectacular museum complex. Free food and soft drinks are also provided at the Classic that is open to only adults 18 and older.

Ziegler said he has been working on this project for decades. "We have a growing, strong board of directors now and this is not just a good thing for Dean Ziegler. This is a good thing for Guernsey County and all of Ohio’s economic interests."

"The instant recognition of the value of the prize tickets, from all over the nation, is a strong indicator of what kind of national interest there is in deer hunting. It is reasonable to think that someday more than 500,000 people each year will come here to celebrate the whitetail and the legacy of deer hunting."

One of the leading Foundation board members, Kelly Lenhart, clearly sees the vision involved in this project. "There is a tendency in some circles to ignore or downplay the economic impact of hunting and many other outdoor activities. Our Foundation board members are thrilled to see the large impact of just one outdoor event, in the summer no less, that will generate $2.5 million of economic support or more for our region," she said. Lenhart is a partner at the Holiday Inn property in Cambridge. Lenhart and the Greater Guernsey County Tourism & Convention Bureau, led by Executive Director Debbie Robinson, are hosting an informative Outdoor Roundtable on Tuesday, August 19. The event for media and business leaders in the region will profile the project’s economic impact and potential to be a huge asset for the region.

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For more information, photos, or video options, please call Dean Ziegler at 740-435-3335 or 740-435-3335.