Awards

Program Highlights/Achievements

National Convention Awards

In 2011 and 2016, The Brown County Chapter received the Robert C. O'Hair Award for its youth programs. The Robert C. O'Hair Award recognizes the chapter that has carried out the most outstanding youth program(s) during the past year. One of the chapter's key goals is to help local youth develop a conservation ethic and an appreciation of nature. To that end, the Brown County Chapter holds an annual Teddy Bear Hunt in early June. This very successful event brings youth and their families to Osprey Point -- a 100-acre conservancy area maintained by the Chapter -- to explore nature and discover the resources available to them in their community. Families purchase a "hunting license" and search for teddy bears hidden along the hiking trail. The children also participate in other outdoor activities, including planting trees, making bird feeders, and fishing. The Chapter's annual Fall Harvest / Family Conservation Day also offers an array of outdoor activities for youth and families. In 2010, the Brown County Chapter launched a Junior Ikes youth program that was open to children ages 8 to 18. Since then, we have adopted a Family Adventures in Nature (FAN) club to engage all family members in conservation and outdoor recreational activities. The Chapter provides a range of conservation and outdoor recreation activities, from bird watching to cross-country skiing. The Junior Ikes participated in Green Bay's Earth Day parade, for which the youth designed and constructed an eco-friendly float made out of recycled materials. In addition, every September, the Chapter sponsors a fishing day for students from Syble Hopp School, a local school for handicapped and special needs children. More than 100 students from the school participate every year.

Each year, the Chapter also receives a Defenders Achievement award from the Izaak Walton League of America. The Defenders Achievement award recognizes chapters across the country that consistently demonstrate their commitment to conservation and the League's mission. Chapters who receive the award must demonstrate that they engage youth and families in the outdoors and carry on conservation activities. They must also demonstrate that they support the League, both in advancing its mission and financially.

Past Awards/Recognition

In April 2015, the Brown County PALS program awarded the Brown County Chapter a special partner award for its on-going support of its annual PALS fishing day.

In April 2010, the Brown County Conservation Alliance awarded the Brown County Chapter of the Izaak Walton League its "Conservation Club of the Year" award. The Chapter was awarded for its on-going conservation and youth programs.

On June 4, 2009, the Lakeshore Natural Resources Partnership (LNRP) and Dominion presented the Chapter with a conservation award for its efforts on conserving natural resources. The Chapter specifically received the Land Use Protection and Habitat Restoration Award which recognizes an individual or group for projects that focus on improving land development decisions to restore or protect natural areas.

Chapter Awards

The Brown County Chapter has established various conservation awards in honor of past Ikes who did great things for the Chapter and State on conservation issues. The specific awards include the Robert Sanderson Award, the Virgil Muench Award, the Bill and Betty Fisk Award and Brown County Chapter Ike of the Year Award. These awards are issued to individuals and businesses in our community who have demonstrated a commitment to conservation and/or environmental education. In addition, the Chapter gives out a Tobin Award to an Ike member that has demonstrated a commitment to the League's mission and has provided exceptional services to the Chapter. The Tobin Award is a national award established by the Izaak Walton League of America to build a relationship between chapters and the national organization.