By Bruce Ross, Executive Director [email]bross@wisducks.org[/email]

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

WWA is a member-based, volunteer-driven organization.  Our volunteers raise funds to support WWA operations; they get their fingernails dirty improving their local wetlands, they create educational opportunities to expand and advance the community of waterfowlers and they become the collective voice of duck hunters at the capital.  Without volunteers, WWA dries up.

Volunteerism in WWA:

• 

  93% of our chapters reached “supergoal” status, a measure of fundraising excellence. At least three new events were established by chapters, and virtually all events improved efficiency.

• Even in this era of decreasing volunteerism, we welcomed a new chapter (hi, Nicolet chapter!) – who quickly made supergoal status!
• Calendar sales – our largest fundraising raffle – established a new sales record at 4,740 calendars sold!
• WWA’s Legacy initiative launched new webpages and marketing material to easily facilitate their creation of a WWA legacy.
• Adopt-a-Wildlife Area efforts grew by over 200 hours (including the building of a wheelchair accessible hunting blind)
• Volunteers were key to rebuilding WWA’s wood duck box manufacturing program, finding sources of wood and associated funding while taking hands-on action to manufacture needed kits and boxes. 100+ wood duck boxes were hung in local marshes, and hundreds more existing boxes were maintained, producing thousands of ducklings last spring.
• Speaking of wood duck boxes, two middle school teachers created and tested a science curriculum based on wood duck phenology that will be offered state-wide this spring, sponsored by WWA and Tactacam.
• Learn to hunt waterfowl offerings tripled. Three high school trap teams were able to partner with chapters to enhance their programs – and it’s not a big step from trap shooter to waterfowler.
• The volunteer-led EXPO grew in its second year to nearly 4,000 attendees, was financially successful, and is already helping fund our initiative to restore wetlands on state-owned lands.

• 

  Advocacy effectiveness benefited from a strong policy committee and grassroots outreach. We recognized WWA’s first two policy makers of the year.  In Madison, WWA is increasingly known and respected as the state’s duckhunter advocate.

• State-level committees that range from Fundraising and Marketing to our missions of Habitat, Education and Policy grew their membership and planned for an even more impactful 2023. (There’s room for more help, always.)
• The WWA board established a program that financially encourages chapters to undertake WWA mission-focused activities in their local areas. Three chapters took advantage of this innovative program in 2022 to make a difference in their communities.
• There’s wwwaaayyy more, but my editor is telling me I’m missing deadline…. So please attend the virtual state meeting in March to learn more about WWA’s amazingly creative, energetic and talented volunteers.

WWA’s impact is dependent on, and proportional to, the contributions of its volunteers.  I offer my thanks to them for a great year – and I’m looking forward to what they choose to do in 2023.