4 minute read

FACES OF BHA

Next Article
PUBLIC LAND OWNER

PUBLIC LAND OWNER

BRITTANY PARKER Conservation Stewardship Coordinator

Brittany was born and raised in Rifle, Colorado, and currently lives in Gypsum. She began fishing with her dad when she was old enough to hold a rod and spent most of her childhood camping and fishing. It wasn’t until later in life that she found hunting. She fell in love with the connection she felt to nature from romping around in the Colorado Rockies, carrying her bow and looking for critters.

Advertisement

Previously, Brittany started a business teaching whitewater stand up paddling and river surfing.

Her love of the outdoors inspired her to go back to school where she is pursuing her undergrad in sustainability studies. Before becoming BHA’s new Conservation Stewardship Coordinator, Brittany volunteered as a chapter leader and worked in river restoration. She’s excited to continue her mission of giving as much, if not more, back to our public lands, waters and wildlife as they have given to her.

2023 AWARD NOMINATION PORTAL

Do you know an individual who deserves to be recognized for their outstanding contributions to conservation or our organization? This is your chance to help us honor their work with one of our 2023 awards! Award recipients are announced annually at the North American Rendezvous, set for Mar. 16-18, 2023, in Missoula, Montana!

More information can be found and nominations can be made at backcountryhunters.org/2023_bha_awards_nomination_portal

R3 WORKSHOPS

In July, BHA and Hunters of Color hosted a free, all-inclusive, twoday workshop in Portland for those who wanted to learn more about hunting, wild food and the conservation community.

More Explore Hunting workshops took place this summer and fall in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and in New York City. More at backcountryhunters.org/explore_hunting

HEADQUARTERS NEWS

AIDAN LONG SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

Aidan and Ben Long

Three young outdoorspeople will have help getting outdoors thanks to scholarships provided by Backcountry Hunters & Anglers’ Aidan Long Outdoors for All scholarship.

Established in early 2022, BHA’s Outdoors for All scholarship assists young people with disabilities access outdoors experiences by providing adaptive equipment or outdoor education. The scholarship, open to anyone ages 10-20, mitigates the expense of outdoor recreation and conservation education and expands experiences and opportunities for people with disabilities.

The 2022 awardees include the following: • a young paddler from Idaho who is using Outdoors for

All scholarship funds to purchase a tandem kayak so he can paddle with his parents • a senior in high school from British Columbia who was able to access trails this summer thanks to her new tandem bicycle purchased with scholarship funds • an enthusiastic aspiring outdoorsman from Idaho who was able to spend his first night camping in a tent far away from home thanks to a solar powered battery charger for his ventilator

The Outdoors for All scholarship was established through a generous donation by MeatEater and friends and family of Aidan Long. In the months following its formation, it generated more than $30,000 in funds. In 2022, a total of $2,000 was disbursed. Scholarship recipients are awarded $500-$1,000 each.

Applications for 2023 scholarships will be accepted from Oct. 1, 2022-Jan. 30, 2023.

Email submissions to admin@backcountryhunters.org, subject: Aidan Long/Outdoors For All Scholarship applicant.

Applications, written or video, should include the following: name, age, location, activity or gear you would like the scholarship to be applied to, articulation of financial burden, if any (not required), what is motivating the young person to participate in the outdoors, what being outdoors means to them, and how it makes them feel.

BHA’s North American Board of Directors will choose the recipients, and scholarship winners will be notified February 2023.

Project Aspen

Our shared land. Our responsibility.

Our public lands, waters and wildlife need your support!

We at BHA are in the middle of year two, the final year, of Project Aspen, a fundraising campaign for our newly established endowment. We were awarded $350,000 in January of 2021 as a part of this endowment investment portfolio. The only catch is that we need to raise matching funds to realize the awarded money. With three months remaining we still have $130,000 left to go!

Our endowment will be a source of perpetual funding for BHA’s work on behalf of all we care about so deeply. It will fuel and empower this and future generations to continue what we have started.

Every dollar you invest in Backcountry Hunters & Anglers today is immediately doubled. We put to work $2 for every $1 invested, and these funds will advance our mission in perpetuity.

Please consider donating today, and plan to include Project Aspen in your year-end giving. We have until Dec. 15 to create a real

lasting legacy for our work. Every dollar matters.

This article is from: