As the calendar page turns, we reflect on the past year’s challenges — some met, some missed ― and plan for the promise and hope of a new year. The shorter days and longer hours of darkness draw us close to the hearth and bring with them a desire to gather together. I pray your holiday season was filled with the love and laughter of family and friends. That it was a celebration of gratitude for the year just passed and a time of rejoicing in the hope for a bright future.
For the NWTF and our flock, 2021 was a mixed year of personal loss, disappointment and frustration, as well as many blessings and accomplishments. Many of us lost colleagues, friends and family, and my daily prayers include all of you who have felt that loss. We all experienced frustration and disappointment as COVID-19 continued to affect our lives, our work, our country and our ability to enjoy one another. Yet, despite these difficulties, 2021 was a year with many blessings for the NWTF.
Volunteers, donors, partners and staff pulled together to place us on firm financial ground as we made needed changes to our business model, revitalized our communication and branding, and put plans in place for a bright future. And, despite COVID-19, we did all this while fulfilling our mission by conserving over 437,000 acres of habitat, opening nearly 11,000 acres to hunting, and recruiting or retaining more than 1,200 hunters!
As I look to 2022 and beyond, I am grateful for the firm foundation of our past. This organization has accomplished much over the last half-century. The restoration of the wild turkey, the building of strong partnerships and the understanding that it takes people who love the outdoors to carry on our work. The only constants to our success have been a steadfast focus on our mission and the ability to change.
I pray that as we move into 2022, we will carry on the lessons learned, the efficiencies incorporated and the momentum built during 2021. I’m looking forward to bringing more diversity to our membership, growing our partnerships to improve habitat on a larger landscape level and working to address the environmental changes affecting wild turkey populations and the places where they live. I’m especially looking forward, after a pandemic-forced hiatus a year ago, to joining many of you at the annual convention, the NWTF family reunion, Feb. 16-19 in Nashville!
Nature has taught us that just as diversity leads to system health and species survival, so too can diversity of thought lead to better decisions and a healthier society. I pray we learn to embrace different opinions and join in healthy debate with mutual respect. Lastly, I pray for you, that your families have renewed health in 2022, that the world turns the corner on COVID-19, and that we as a nation and a world come together to solve some of our most pressing problems.