Local chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation wins several awards

Members of the South Hills Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation were at the Lawrence County Commissioners’ meeting on Tuesday to talk about the awards they were recently awarded including one to Commissioner Deanna Holliday and one for former commissioner Les Boggs.

Chapter president Buddy Fry said there was a state chapter ceremony on Jan. 11 at Deerassicc Park in Guernsey County to recognize the 65 local chapters in Ohio.

“We, as a chapter, received several awards for what we did in 2024,” he said, adding that considering the number of chapters in Ohio, the awards are really pretty competitive. “And, not to brag on our chapter, but I’m going to brag on our chapter, each year we win several of these awards on the state level.”

Their awards this year included second in the state in the recruitment of Wheelin’ Sportsmen members, third in the state in the recruitment of Women in the Outdoors members, the Golden Gobbler Award for having a 50% net profit after one of their banquets and the Full Fan Award, which is given to the chapter with the overall most outstanding and active chapter in the state.

Holliday was presented with a plaque for the state’s Sponsor of the Year for her support of the chapter’s Women in the Outdoors program and Boggs received the state’s Outstanding Sponsor of the Year for his continued support of the chapter’s Wheelin’ Sportsmen events.

The South Hills Chapter is very active in Lawrence County, having an annual banquet, hosting a number of Wheelin’ Sportsmen events for people with disabilities, having a toy drive to give kids toys at Christmas, providing food boxes at Christmas and providing around 1,100 turkeys around Thanksgiving and Christmas.

“We are, by far, the most active chapter in the state of Ohio,” Fry said.

The commissioners praised the chapter for all they do.

“We appreciate everything that the National Wild Turkey Federation does in our community and our county,” commissioner Colton Copley said and then congratulated Holliday on her award. “We appreciate the state chapter for recognizing all the hard work you do.”

Commissioner Mike Finley said he has worked with the chapter for years and there are a lot of needy people in the county.

“They have a turkey for Christmas and Thanksgiving because of them,” he said. “And it’s just phenomenal the work you do.”

Chapter president Bill Mullins said they were going to a national event at Opryland this week and they will be presented with L.A. Dixon Jr. Memorial Outstanding Chapter Award for their fundraising efforts, recruitment efforts and further the mission of the National Wild Turkey Federation.

“It’s a pretty big award for our chapter,” he said.

Fry said that will be the chapter’s third national award. 

In items on the agenda, the commissioners took the following actions:

• Approved the following floodplain permits submitted by the Soil and Water Conservation District, new: Columbia Gas of Ohio Inc., pipeline replacement project on Township Road 1208 (Conners Street). Renewals: Eddie Gentry Jr., filling and grading and personal dirt bike tract projects located at 65 Private Drive 398; Donald Rigney, filling and grading and culvert project located at 1090 County Road 21; and Mark A. Wilson, filling and grading and stream maintenance projects located across from 14552 State Route 775.

• Approved the consulting services agreement between the Lawrence County Auditor’s Office and Pickaway County.

• Received and filed the correspondence from Rome Hometown Love Board.

• Approved the Title IV-D contract for legal services with McCown and Fisher LPA contract term Jan 1–Dec. 31.

• Authorized Summer Riley, administrative assistant, to advertise a public viewing and public hearing to establish Private Road 3467 State Route 243 as a public roadway.