|
|
|
PUBLIC AREAS
NEW LINKS!
|
OWAA NewsJuly 2008
Thanks to North Dakota Folks!Member surveys show that OWAA’s June conference in Bismarck, N.D., was a huge success! Many deserve thanks, particularly the folks from North Dakota who for months worked tirelessly to host OWAA’s 2008 conference. Heartfelt thank yous go to Sandy Fleck at the Best Western Ramkota Hotel; to Terry Harzinski and staff at the Bismarck-Mandan Convention & Visitor’s Bureau; to Mark Zimmerman and staff at the North Dakota Department of Commerce; to Kevin Becker and volunteers at Delta Waterfowl; to Sam May and helpers at the Bismarck-Mandan Rifle and Pistol Association; and to Ted Upgren, Dan Nelson and Pat Stockdill, OWAA members who made significant personal contributions which aided the accomplishments of this conference! Top Award Recipients Recognized in BismarckFive received OWAA’s highest honors at the closing night awards ceremony held in Bismarck. Tom Huggler received the coveted Ham Brown Award for his devoted past service to this organization, and Jerry Gibbs was honored with the Excellence in Craft Award for upholding the OWAA Creed and continued excellence in craft. The Circle of Chiefs presented this year’s top conservation award to Chris Madson, his second major OWAA honorary award in three years. For her goodwill, helpfulness and generosity, particularly at OWAA conferences - Barbara Brady was honored with the Jackie Pfeiffer Memorial Award, and outgoing OWAA Treasurer Peter Schroeder received his second consecutive Outstanding Board Member Award for his steadfast guidance with OWAA finances. Congratulations to all! Paperless Version of OU Available Via E-mailOld OUs piling up? Rather read your OWAA newsletter online? As a new service, headquarters will send the monthly Outdoors Unlimited straight to your e-mail inbox as a PDF file instead of sending the paper copy by snail mail to your mailbox. Just let us know that you’d prefer to go paperless by contacting headquarters at 406-728-7434 or e-mail rginer@owaa.org. Bloom New OWAA PresidentSeventeen-year Active member Phil Bloom will serve one year as OWAA president for 2008-2009, and he brings a wealth of journalism experience to the job. After 33 years in the newspaper business, Bloom was hired last year by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources to become its director of communications. Besides writing some 700 outdoors columns and hundreds more features, Bloom also penned the book, “Hiking Indiana.” As OWAA president, Bloom plans to tap OWAA’s talent pool to renew our focus on “helping each other improve our craft and nurture new outdoor communicators.” Community Night Auction Raises $12,500 for OWAAOWAA’s June 22 Community Night Auction was the most successful OWAA auction in past seven years! Special thanks goes to Delta Waterfowl for coordinating and facilitating the auction/raffle event, with special thanks to Delta Waterfowl auctioneer Kevin Becker and Dan Nelson. OWAA’s board and headquarters’ staff appreciates all the donations from OWAA members, supporting groups and friends. Auction proceeds will benefit OWAA programs. Thanks to Marty Malin for emceeing the event! Walker Elected Vice PresidentLongtime OWAA member Mike Walker was elected third vice president by OWAA’s board of directors during the June 20 officers’ election. A member since 1989, Walker has been an active committee volunteer and chair, and he just completed his second stint on OWAA’s board. Walker produces and writes for two nationally syndicated radio programs he created, “The World of Ducks Unlimited” and “Toyota Outdoors.” He also writes a marketing column for SoundingTradeOnly magazine, and he freelances for Boat and Motor Dealer magazine. Walker will double as this year’s supporting group, agency and business liaison. JobsOWAA members can learn about job opportunities and publishers' editorial-needs listings at www.owaa.org/Members_Only_Area/market_news.htm <http://www.owaa.org/Members_Only_Area/market_news.htm> . If your company needs a writer, editor or seasoned outdoor professional, please contact OWAA headquarters. Listings are printed free of charge. Job and editorial listings are published online and in Outdoors Unlimited. Send listings to sprodell@owaa.org. Thoemke New OWAA TreasurerKris Thoemke, an OWAAer since 1987, was elected treasure June 20 by OWAA’s board of directors. Thoemke, of Naples, Fl., is a freelance writer, photographer, lecturer, book author and consultant specializing in outdoor activities, the environment and sustainability issues in Florida and Latin America. He was first elected to OWAA’s board in 1993 and again served the association from 2000-2002 as its secretary. Thoemke will serve a three-year term as treasurer. 2011 Conference to Meet in UtahAfter winnowing through 40 proposals to host OWAA’s 2011 conference, Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort emerged as the No. 1 choice to host OWAA’s 85th conference. Features include $99 room rates, a 30-minute commute to the Salt Lake City International Airport, with hundreds of daily non-stop flights from most major U.S. cities. Also, Breakout Day and the Shooting Program can be held at one location. Sixteen-year OWAA member Brett Prettyman will chair the Local Committee, and thanks to him and Tom Wharton for helping bring OWAA to Utah in 2011! Conference dates will be determined soon. Congratulations to Norm Strung Youth Writing Contest Winners; Thank You Sponsors!Part of OWAA’s mission is to foster the next generation of outdoors communicators, and the Norm Strung Youth Writing Committee recently awarded scholarships totaling $1,600, sponsored by Safari Club International, Izaak Walton League of America and Delta Waterfowl. The annual contest has categories for poetry and prose in two divisions: junior (grades 6-8) and senior (grades 9-12), and entries must be outdoors oriented and previously published in a newsletter, newspaper, magazine, literary collection, etc. Junior and senior poetry and prose first-place winners received $200; second-place winners received $125; and third-place winners received $75. A list of this year’s winners are published at www.owaa.org/youth_writing.htm. Congrats to the contest winners, and thank you contest sponsors! OWAA Online Store Open for BusinessHave you visited OWAA’s online store? Order OWAA polo shirts, baseball hats, short- and long-sleeved shirts, V-neck shirts, the official OWAA logo and badge holders. You can’t miss the link, which is found at https://shop.owaa.org/splashPage.hg and you will need to register upon your first order. Also available for purchase at the online store is OWAA’s newly revised Outdoor Reference Manual. Members can buy copies at a special, members-only price of $12. The new manual is intended to supplement the AP Stylebook and Webster’s New World Dictionary, filling in gaps in outdoor-related terminology not found in either of these publications. Order yours today! Sign up for OWAA Online Forum!In response to numerous requests, OWAA now offers an Online Forum. Go to www.owaa.org/forum to learn more about blogging, journalistic standards, Webzines, copyright issues and what to do about slow- and no paying publishers. After going to www.owaa.org/forum, you’ll need to register to post a message, but the registration process is easy. We hope you’ll enjoy this new member benefit. OWAA Outdoor Reference Manual AvailableThanks to the hard work of this year’s OWAA Reference Manual Committee, we’re pleased to announce that a new manual is now available for purchase. Members can purchase reference manuals for $12. To order, e-mail assist@owaa.org. |
