We are giving $1,000 to Allendale High School to start a National Archery Schools Program
- Sat, Feb. 29, 2020
- Games & Raffles: 2 - 6 pm
- Dinner & Auction: 6 - 9:30pm
- Pinnacle Center: 3330 Highland Dr.
MICHIGAN OUT-OF-DOORS YOUTH CAMP
Scholarships Open to Kids for 2020 Summer Camps
WELCOME TO WEST MICHIGAN BOWHUNTERS
About Us
West Michigan Bowhunters is a chapter of Safari Club International (SCI). Our chapter was founded in 1989 and currently has about 85 members. We are committed to protecting hunters' rights and promoting wildlife conservation efforts. We promote good fellowship among all who love the outdoors and hunting, while sharing hunting experiences and information among our membership. We also help advocate for the wise and sustained use of Michigan's natural resources.
By joining the West MI Bowhunters - SCI you will help to preserve our hunting heritage and legacy for future generations. You will receive regular chapter updates, the full-color Safari Magazine, the Safari Times newspaper and email conservation news alerts from the Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC). We want our members to be well informed on all issues affecting hunting and encourage your active involvement.
Scholarships Open to Kids for 2020 Summer Camps
The West MI Bowhunters Chapter of SCI will be awarding 15 scholarships worth $450 each to students for attending 2020 youth camps run by the Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC).
These lucky winners ages 9-14 will be drawn in a raffle to receive fully-paid tuition to attend their choice of a 6-day, 5-night youth camp run by MUCC.
There is no cost to apply for entry into this drawing. WMBH - SCI will hold a drawing at the end of the year to select 15 winning entries. Winners will be announced at the club's annual convention fundraiser next February 29, 2020 at The Pinnacle Center in Hudsonville.
MUCC Camps are held in June or July each summer at the Cedar Lake Outdoor Center at the Waterloo State Recreation Area, near Chelsea. These summer adventures aim to instill a love of the outdoors into children. Camp themes include “Conservation Connections,” “Wetland Wonders,” “Hunting Heritage” and “Primitive Skills.” All campers learn basic firearm shooting safety and can earn their Hunter Safety certificates, too.
The West Michigan Bowhunters – SCI Chapter was founded in 1989 and currently has 75 members. It is committed to protecting hunter's rights, promoting wildlife conservation efforts, and advocating for the wise and sustained use of Michigan's natural resources.
MICHIGAN OUT-OF-DOORS YOUTH CAMP
What the West Michigan Bowhunters Do:
Do you know what the West Michigan Bowhunters did in 2018?
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Raised $51,033 at our annual fundraiser on Feb. 24th at The Pinnacle Center.
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Wrote a check for 30% of that — $15,310 — to Safari Club International for use toward conservation programs, leaving $35,723 for use here in West MI.
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Raised $4,400 in donations at the Feb. fundraiser for our Veterans Hunt program, where we send disabled vets on a world-class hunting adventure.
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Approved spending up to $4,000 for sending 10 young campers to the Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) Camp for Kids this summer. Watch the website for further details.
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Sent $2,000 to the SCI Michigan Involvement Committee for use in a variety of statewide programs advancing hunter rights and conservation.
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Approved $2,800 for sending two teachers, Kevin and Sue Spots from Hudsonville Christian Schools, to a 7-day course this July at SCI's American Wilderness Leadership School (AWLS) in Jackson, WY. While there, they will receive hands-on conservation training and learn about the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation to integrate back into their classrooms here in West MI.
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Scheduled a sporting clays shoot for members on Thurs. Aug. 9th at the Blendon Pines Gun Club in Zeeland. Watch the website for further details.
Protecting hunters' rights and promoting wildlife conservation, SCI's two areas of focus, historically has been the interest of hundreds of individuals long before SCI was established. But how did SCI as an organization begin?
Forty years ago, there were many safari clubs across the country made up of local, unaffiliated groups of hunters. One such was Safari Club of Los Angeles, which was formed in April 1971 by forty-seven individuals. In early 1972, an out-of-towner from a similar club in Chicago attended one of the monthly Wednesday night meetings, and it was decided that the L.A. club should attempt to combine with the one in Chicago to make it an affiliated chapter. The founder of Safari Club of Los Angeles, C.J. McElroy, went to the Windy City and instituted the new chapter.
News from the West MI Bowhunters Chapter - Safari Club
All members of the West MI Bowhunters - SCI Chapter receive a free membership to the Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) as part of their annual dues. MUCC is the largest and strongest lobbying group in Michigan for outdoor enthusiasts. MUCC represents over 250 affiliate clubs and more than 40,000 sportsmen and women.
Please fill out the information to take full advantage of this bonus to your membership, and send an email to Bob Novosad bob@novosadre.com. Once enrolled with MUCC, you will receive regular monthly ‘Conservation Insider’ updates via email. Also, you can then log onto the MUCC website, set up a personal account, and access digital copies of its quarterly Michigan Out-of-Doors Magazine.
Winners for The American Wilderness Leadership School (AWLS)
We are pleased to announce that Kevin and Sue Spotts from Hudsonville Christian School have been selected to go to a 7-day course at at The American Wilderness Leadership School (AWLS) in Jackson, Wyoming to learn hands-on lessons focused around the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation as-well-as engaging take home lessons on conservation education that have been integrated into K-12 math, science, language arts, social studies and physical education.
Kevin and Sue Spotts are both 30 year veterans and Hope College graduates. Kevin recently “retired” for teaching HS Biology and Anatomy at Hamilton Community Schools and coaching football, track, basketball, and cross country. He took a part time middle school math job this year to help out with a one-year position at Hudsonville Christian School and is currently teaching 4th grade.
Kevin and Sue still love working with kids, their summer breaks have revolved around getting kids outside and engaged in a camps they help run called “Colorado Challenge” and “West of the Mississippi”. They believe Technology has brought many benefits, but has also caused kids to lose out on important connections with the outdoors. This has lead them to learn new ways to expand the concept of “outdoor education”.
They are currently working on a new concept called Nature Based Preschool, in Hudsonville Christian School where 4 year olds get to spend more than half of their day outside, in almost any weather, exploring, playing and learning; gaining a huge appreciation for wildlife, conservation, and God´s beauty in nature.
What is AWLS?
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AWLS is professional development for educators. If desired, it can be taken for college credit through Colorado State University. We also offer continuing education units.
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It is about learning to use the outdoors as a classroom – balancing indoor with outdoor classes.
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It is about learning to incorporate conservation education lessons into existing curriculum content: math, science, language arts, social studies, physical education and art.
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The North American Model of Wildlife Management is the core of conservation understanding.
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A basic law of ecology is that everything is connected to everything else – interconnected. Like nature everything in the AWLS Educator workshop is interconnected.
Visit AWLS to learn more about this course:
http://safariclubfoundation.org/education/american-wilderness-school
