Geneva, Ill. – March 31, 2008 – Hunters and conservationists in Kane County, Illinois, have formed the state’s newest Pheasants Forever (PF) chapter. The Kane County Chapter of PF, as the group will be known, is focused on raising conservation awareness and promoting outdoor activities to area youth.
Leading the chapter is Montgomery resident Brian Miller. A native of Le Mars, Iowa, who grew up hunting in that state as well as South Dakota, Miller says the suburban Chicago-based chapter needs to find ways to pique youth interest in the outdoors. “Here, every youth activity is indoors, so that’s where you’ll find youngsters,” he said, “It’s time to get them outdoors.”
“Kane County is home to a number of people who care about conservation, hunting and the outdoors, and it’s great to see them rally around Pheasants Forever,” said Matt Bradshaw, PF Regional Wildlife Biologist for Northern Illinois, “This chapter realizes the most significant impact can be made by reaching the conservationists of tomorrow.”
Miller said the chapter was drawn to PF’s local model. PF and its quail division, Quail Forever (QF), apply a unique and successful model of empowering local chapters with the responsibility to determine how 100% of their locally raised conservation funds will be spent. PF and QF are the only national conservation organizations to employ this unique locally-driven chapter model.
The Kane County chapter has also elected Philip Hartman of Montgomery as treasurer and Bob Dobbertin of North Aurora as banquet chair. The chapter will hold its next meeting on Thursday, April 3rd at the Prairie Rock Bar & Grill in Elgin. Meeting time is 7 PM. The public and media are invited to attend. For more information about the meeting and the chapter, contact Brian Miller at (630)859-9154 or via email at niubb21@hotmail.com.
For more information on PF in Illinois, to start a chapter or join one of the state’s existing chapters, contact Matt Bradshaw at (217)386-4324 or via email at mbradshaw@pheasantsforever.org.
Illinois’s 45 PF chapters account for over 7,700 members statewide. Those chapters have spent more than $9.3 million to complete over 27,900 habitat projects since the first Illinois PF chapter was formed in 1985. Those projects have benefited more than 261,000 acres for wildlife. There are also 14 QF chapters in Illinois.
Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are non-profit conservation organizations dedicated to the protection and enhancement of pheasant, quail, and other wildlife populations in North America through habitat improvement, land management, public awareness, and education. PF/QF has more than 120,000 members in 700 local chapters across the continent.
For additional information about Pheasants Forever, please visit www.PheasantsForever.org
