NASHVILLE, Tenn. — If a picture is worth a thousand words, the smiles and fun captured in photos at the many Women in the Outdoors events held nationwide would speak enough to write a novel.
National Wild Turkey Federation volunteer Ronda Lehman accepted the Best State Women in the Outdoors Event Award for the Wisconsin State Chapter during the NWTF's 34th annual National Convention and Sport Show.
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For doing an exceptional job of introducing women to activities in the great outdoors, the Wisconsin State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation was honored as the winner of the Best State Event Award during the 34th annual NWTF National Convention and Sport Show. The convention, sponsored by MidwayUSA, is taking place in Nashville until Feb. 21.
"I was lucky enough to win a pass to a Women in the Outdoors event 10 years ago, and once I got there, I was hooked," said Ronda Lehman, a volunteer who accepted the award for the Wisconsin State Chapter. "The program has become so much a part of who I am that I'm proud to help other women enjoy the outdoors through the NWTF. I know this will inspire other members of the chapter — including our dedicated committee members — to keep up the good work."
Since 1998, the NWTF volunteers have worked through the Women in the Outdoors program to share the outdoor tradition by providing expert instruction and hands-on education through events designed for women. During its inaugural year, Women in the Outdoors hosted 18 events and today the program organizes more than 240 events annually across the nation.
"The NWTF's Women in the Outdoors program is for North America's moms, daughters and sisters, who want to get outside, learn new activities and make new friends," said Teresa Carroll, Women in the Outdoors program coordinator. "The Wisconsin State Chapter has taken the lead in their area for introducing women to activities like self-defense, canoeing, fishing, hunting, shooting and more."
Through dynamic partnerships with state, federal and provincial wildlife agencies, the NWTF and its members have helped restore wild turkey populations across the country, spending more than $306 million to conserve 14 million acres of habitat for all types of wildlife.
The Federation works to increase interest in the outdoors by bringing new hunters and conservationists into the fold through outdoor education events and its outreach programs — Women in the Outdoors, Wheelin' Sportsmen, JAKES and Xtreme JAKES.
For more information about the Women in the Outdoors outreach program or the NWTF visit www.nwtf.org or call (800) THE-NWTF.
