Conservation News

Brei Honored for Youth Outreach Efforts

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Tyler Brei has been a key figure for NWTF JAKES programs in Nebraska for nearly a decade, hosting numerous JAKES events each year, some gaining attention from media for their success in introducing youth to the outdoors and bringing the community together. For these efforts, the National Wild Turkey Federation presented Brei with the JAKES Volunteer of the Year Award.

“I am honored to receive this award,” Brei said. “It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to put multiple events on each year, and I think putting on events like our JAKES Day and the Fishing with First Responders is important if we want to get and keep kids involved in the outdoors. It is not something we do for recognition, but it is nice to know that someone is watching and appreciates what a local chapter can accomplish. This would not be possible without all the hard work that the Central Nebraska Chapter and our many other volunteers put in each year to make sure these events are successful.” 

Brei, of Marquette, Nebraska, accepted the JAKES Volunteer of the Year Award during the 44th annual NWTF Convention and Sport Show.

President of the Central Nebraska NWTF Chapter for nine years, Brei has made getting youth involved in the outdoors his primary preoccupation. Brei has been key in orchestrating successful JAKES events throughout central Nebraska, including events with kayaking, archery, gun safety and how to use turkey calls.

In addition to the many JAKES events he helps host each year, Brei started a new project in 2018, Fishing with First Responders. Brei contacted various first responder agencies, such as the local law enforcement, fire department, air ambulance and Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, to spend a day fishing with youth. The first responders assist the JAKES with tying lures on their rods, give them casting advice or just talking to them about their job as a first responder. The project has been an absolute success.

“Tyler’s dedication to introducing youth to the outdoors is fueling conservation and making a space for the NWTF and the wild turkey in the future,” NWTF CEO Becky Humphries said. “It is because of dedicated volunteers like Tyler that we are able to combat declining hunter numbers across the country and get more lifelong hunters to help with our mission.”

About the National Wild Turkey Federation

When the National Wild Turkey Federation was founded in 1973, there were about 1.3 million wild turkeys in North America. After decades of work, that number hit a historic high of almost 7 million turkeys. To succeed, the NWTF stood behind science-based conservation and hunters’ rights. The NWTF Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. initiative is a charge that mobilizes science, fundraising and devoted volunteers to conserve enhance more than 4 million acres of essential wildlife habitat, recruit at least 1.5 million hunters and open access to 500,000 acres for hunting. For more information, visit NWTF.org.

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