Trailblazers Friends of NRA banquet doubles proceeds in two years
When I was a firefighter in New Jersey, I worked on the rescue truck. Over the years my team cut out lots of folks involved in accidents. One thing we always commented on was that we never found out what happened to the people afterwards. So, in the spirit of providing "how'd it go" information, here are a few updates on some of the events I attended over the past few weeks.
The Trailblazers Friends of the NRA banquet was a huge success monetarily. In speaking with Bruce McGowan, one of the leaders of the group, he told me that the net was just over $19,000. This is a fantastic amount from the community in such a tough economic time. John Fuller, Don DuBois, Bruce McGowan and their team need to be commended on the work they have done to bring in so much. When I was involved with the first Trailblazers banquet, we profited just under $10,000. So they've doubled the income in just two years. Fantastic!
Okay, so a lot of pats on the back go out to the Trailblazers team, and to all the folks who came to the banquet and spent money; and all the businesses, organizations and individuals who donated good or underwrote items that were on auction or raffle that night. The proceeds from the event are split 50-50. So half the money stays here in New York, and half is sent to the NRA Foundation for national programs.
In the past, grant money has been given locally to Iroquois Rod and Gun Club, New Berlin for renovations to tits clubhouse. Greene Rod and Gun Club received money to update its septic system, and Oxford Rod and Gun Club got money to put shelters over its shooting range. The Federated Sportsman's Clubs of Chenango County has been receiving money to send kids to NYSDEC summer camps for many years through the FNRA grants, and Safari Club International bought over $2,000 in shooting (bow and gun) supplies to assist at the Rockdale Rod and Gun Club Youth Day. So, the money goes to good programs and is well spent.
This year’s grant applications will be available starting in July. For more information, send me an email, and I'll put you in touch with the powers that be. Be sure to watch my column down the road for the 2013 dates for the Trailblazers FNRA banquet/fundraiser.
___
And for the hikers, it is now official. The entire main branch of Finger Lakes Trail was completely hiked on Saturday, June 2, 2012. All 562 miles were walked as part of 75 different hikes throughout the state, and nearly 560 hikers participated. Some were older (I won't say how much older), and some were as young as nine months. Some were seasoned veterans, and many were new to the trail.
The weather was cool and it rained early on as I delivered “The Grand Marshal of the event,” Ed Sidote, to one of the starting points up on Tower Road in East Pharsalia. Ed and I hiked a bit with the group in the morning, and rode home for a break while others took to the FLT and would meet up later. That afternoon, Ed and I went to the picnic at the Ludlow Creek Lean-To in McDonough. The hot dogs were plentiful, lots of cookies and snacks to go around, and a libation or two was well enjoyed by all present. Approximately 250 of the hikers joined one of the five post-hike picnics for fun and festivities. Ed said that his heart was warmed by the fact that so many people participated in the one day event that celebrated the trail he has loved for so long.
Hike organizers Larry Blumberg, Roger Hopkins, and Gene Bavis of the FLT Conference would like to express their thanks to everyone involved in making this a huge success. It could not have been accomplished without help from the regional hiking club affiliates of the FLT, the hike leaders and sweeps, the hikers themselves, the trail maintainers, the picnic planners, the people who worked diligently on publicizing the event, and Wally Wood, the person whose idea it was 50 years ago to create a continuous footpath across New York..
The Bullthistle Hiking Club would hope you will all consider joining them for the FLT's grand 50th birthday celebration at Keuka College June 15-17. For more information on that, please visit the conference website at http://www.fltconference.org/. But hurry, registration deadline for meals and lodging is fast approaching.
___
The National Wild Turkey Federation Chapters, Mid-York and Madison County, got together and held a really nice banquet that I attended at the Palace Theater in Hamilton. This was a week ago, and although the monetary figures are not in, I can say from the bidding that things went well. Sean Karn and Tim Furner and their crew did a great job in organizing this event again. Lots of nice guns, prints, and sporting gear were on the live and silent auctions and raffles. Prizes for youth and women were given out to lucky winners. I, too, was lucky and took home a nice print of bluebirds. The food was delicious: BBQ pork and chicken and sides was provided by Tuller Catering of New Berlin. Good job guys!
The money raised by the NWTF goes to all sorts of projects around the USA, with quite a bit of money staying here in New York. The New York State Chapter of the NWTF committed $80,000 in New York this year to conservation, education, outreach, and other projects. These projects address priority concerns identified in the New York section of the North American Wild Turkey Management Plan.
The largest single commitment is $30,000, which will fund projects such as increasing access to hunting land, conservation, seed and seed subsidy programs, and cooperative public land habitat improvement. The chapter also dedicated $21,500 to its JAKES (Juniors Acquiring Knowledge, Ethics and Sportsmanship), Women in the Outdoors and Wheelin' Sportsmen outreach programs, educational programs, scholarship programs, 4-H Shooting Sports, and the National Archery in the Schools Program.
Other projects will include promoting and protecting New York's hunting heritage through various partner organizations, and supporting research of wild turkey harvest potential and American chestnuts.
Additional funding has been obtained to assist U.S. Forest Service staff members with habitat improvement work on Finger Lakes National Forest and on private lands, thanks to two cooperative agreements with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. The NWTF will support many projects that are in partnership with government agencies, conservation groups and landowners. NWTF's New York chapters have raised and spent nearly $1.9 million on projects in the state.
___
Finally, another big push is on to get the crossbow legalized in all the archery seasons. It’s been a frantic week with visits to leaders in Albany by many groups. Letters and emails have been sent, calls have been made. The push is to get the Assembly ENCON Chairman, Bob Sweeney, to bring the bill, A9682 out of committee and have the full Assembly vote on it before the end of session in another week. The problem is that assemblyman Sweeney is being influenced by a group of anti-crossbow people, and he has authored a crossbow bill (A10583) that is plain junk. A9682 will allow the DEC to set crossbow regulations for all ages, all critters, during all archery seasons. Mr. Sweeney's bill, A10583, will only allow the crossbow in the regular big game season and muzzleloading season, just as it was last year. After you get done reading this you need to send an email and make a phone call and tell our representatives that you are for A9682 and OPPOSED to A10583. This has already made it by the senate, we need it to get to the assembly for a vote. Also, in the fine print in Mr. Sweeney's bill, firearm hunting during any archery season will be prohibited. This effectively eliminates the muzzleloading season here in the Southern Tier. Call today, contact information is below:
Assemblyman Robert Sweeney –Sweeney@assembly.state.ny.us, 631-957-2087; Speaker S. Silver – Speaker@assembly.state.ny.us, 212-312-1420; Majority Leader Canestrari –CanestR@assembly.state.ny.us, 518-455-4474; Minority Leader Kolb–KolbB@assembly.state.ny.us, 315-781-2030; Senate Majority Leader Skelos– skelos@nysenate.gov, 516-766-8383.
For more information or to comment on this article, contact Franke at george_franke@yahoo.com.
The Trailblazers Friends of the NRA banquet was a huge success monetarily. In speaking with Bruce McGowan, one of the leaders of the group, he told me that the net was just over $19,000. This is a fantastic amount from the community in such a tough economic time. John Fuller, Don DuBois, Bruce McGowan and their team need to be commended on the work they have done to bring in so much. When I was involved with the first Trailblazers banquet, we profited just under $10,000. So they've doubled the income in just two years. Fantastic!
Okay, so a lot of pats on the back go out to the Trailblazers team, and to all the folks who came to the banquet and spent money; and all the businesses, organizations and individuals who donated good or underwrote items that were on auction or raffle that night. The proceeds from the event are split 50-50. So half the money stays here in New York, and half is sent to the NRA Foundation for national programs.
In the past, grant money has been given locally to Iroquois Rod and Gun Club, New Berlin for renovations to tits clubhouse. Greene Rod and Gun Club received money to update its septic system, and Oxford Rod and Gun Club got money to put shelters over its shooting range. The Federated Sportsman's Clubs of Chenango County has been receiving money to send kids to NYSDEC summer camps for many years through the FNRA grants, and Safari Club International bought over $2,000 in shooting (bow and gun) supplies to assist at the Rockdale Rod and Gun Club Youth Day. So, the money goes to good programs and is well spent.
This year’s grant applications will be available starting in July. For more information, send me an email, and I'll put you in touch with the powers that be. Be sure to watch my column down the road for the 2013 dates for the Trailblazers FNRA banquet/fundraiser.
___
And for the hikers, it is now official. The entire main branch of Finger Lakes Trail was completely hiked on Saturday, June 2, 2012. All 562 miles were walked as part of 75 different hikes throughout the state, and nearly 560 hikers participated. Some were older (I won't say how much older), and some were as young as nine months. Some were seasoned veterans, and many were new to the trail.
The weather was cool and it rained early on as I delivered “The Grand Marshal of the event,” Ed Sidote, to one of the starting points up on Tower Road in East Pharsalia. Ed and I hiked a bit with the group in the morning, and rode home for a break while others took to the FLT and would meet up later. That afternoon, Ed and I went to the picnic at the Ludlow Creek Lean-To in McDonough. The hot dogs were plentiful, lots of cookies and snacks to go around, and a libation or two was well enjoyed by all present. Approximately 250 of the hikers joined one of the five post-hike picnics for fun and festivities. Ed said that his heart was warmed by the fact that so many people participated in the one day event that celebrated the trail he has loved for so long.
Hike organizers Larry Blumberg, Roger Hopkins, and Gene Bavis of the FLT Conference would like to express their thanks to everyone involved in making this a huge success. It could not have been accomplished without help from the regional hiking club affiliates of the FLT, the hike leaders and sweeps, the hikers themselves, the trail maintainers, the picnic planners, the people who worked diligently on publicizing the event, and Wally Wood, the person whose idea it was 50 years ago to create a continuous footpath across New York..
The Bullthistle Hiking Club would hope you will all consider joining them for the FLT's grand 50th birthday celebration at Keuka College June 15-17. For more information on that, please visit the conference website at http://www.fltconference.org/. But hurry, registration deadline for meals and lodging is fast approaching.
___
The National Wild Turkey Federation Chapters, Mid-York and Madison County, got together and held a really nice banquet that I attended at the Palace Theater in Hamilton. This was a week ago, and although the monetary figures are not in, I can say from the bidding that things went well. Sean Karn and Tim Furner and their crew did a great job in organizing this event again. Lots of nice guns, prints, and sporting gear were on the live and silent auctions and raffles. Prizes for youth and women were given out to lucky winners. I, too, was lucky and took home a nice print of bluebirds. The food was delicious: BBQ pork and chicken and sides was provided by Tuller Catering of New Berlin. Good job guys!
The money raised by the NWTF goes to all sorts of projects around the USA, with quite a bit of money staying here in New York. The New York State Chapter of the NWTF committed $80,000 in New York this year to conservation, education, outreach, and other projects. These projects address priority concerns identified in the New York section of the North American Wild Turkey Management Plan.
The largest single commitment is $30,000, which will fund projects such as increasing access to hunting land, conservation, seed and seed subsidy programs, and cooperative public land habitat improvement. The chapter also dedicated $21,500 to its JAKES (Juniors Acquiring Knowledge, Ethics and Sportsmanship), Women in the Outdoors and Wheelin' Sportsmen outreach programs, educational programs, scholarship programs, 4-H Shooting Sports, and the National Archery in the Schools Program.
Other projects will include promoting and protecting New York's hunting heritage through various partner organizations, and supporting research of wild turkey harvest potential and American chestnuts.
Additional funding has been obtained to assist U.S. Forest Service staff members with habitat improvement work on Finger Lakes National Forest and on private lands, thanks to two cooperative agreements with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. The NWTF will support many projects that are in partnership with government agencies, conservation groups and landowners. NWTF's New York chapters have raised and spent nearly $1.9 million on projects in the state.
___
Finally, another big push is on to get the crossbow legalized in all the archery seasons. It’s been a frantic week with visits to leaders in Albany by many groups. Letters and emails have been sent, calls have been made. The push is to get the Assembly ENCON Chairman, Bob Sweeney, to bring the bill, A9682 out of committee and have the full Assembly vote on it before the end of session in another week. The problem is that assemblyman Sweeney is being influenced by a group of anti-crossbow people, and he has authored a crossbow bill (A10583) that is plain junk. A9682 will allow the DEC to set crossbow regulations for all ages, all critters, during all archery seasons. Mr. Sweeney's bill, A10583, will only allow the crossbow in the regular big game season and muzzleloading season, just as it was last year. After you get done reading this you need to send an email and make a phone call and tell our representatives that you are for A9682 and OPPOSED to A10583. This has already made it by the senate, we need it to get to the assembly for a vote. Also, in the fine print in Mr. Sweeney's bill, firearm hunting during any archery season will be prohibited. This effectively eliminates the muzzleloading season here in the Southern Tier. Call today, contact information is below:
Assemblyman Robert Sweeney –Sweeney@assembly.state.ny.us, 631-957-2087; Speaker S. Silver – Speaker@assembly.state.ny.us, 212-312-1420; Majority Leader Canestrari –CanestR@assembly.state.ny.us, 518-455-4474; Minority Leader Kolb–KolbB@assembly.state.ny.us, 315-781-2030; Senate Majority Leader Skelos– skelos@nysenate.gov, 516-766-8383.
For more information or to comment on this article, contact Franke at george_franke@yahoo.com.
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