 The
National Wild Turkey Federation presented Roger Latham Service Awards to
three special and dedicated volunteers Richard M. Bradish, Jim Williams
and Dale Bounds who have contributed greatly to the NWTF's conservation
legacy. The presentation came during the NWTF's 25th Annual Convention
and Sport Show in Columbus, Ohio, Feb. 15-18. The Latham awards are given
to NWTF members who are not employed as professional wildlife managers
but have made significant contributions to the betterment of wild turkeys.
Since 1985, NWTF volunteers have spent more than $130 million dollars on
more than 15,000 conservation projects for the benefit of wild turkeys
and other wildlife.
Richard Bradish of Vacaville, Calif., has been a dedicated NWTF volunteer for years at both the state and local level. He¹s held several offices including, California State Chapter President, California District Director and California State Chapter Board Member. Bradish has also continuously worked with the California Department of Fish and Game by helping them with the trap and transfer program. He designed and constructed an innovative, state-of-the art remote control release for drop nets used in California to trap wild turkeys. His dedication in helping this program develop and the countless hours spent volunteering and recruiting others earned him the 2000 Al Tauscher Award from the CDF&G for his contribution. In 1995, the NWTF California State Chapter also named Bradish Outstanding Volunteer of the Year. Jim Williams of Eddyville Ky., began his life-long commitment to the NWTF back in 1973 when the organization was established. Kentucky was one of three states charted that year, and Williams was one of the founding members of the first Kentucky Chapter. Williams was also busy in 1973, when he led a petition drive requesting that the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Resources consider hiring a full-time wild turkey biologist‹which they did. Over the years, Williams¹ involvement in the NWTF progressed. He is a Life Member, a Senior Sponsor Member, a Bronze Sponsor and leads an active program for district directors. As a district director himself, he¹s also been instrumental in the success of several NWTF fundraising banquets over the years and is very active in the NWTF's JAKES program‹which teaches youth about conservation, wildlife and safe and ethical hunting. In 1998, Williams was the recipient of the prestigious Shelley Nickell award. Williams helped establish this award several years ago to honor an individual in Kentucky who has shown outstanding service in the conservation of the wild turkey. Dale Bounds of Lufkin, Texas, first began assisting with NWTF programs almost 20 years ago when he was an employee of the U.S. Forest Service. After learning about the NWTF's then new trap and transfer program, Bounds looked into the possibility of returning wild turkeys to east Texas. It launched him into a long career working with the NWTF as a USFS employee and an NTWF volunteer. He documented the restoration efforts on video in all 57 counties and also helped produce videos and brochures about the trap and transfer program. In 1989, he chartered the Pineywoods Chapter of the
NWTF in his hometown of Lufkin. Since then, the chapter has set records
in new members, sponsor members, record membership and record number of
kids attending JAKES youth events.
For more information on the Roger Latham awards of the NWTF, call (800) THE-NWTF. Visit the NWTF web site at www.NWTF.org. For more information contact: Jonathan Harling at jharling@nwtf.org
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