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Donald O’Brien wins prestigious Roger Latham Award

 

Second consecutive year a PANWTF member has received honor.

 

March 21, 2005

Donald W. O’Brien of Trout Run, Pa., recently received the prestigious Roger Latham Service Award at the National Wild Turkey Federation national convention.

The Latham awards are given to NWTF members who are not employed as professional wildlife managers, but have made significant contributions to wild turkey conservation.

O’Brien has served on the state chapter’s Board of Directors along with past President, Chairman of the Board and chairman of various committees.

He is also a NWTF district director for North Central Pennsylvania. He has helped with turkey hunting safety classes, JAKES Days, Women in the Outdoor events and chapter banquets.

“Just to be nominated for this award was incredible … to get that recognition by your peers,’’ said O’Brien, who has served as president of his local chapter along with JAKES and scholarship chairman of the Susquehanna Long Beards Chapter. “When my name was called out [for winning the award], I just thought, ‘Who me?’ I was really surprised and overwhelmed. To be one of five award winners out of 500,000 [NWTF members] is an incredible feeling.”

The presentation was made during the NWTF’s 29th Annual Convention and Sport Show in Nashville, Tn., Feb. 17-20, which attracted more than 40,000 NWTF members.

O’Brien was humbled by the award and shared the accomplishment with local and state chapter NWTF members.

“The award was not necessary. I didn’t work [for the PANWTF] for an award. I just enjoy being a part of an organization. They care so much about wild turkeys and our environment, ” O’Brien said.

O’Brien has also won awards on the state level including the David Wandless and the Irven Buttray Service awards.  He is a member of the Pennsylvania Turkey Hunters Hall of Fame and recently completed the “Royal Slam” by harvesting five species of wild turkeys in the United States and Mexico.

O’Brien’s honor marks the second consecutive year that a Pennsylvania Chapter of the NWTF has captured the Roger Latham Award.

“Don O’Brien has always been very active in the Pennsylvaina Chapter [of the NWTF],” said Carl Mowry, PANWTF Chairman of the Board, who won the Roger Latham Award last year. “He has been vice president, president, chairman of the board and held many different committee positions for the chapter. Don has always been very helpful in whatever has needed to be done.

“The Pa. Chapter in general has always been active … from our banquets, Women in the Outdoors event, JAKES day, habitat work … just to name a few things that our great volunteers do. We owe everything to our volunteers.”

The Pennsylvania Chapter of NWTF also won other awards during the annual convention:

-       The NWTF Grand National Calling Contest  winner in the Junior Class was Dakota Clouser of Danville, Pa. 

- The Wild Turkey Bourbon/NWTF Grand National Calling Championship Senior Division winner was Matthew Van Cise of Grand Valley, Pa.

-         The Pennsylvania a Chapter of NWTF received first place in the 2004 L.A. Dixon Jr. Memorial Outstanding Award for the highest total net/net dollars raised. 

-         The Pa Chapter received sixth place in the 2004 L.A. Dixon Jr. Memorial Award in the over 10,000 membership class. 

-         The Blue Mountain Chapter received the One Half Million Dollar Club Award for moneys raised at their banquets.

-         The Shermans Valley Strutters Chapter received an award for second runner-up for the best net to gross percentage in the country with a net to gross of 127 percent.

-         The Muncy Creek Chapter received first runner up for best overall new event in the Women in the Outdoors category.

-         The Wind Ridge Sportsman’s Club and the Green County Tourist Promotion Agency won first place for their Women in the Outdoors event with 147 percent net to gross.

-         The Southeast Silver Spurs Chapter’s Women in the Outdoors event received first place with 112 percent net to gross in the $3,000 and greater category.

-         The Wilhelm Chapter received honorable mention for 107 members at their Women in the Outdoors Event.

-         The Pennsylvania State Chapter received honorable mention for 145 members at their Women in the Outdoors Event.

For more information about the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, visit the Web site at www.panwtf.com