6/2004

 

In the past several years the Bergen Bowmen have looked beyond our oun needs and have lent a hand to another organization with funds. Danny Lambardo, a long time member of the Bergen Bowmen, presented the club with the opportunity to make a donation to a very worthy cause, The National Wild Turkey Federation's Building Fund. This marks the second time in the history of the Bergen Bowmen we have donated money to a national organization. A year ago we  made a donation the the U. S. Sportmen's Alliance. 

 

Some may feel that with the National Wild Turkey Federation Building Plan being as large as it is and NWTF getting donations much larger than ours would our donation would not be worth while, but quite the contary, every penny counts. At the September meeting of the club we were honored to receive a visit from the President of the NJ Chapter of the Wild Turkey Federation, Scott Hill and  Chris Karinja, NWTF Regional Director for NJ, MD and DE. They personally thanked us for the donation and told us that the Bergen Bowmen name will be listed with other donators on a wall in the new building.

 

The Bergen Bowmen have been involved with bring back the wild turkey so we know the efforts that have been made by the National Wild Turkey Federation. Back in 1970, on short notice, the Bergen Bowmen became involved in a project to stock some pen-reared wild turkeys in Wawayanda State Park. A western New Jersey firm had excess which they were making available to us. Donations were solicited, clearance received from the N.J. Parks Department and on November 28th, a Sunday, six yearling turkeys were released about 1 mile south of the barn near Wawayanda Lake. Reports of sighting went on for three years, post realease, but no word or confirmation after that. Now one is sure if they managed to establish themselves there in the park or moved to another area, one can only hope.