NEWSROOM
LOWA
Honors Husband and Wife with Prestigious Conservation Award
February 9, 2006
The Louisiana
Outdoor Writers Association will present its Arthur Van Pelt Award
to Ron and Jackie Bartels at the annual Louisiana Wildlife Federation
convention in Alexandria, La.
The award, which is LOWA’s highest honor, recognizes a lifetime
commitment to conservation.
The Schreiver couple
has been integrally involved in several conservation organizations
and causes, including Ducks Unlimited, Safari Clubs International
and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’
Hunter Education Program.
LOWA President Jerald
Horst will make the presentation at the LWF banquet on March 4.
"Ron and Jackie personify the ideals of the Arthur Van Pelt
Award," Horst said.
Jackie Bartels has been very involved in the "Becoming An
Outdoor Woman" program at LDWF, and she and her husband have
been active supporters of the LSU Sea Grant "Ocean Commotion"
youth education day at LSU. They’ve organized members of
their Louisiana Chapter of Safari Clubs International to bring
taxidermy specimens of marine and aquatic animals to the event,
and have lectured on the natural history of the specimens and
the role of regulated hunting in the conservation of species.
"The Bartelses have been active for years in conservation
education at the national level with SCI, supporting that organization's
Outdoor Leadership School in Wyoming, as well as other education
and outreach programs,” Horst said. “They were recently
inducted into the SCI Hall of Fame."
In addition, the Bartelses have been instrumental in garnering
support from SCI for the LOWA Youth Journalism Contest. This popular
outdoor essay and photo contest awards cash prizes to students,
and publishes their work in various media across the state.
"Without the support of the Bartelses, and their Louisiana
Chapter of the SCI, we would have had much less of a contest over
the years,” said Gordon Hutchinson, chairman of the Youth
Journalism Contest. “They have funded the prize package
every year with unwavering enthusiasm. They have long recognized
the importance of this youth literacy program."
It’s been obvious over the years that the Bartelses are
passionate about education.
"Ron and Jackie
Bartels have given of themselves unselfishly over the years toward
the education of youth and adults in conservation causes of all
kinds,” Horst said. “We take great pleasure in naming
them as joint recipients of the 2006 LOWA Arthur Van Pelt Award."
Van Pelt was one of
the first nationally recognized outdoor writers in the state in
his long-time job as outdoor editor of the Times-Picayune. In
addition, Van Pelt was an honored environmentalist and conservationist
in many causes long before they became recognized by the general
public. Van Pelt was also one of the founders of the Louisiana
Outdoor Writers Association.
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