NASHVILLE, Tenn.— The National Wild Turkey Federation's (NWTF) Wheelin' Sportsmen NWTF outreach program is full of selfless volunteers who spend their time ensuring that outdoor activities like hunting, fishing and shooting are available to physically challenged individuals.
The NWTF's Maumee Valley Chapter, headquartered in Whitehouse, Ohio, was honored on Friday with the Best Hunting Event Award at the Federation's 34th annual National Convention and Sport Show. The convention, sponsored by MidwayUSA, took place last week in Nashville.
Each of the last three springs the Maumee Valley Chapter, working closely with the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority and Ohio Division of Wildlife, has conducted a hunt for wild turkeys on the 2,500-acre Toledo Express Airport property in western Lucas County. The purpose of the hunt is to team-up able-bodied guides with physically challenged hunters to assist the Toledo Express Airport in their Wildlife Hazard Management Plan.
It is the responsibility of Toledo Express Airport management to mitigate and control wildlife hazards in and around the vicinity of the airport property. Recent events have highlighted the increased risk of serious aircraft damage and the loss of human lives due to bird strikes. The annual spring turkey hunt decreases the risk of such events.
“Toledo Express continually focuses on safety and wildlife management and we are honored to be able to partner with such a great cause to fulfill this duty,” says Steve Arnold, Airport Operations Director. “These hunters volunteer countless hours to make the annual Wheelin’ Sportsmen Event an incredible success and we are grateful for their service. This is an excellent example of how volunteer manpower transforms a necessary task into something that provides a first-rate experience for deserving members of our community.”
Wheelin' Sportsmen NWTF ensures that people with disabilities are afforded the opportunity to spend time outdoors and form valuable friendships along the way. In 2009, Wheelin' Sportsmen NWTF hosted 378 events nationwide that helped more than 8,000 participants enjoy a day of fun in the outdoors.
"Wheelin' Sportsmen NWTF emphasizes all the abilities that our members possess, not their disabilities," said Illana Burkhart, Wheelin' Sportsmen NWTF program coordinator. "The Maumee Valley Chapter has taken the lead in their area for helping outdoor enthusiasts with disabilities enjoy being outside."
Through dynamic partnerships with state, federal and provincial wildlife agencies, the NWTF and its members have helped restore wild turkey populations across the country, spending more than $306 million to conserve 14 million acres of habitat for all types of wildlife.
The Federation works to increase interest in the outdoors by bringing new hunters and conservationists into the fold through outdoor education events and its outreach programs - Women in the Outdoors, Wheelin' Sportsmen, JAKES and Xtreme JAKES.
"Winning this award is a huge success for all the volunteers involved with this event," said Brad Christensen, JAKES event coordinator for the Maumee Valley Chapter.