The following article was published by Wisconsin State Farmer.
MADISON — The President’s Elite are among Ducks Unlimited’s (DU) most prestigious volunteer chapters throughout the nation. Every year, the list is reserved for the chapters that raise $100,000 to $250,000 for DU’s habitat conservation work.
In 2016, Wisconsin had two chapters included on the list: University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and Madison Area chapters.
“These fundraising events are the backbone of DU’s habitat conservation efforts, and the volunteers who make up these chapters are the force making a difference for North American waterfowl populations,” said DU President Paul Bonderson. “It takes a great deal of effort to achieve the President’s Elite level, and these chapters deserve to be congratulated by every person who enjoys the outdoors.”
The 2016 President’s Elite chapters have the distinction of being honored during DU’s 80th National Convention in San Antonio, May 31 – June 4, with many chapter representatives in attendance.
UW-Stevens Point and Madison Area earned spots on the President’s Elite list out of the more than 2,600 DU chapters nationwide that host more than 3,900 fundraising events throughout the year. DU’s event fundraising system has become a model for other conservation organizations around the world and has funded a significant portion of the more than 13.8 million acres of wetlands and associated habitat DU has conserved since 1937.
“DU chapters across the country are showing that the future of waterfowl populations and the wetlands that filter our water and protect us from flooding are important to them and to their communities,” Bonderson said. “The more money we raise, the more habitat we can conserve and the closer we are to preserving our waterfowl hunting heritage. I would like to personally thank all our President’s Elite chapters for their achievement and look forward to seeing them among our distinguished chapters next year.”
