The President’s Elite are among
Ducks Unlimited’s most prestigious volunteer chapters throughout the nation.
Every year, the list is reserved for the chapters that raise $100,000 to
$250,000 for DU’s habitat conservation work. In 2016 Oklahoma had one chapter
included on the list, the Cleveland County Chapter out of Norman.
“These fundraising events are the
backbone of DU’s habitat conservation efforts, and the volunteers who make up
these chapters are the force making a difference for North American waterfowl
populations,” said DU President Paul Bonderson. “It takes a great deal of
effort to achieve the President’s Elite level, and these chapters deserve to be
congratulated by every person who enjoys the outdoors.”
These chapters earned spots on the
President’s Elite list out of the more than 2,600 DU chapters nationwide that
host more than 3,900 fundraising events throughout the year. DU’s event
fundraising system has become a model for other conservation organizations
around the world and has funded a significant portion of the more than 13.8
million acres of wetlands and associated habitat DU has conserved since 1937.
The 2016 President’s Elite chapters
also have the distinction of being honored during DU’s 80th National Convention
in San Antonio, May 31 – June 4, with many chapter representatives in
attendance.
“DU chapters
across the country are showing that the future of waterfowl populations and the
wetlands that filter our water and protect us from flooding are important to
them and to their communities,” Bonderson said. “The more money we raise, the
more habitat we can conserve and the closer we are to preserving our waterfowl
hunting heritage. I would like to personally thank all our President’s Elite
chapters for their achievement and look forward to seeing them among our
distinguished chapters next year.”
See
the full President’s Elite list for 2016.