FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact:  Jonathan Harling or Brian Dowler, 803-637-3106.
Feb. 7, 2005

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NWTF Donates $1 Million to 4-H Shooting

    “The NWTF is one of our strongest donors and a leader in working to educate and recruit young hunters and shooters. Their commitment to 4-H Shooting Sports is not only appreciated, but critical to our success,” said John “Johnny K” Kvasnicka, director of the National 4-H Shooting Sports Foundation. “We are very grateful for the support of the NWTF, and I look forward to working with them for years to come.”

    Last year, the NWTF and its state and local chapters donated over $210,000 and have contributed nearly $1.2 million since 1999. The donation is being used to train 4-H volunteers and to purchase equipment and grow 4-H Shooting participation throughout the country.
    To preserve our shooting and hunting heritage, the National 4-H Shooting Sports Foundation strives to help spread the word of how safe and fun the shooting sports are for youth and their families.

    “We’re excited about the way this partnership blossomed with the 4-H Shooting Sports, and we will continue to lead the way for the future of conservation and the preservation of our shooting and hunting heritage,” said Rob Keck, NWTF CEO. “Our volunteers stepped up and met our commitment faster than we could have asked because they realize that without guns, there is no hunting and without hunting there is no conservation and without conservation there is no wildlife.”

    While attending 4-H Shooting events, youth learn marksmanship, the safe and responsible use of firearms, the principles of hunting and archery, and much more. The activities of the program and the support of caring adult leaders provide young people with opportunities to develop life skills, self-worth, and conservation ethics.

    Instructors from 4-H Shooting volunteer their time instructing youth at all types of events. Not only do they teach youth at 4-H Shooting clubs and after-school programs, but at other organization's events such as NWTF JAKES Field Days. JAKES stands for Juniors Acquiring Knowledge, Ethics and Sportsmanship and is the NWTF's outreach program for children 17 years old and younger.

    “We’re really proud of our volunteers and their contribution to 4-H Shooting and see their enthusiasm as one more tool that fosters shooting safety, ethics, responsibility and stewardship with an emphasis on youth development,” said Christine Rolka, NWTF's education supervisor.
    With more than 213,000 JAKES members throughout North America, the NWTF and 4-H Shooting is making a difference for the future of our natural resources. Through local JAKES events, children learn the skills they need to enjoy the outdoors and how to become good stewards of our natural resources.

    For more information about the NWTF or JAKES, call (803) 637-3106, check out our web site at www.nwtf.org or e-mail questions to nwtf@nwtf.net.

About the NWTF: In 1973 when the National Wild Turkey Federation was founded, there were an estimated 1.3 million wild turkeys and 1.5 million turkey hunters. Thanks to the work of wildlife agencies and the NWTF’s many volunteers and partners, today there are 6.5 million wild turkeys and approximately 2.6 million turkey hunters. Since 1985, more than $193 million NWTF and cooperator dollars have been spent on over 29,000 projects benefiting wild turkeys throughout North America.

     The NWTF is a nonprofit organization with nearly 525,000 members in 50 states and 12 foreign countries. It supports scientific wildlife management on public, private and corporate lands as well as wild turkey hunting as a traditional North American sport.

     For more information on the National Wild Turkey Federation, call (803) 637-3106, check out our web site at www.nwtf.org or e-mail questions to nwtf@nwtf.net.