Published: May 22, 2008 09:00 am      

Women get chance to experience outdoors through event

Staff Report

For women who love the outdoors and want to rekindle old outdoor interests and learn new ones, help is on the way. Participants don’t have to be in tip-top shape or handy with an ax — this is simply a chance to try something new in a beautiful outdoor environment.

The Women in the Outdoors event will be held June 7 at Hamilton County State Fish and Wildlife Area (Dolan Lake) in McLeansboro. The event is being co-hosted by the White County Wild Turkey and Big Muddy Longbeards chapters of the National Wild Turkey Federation, along with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The program is open to females ages 14 and older.

Through this event, women from all walks of life will be given the chance to experience the thrill of outdoor activities such as archery, canoeing, personal safety/self-defense, antler jewelry making, recreational shooting, outdoor photography and more. It will also allow women to develop a greater understanding of wildlife conservation and meet others who share their enthusiasm.

The events are held across the country with experts on hand to teach in a noncompetitive manner. The combination of sponsorship and local chapter support allows the NWTF to offer these programs at a low cost to participants. The cost for the entire day’s activities is $40. The registration fee includes a choice of classes, lunch, equipment use and supplies, a membership in Women in the Outdoors program and a subscription to the Women in the Outdoors magazine, the federation’s full-color, quarterly publication with articles and information on a variety of outdoor adventure and activities. Preregistration is required for participation in the event. Registration deadline is June 2.

The Women in the Outdoors program’s mission is to provide hands-on, educational outdoor opportunities for women. The program is now in its 11th year, and there are nearly 47,000 members. “The Women in the Outdoors program allows the National Wild Turkey Federation to reach an entirely new audience, one that has been overlooked in the past for outdoor sports and conservation,” said Rob Keck, NWTF CEO.

For more information, contact Kristi Woodrow at 963-2549 or e-mail kristi@hamiltoncom.net; e-mail Cindy Spillman, women’s regional coordinator, at cswito@hughes.net; call 1-800-THE-NWTF; or visit the NWTF Web site at www.womenintheoutdoors.org.