02/27/2006
Dedicated Volunteers Receive High Honors From NWTF
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - While the National Wild Turkey Federation is made up of more than 500,000 volunteers dedicated to the conservation of the wild turkey and the preservation of the hunting tradition, some volunteers really stand out among the rest.
These volunteers are not wildlife managers or biologists. They are everyday people who have given unselfishly to conservation, hunting and the NWTF.
Each year, the NWTF honors these individuals for their contributions to conservation and hunting through the Roger Latham Service awards.
This year, at its 30th annual National Convention and Sport Show in Nashville, Tenn., the NWTF presented Roger Latham Service awards to John Adams, Roger Bishop, Carl Dixon and Earl "Buddy" Fry.
"Our volunteers are special to us because they are what make the NWTF so great," said Rob Keck, NWTF CEO. "The volunteers honored this year are truly special. They would stand out among the best."
John Adams
John Adams of Kansas has been an NWTF volunteer since 1993. In that time, he has served at both the local and state levels. He also donates his time as an instructor at Women in the Outdoors and JAKES (Juniors Acquiring Knowledge, Ethics and Sportsmanship) events, and attends multiple NWTF Hunting Heritage Super Fund banquets each year.
Roger Bishop
As a founding member of the NWTF's Piedmont Chapter in South Carolina, Roger Bishop has served as a chapter president, state chapter president and South Carolina board member. He also helped organize the South Carolina JAKES Hunt of a Lifetime and has judged numerous calling contests.
Carl Dixon Jr.
Carl Dixon Jr. of North Carolina has been an advocate for the NWTF and the wild turkey since 1989. During this time he has volunteered as chapter president, banquet chairman, state board member, vice president and state chapter president. Dixon has also donated his time to youth, women and people with disabilities who want to experience the great outdoors.
Earl "Buddy" Fry
Earl "Buddy" Fry of Ohio has served in almost every capacity of the NWTF. Since 1976, Fry has dedicated himself to conservation, hunting heritage and outreach to women, children and people with disabilities. He has taken many newcomers hunting himself and helped NWTF regional directors start new chapters in both Ohio and West Virginia.
For 33 years, NWTF volunteers from across the United States, Canada and 15 other countries have dedicated themselves to continuing America's long tradition of conservation, which started, and continues today, with hunters.
"Hunters were the first and the best conservationists," Keck said.
For more information about the NWTF, the Roger Latham Service awards, or other convention highlights, call (800) THE-NWTF.
2006 NWTF Convention and Sport Show Sponsors
BASF, Bass Pro Shops, Browning-USRAC, Callmakers and Collectors Association of America, Cardiac Diagnostic Services of Virginia, Chevrolet, Federal Cartridge Company, Henkel Harris Furniture, Jeanette Rudy, The Lodge at Cabin Bluff, Marlin Firearms/H & R 1871, Mathews, Inc., MBNA, Mossberg Firearms, The Outdoor Channel, The Outdoor Connection, Remington Arms Company, T.I. Industries Frame Molding, USDA-Forest Service, U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance, Wild Turkey Bourbon, Winchester/Olin Company
