At their January 7 banquet in State College, the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) and its local chapter honored Northampton resident Katrina Skrapits for her work and dedication in preserving wild turkeys, their habitat and for her involvement with the local Women in the Outdoors program.
Skrapits, a scrappy blonde who despite her petite stature, is a hard charging worker who received the Roger Latham Award for her outstanding service as NWTF PA State Chapter board of director of the year. She was bestowed this honor for her exemplary leadership and contributions that went above and beyond her responsibility.
She was responsible for many programs, foremost of which garnered her a first place award for the Women in the Outdoors events held annually at Ontelaunee Gun Club in New Tripoli. The award came as a result of having the highest numbers in Net and Total Adult Memberships.
Awarded too was the 2011 Women in the Outdoors Golden Hen Award for having over 50 WITO memberships.
The local chapter also received awards for the 2011 Frank R. Piper Turkey Hunting Safety Award, a Third Place for the 2011 Jerry Zimmerman Chapter Achievement Award; and the 2011 Corporate Conservation Award that went to Ontelaunee Rod & Gun Club for their support for the local chapters outreach events.
Receiving the 2011 David Wanless Award was Scott Wojton for his service to the PA Chapter for his above and beyond call of duty.
The Walking Purchase Chapter also received a host of additional accolades for its local work to preserve local turkey populations and our hunting heritage.
Since 1985, The 86 Pennsylvania chapters of the NWTF, with more than 12,500 members, have raised and spent $5,186,494 through the state’s Super Fund for habitat management, wild turkey management, turkey hunter safety, land acquisitions and NWTF’s outreach programs.
Of this amount, $2,678,447 was spent on habitat improvement programs that include the purchase of tractors, trailers, sprayers, mowers and other agri-equipment; $318,150 to purchase 27,601 acres of land; $23,960 on wild turkey gear for scales, survey and surveillance cameras and gates to curb vehicular traffic at various state locations. There was also $15,052 used for trap-and-transfer programs that included nets, rockets and rocket charges for trap-transfer operations used by the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
Looking over these expenditures, it’s interesting to note that local animal rights organizations do not spend anything close to this for any kind of wild animal improvement. So our camo hats are off to Skrapits and local NWTF chapters for a job well done.
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