Bergen Bowmen have decided as of our December meeting to send out two donations. This will be the third time this year we have send out donations for worth while causes. One donation will help protect our hunting heritage and one will help the those who go hungry in New Jersey.

For the second time now the Bergen Bowmen will be sending a donation of $500.00 to the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance to help with legal fees from the bear hunt cases and/or put monies to support the newly introduced bills, S-2148 and A-3606, bills that clarify the Fish and Game Council's authority. Kathrine and Thomas Surlak went as representatives of the Bergen Bowmen and Bergen County Federation of Sportsmen respectively to a special meeting of all NJ Sportsmen as well as commercial fishermen and the Fish and Game Council, Marine Fisheries and Shellfisheries Councils that was called and held in the middle of the state in response to the rule change proposed by DEP Commissioner Bradley Campbell and the events surrounding the bear hunt court cases. This meeting gave birth to the New Jersey Outdoor Congress an organization what will address issues facing all sportsmen at the highest level.  Kathrine Surlak had a chance to speak with Tony Celebreeze, director of field operations for the U. S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, who was there. He remembered that back in 2002, The Bergen Bowmen send money to help stop legislation that would have put a moratorium on black bear hunting. He thanked us for that donation and was hopeful that we could help out again. When learning of the legal costs that have accumulated over the past two years in regards to the establishing of the bear season again in New Jersey, Kathrine and Thomas Surlak discussed the need of the Bergen Bowmen to step up to the plate again and send a donation at the December meeting. The club saw no problem and the donation will be forth coming.

That same night we decided to send a donation to the Hunter’s Helping the Hungry program. The Bergen Bowmen knows of and have supported the program for close to a year now thru individual member donations collected over the spring-summer months, but due to the limited funds and demand exceeding supply, we made the donation of $250.00 to help meet the need. At least a few more pounds of venison will be able to go hungry families.

Sending donations is not anything new to the Bergen Bowmen and is seen as vital part of the club’s function. Many times we have donated to various causes, from donating to a fellow club member’s family due to loss (Walter Ekiert Family) to a fellow bowman in need due to injury (the Bill Baker Fund), to donating in our own state organizations such as The United Bowhunters of New Jersey and the New Jersey Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs, to donating to national organizations such as the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance and the National Wild Turkey Federation. We even send money to the NY Firefighters 9-11 Disaster Relief Fund as many of our members were touched by the events that happened on that fateful day. We see a need and support the effort. It is an American thing to do as well as a right thing to do. With a unified effort we are able to go beyond what we are able to do alone.

The Bergen Bowmen would like to extent the challenge to other clubs and organizations to send donations to the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance and to the Hunter’s Helping the Hungry program. Together we can ensure our hunting heritage while making a difference to the needy in our communities.