Bismarck, N.D. – Delta Waterfowl attracts the best and brightest waterfowl hunters and conservationists in North America as volunteers. The grassroots efforts of the organization’s continent-wide force to organize fundraisers, put on youth events and work for waterfowl conservation provides the backbone for Delta to focus on research, duck production programs, conservation and hunting advocacy.
Delta Waterfowl appreciates and values every volunteer. In 2012, Delta created a Volunteer of the Year Award program to recognize the individuals who represent the utmost in selflessness, dedication and leadership at a community level.
“Volunteers are the heartbeat of this organization, and these people have proven themselves to be leaders amongst their peers,” said Jason Tharpe, Delta’s vice president of membership and events. “I applaud them for their hard work and dedication to Delta Waterfowl’s mission of making ducks and duck hunters.”
This year, eight finalists were chosen from a pool of 18 nominees. They are:
- Kevin Arsenault, PEI Chapter, Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Canada, helped spur a community-level Youth Waterfowl Workshop.
- Steve DeBerry, Southern Oregon Chapter, Medford, Ore., has led his chapter in community conservation efforts, including Hen House and wood duck box installations.
- Jason Dupay, Montrail County Fowlers, Stanley, N.D., helped his chapter set North Dakota banquet records for attendance and net revenue.
- John Ferguson, Long Island Chapter, West Islip, N.Y., guided his chapter in hosting hunter/boater education courses and the maintenance of 60 wood duck boxes.
- Andy Lamanna, Memphis/Mid-South Chapter, Memphis, Tenn., helped his chapter host a record-breaking banquet and co-host the largest youth waterfowl hunt in the U.S.
- Jacob Sartain, Jackson Chapter, Jackson, Miss., is a Budweiser Conservationist of the Year nominee and co-founder of the Prairie Grass Duck Club in Jackson.
- Scott Sterbenz, Iron Range Flyers, Hibbing, Minn., sparked a partnership with area mines to allow access to thousands of acres of restricted property for the installation of Hen Houses.
- Rick Wojciechowski, Hunter Retriever Chapter, Flower Mound, Texas, used his passions for dog training and waterfowling to form youth dog handling and hunting events.
To vote, visit www.deltawaterfowl.org/volunteer. There, you’ll find an introduction from Banded, our sponsoring partner for the 2013 Volunteer of the Year Award, and profiles of each candidate. The Volunteer of the Year will receive a Beretta A300 Outlander 12-gauge shotgun and be profiled in the Fall Issue of Delta Waterfowl magazine. The award winner will be determined entirely by the online voting process, so your vote counts!
For more information, contact Jason Tharpe at jmtharpe@deltawaterfowl.org; 888-987-3695 ext. 221, or visit www.deltawaterfowl.org for updates.
Delta Waterfowl Foundation is a leading North American conservation organization, tracing its origins to the birth of the wildlife conservation movement in 1911. The Foundation supports research, provides leadership and offers science-based solutions to efficiently conserve waterfowl and secure the future of waterfowl hunting. Delta Waterfowl is based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Bismarck, N.D.