By Bruce Ross, Executive Director bross@wisducks.org

This article originally appeared in Wisconsin Waterfowl Association’s April, 2023 Newsletter edition.

As usual, volunteer exceptionalism in 2022 made staff selection of a volunteer of the year difficult.  And indeed, we could only narrow it down to two – so we recognized both individuals!

MIKE DEPIES

Mike has been a volunteer with WWA for nearly 30 years, selflessly leading the Cedar Creek Chapter to excellence in fundraising and habitat work, finding valuable prizes for raffles and helping at other chapter events nearly a dozen times per year.  For the past several years, he’s been working with the DNR to establish a wheelchair-accessible hunting blind at Jackson Marsh wildlife area where the chapter does most of their habitat work, removing invasives and hanging/maintaining wood duck boxes.  In 2022, the many pieces needed to make this project a reality aligned: an agreed-upon location, sufficient sponsors to defray costs, wood availability at affordable pricing and favorable weather to support the construction.  The project was completed just in time for the hunting season, thanks to Mike’s leadership of a capable and energized team.  Mike has been a WWA director for years, sitting on the Habitat committee.  Those who know Mike understand that he is a man of few words, but when he speaks, people listen.  His volunteer accomplishments are significant, but he never tooted his own horn – he does them for all the right reasons.

MARV TIBBITTS

It was bittersweet to acknowledge Marv Tibbitts’ selection as 2022’s Volunteer of the Year at the virtual meeting last week.  Many of you know Marv passed away in October, after experiencing a great North Dakota hunt with fellow WWA’ers.  Marv had retired earlier in the year, and had really thrown his excess energy into his volunteer work with us.  He arranged a Valentine’s Day dinner, ran a 50/50 raffle at a racecourse, hosted a brat fundraiser, developed and ran a successful bar-bash, among other activities.  WWA’s regional Director Rob Monette gives Marv the “lightbulb award” for his idea generating abilities.  Not all  of these bright  ideas worked out quite as envisioned, but enough of them did for his small chapter to make super goal this past year.  Marv, and his wife Vickie have been long-term WWA volunteers, and both of them have brought their talents, energies, commitment and warm personalities to this organization in meaningful ways.