By Bruce Ross, Executive Director bross@wisducks.org
This article originally appeared in Wisconsin Waterfowl Association’s February 2024 Newsletter edition.
This “2023 Top Gun” trophy recognizes the Waukesha Chapter once again for raising the most funds of any chapter in WWA – over $61,000. This amazing feat repeats several years for Mike Alaimo’s chapter.
Mike is an unparalleled master at navigating fundraising challenges and pioneering ways to find success. Given my own background as a Coast Guard navigator, and Mike’s innovative ways, I thought this year’s “top gun” trophy would take a different form – that of a brass sextant.
A little history: sextants were invented by navigators and explorers in the early 1700’s as a means to better navigate the oceans in their quest for global adventure, treasure and exploration.
I thought that analogy a perfect fit for Mike with his quests to find new paths to help support WWA: through baseball games, big and small events that celebrate holiday activities, multiple big and small raffles, and EXPO marketing of them (editor’s note: this description doesn’t do justice to how creative and industrious Mike has been over the years).
Mike and the Waukesha chapter’s drive to break the trail, shoulder the risks of uncharted fundraising waters, and discover new shores of WWA fundraising has made him an inspirational navigator, and with his chapter, has once again earned the Top Gun award.
Keeping with the nautical / navigation theme, WWA staff were pleased to recognize the Green Bay Chapter for their annual banquet that earned the highest net revenue for a single event of 2023: over $43K. Traditionally, this award features a net of some sort. This year, it has become informally, “the lightkeeper’s award”. With a miniature Fresnel lens – which are traditionally found at the top of lighthouses to strengthen the light so mariner’s can see it at further distances and stay out of shoal water. Green Bay’s early and significant fundraising event helps WWA navigate early financial challenges.
Also receiving particular mention was the Midland Wings chapter for their extraordinary improvement year-over-year.
The following chapters far exceeded expectations for fundraising, making the “WWA Super Goal Chapter” list. This entitles the chapter to special opportunities and individuals to prizes for their hard and successful work for the year.
