RETIREES GATHER AT 4^TH REUNION

oy, has it been a long time," was the common opening comment as former colleagues greeted one another at the 4^th annual reunion of Fish & Wildlife Service retirees. Over 200 retirees and spouses from all parts of the U.S. gathered in Spearfish, South Dakota, May 17 — 19 to meet and greet former co-workers and old friends and to help celebrate the 130^th anniversary of the Service’s Fishery Resources Program in conserving America’s fisheries. The D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery was host to the celebration recognizing the Fisheries Program’s proud past.

Events began Friday evening with a hootenanny / icebreaker hosted by the D. C. Booth Society, the local partner and support group at the historic hatchery. It featured a local microbrew and a wide range of hor d’ouvers, including pheasant and buffalo. The gathering was indoors and poolside and local musicians were joined by some of the retirees. Joining the retirees gathering were many members of the Service’s Deputy Regional Directors, Assistant Fishery Resources Regional Directors, Technology Center Directors, and Broodstock Hatchery Managers, all of whom had business meetings in Spearfish earlier in the week. With these folks, Hatchery staff and event volunteers, members of the Booth Society, over 300 celebrants in all attended.

After a short business session and workshops on Saturday morning, it was on to the D.C. Booth Historic NFH for the celebration events. The completed exhibit of an early 20^th century fish stocking rail car was available for viewing. A beautiful full size bronze statue titled ‘Spring Stocking’ was dedicated and unveiled. It depicts two fish culturists emptying a milk can containing fish into a running stream and is a memorial to early fish hatchery workers. Lunch was a fish fry in Ruby’s garden at the historic Booth home During the afternoon, guided tours and workshops were available to showcase the beautifully presented D. C. Booth Historic NFH and its museum.

Taste of South Dakota was the theme of the banquet. It began with wine tasting, compliments of the Booth Society, and a 12 year-old local prodigy playing the piano leading into dinner that again featured pheasant and buffalo. A thoroughly enjoyable comedian / musician entertainer kept the throng of over 300 in stitches. The evening ended with the showing of the video Arctic Dance, the life and love story of Olaus and Mardy Murie. He was an early pioneer Service biologist and artist in Alaska who would later become president of the Wilderness Society, and she became a passionate voice for the wilderness that helped gain passage of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act that ultimately lead to 79.5 million acres of new refuge lands.

The weekend of non-stop visitation didn’t end until late Sunday. After the early bird walks and fishing trips, Sunday morning activities included a prayer and memorial service for our
departed colleagues.  Attendees had the opportunity to remember those who they had shared other enjoyments. A bus tour of the Black Hills including Mt. Rushmore, the Crazy Horse Memorial, and a wildlife drive through Custer State Park completed this 4^th annual get together of retired Fish & Wildlife Service colleagues.

Comments from the retirees and active Service staff were universal in their praise of the success of this event. Rick Lemon, Director of the National Conservation Training Center commented, "When I walked into the area Friday night with all those retirees gathered in groups all over the place, I just had to stop for a moment to make sure I arrived at the right place and then let it all sink in. This is just what we and the Heritage Committee have been working for."

udos go to D.C. Booth Historic NFH Center Director Steve Brimm and his staff and the D.C. Booth Society and their cadre of volunteers for their Herculean efforts in organizing this event. It was only with this effective level of effort and commitment for this historic event that the enjoyment by so many was possible. In a greeting message from Booth Society President Arlene Hindbjorgen, she hoped we would have a great time -- boy did we ever!!

Retiree group photos can be obtained by writing the Booth Society, Inc, 423 Hatchery Circle, Spearfish, SD 57783 or calling 605/642-7730.  Price for the 8X10 is $10.00.

The names of the FWS retirees that registered are being included in this newsletter. By the way, if you attended the reunion and don’t see your name listed, please get with Denny, Jerry or Mark as we don’t want to lose you again.

FINAL PLANS BEING MADE FOR NEXT YEAR

he Centennial celebration of the National Wildlife Refuge System is scheduled for 2003. While celebratory events are scheduled throughout the year at NWR’s through the country, Pelican Island, Florida, the first unit of the NWR System, will be the focal point for celebrating this milestone anniversary. Mark your calendars for March 13 — 16, 2003, for a beautiful Spring weekend on Florida’s east coast. Fish & Wildlife Service retirees are scheduling the next retiree’s reunion to coincide with the 100^th birthday celebration. Early planning is for a weekend of two parts -- the retiree reunion portion consisting of meetings and workshops important to retirees and then participation in the Pelican Island celebration events. President Bush has been invited but already Secretary Gale Norton is making plans to attend. Since Florida is a major Spring break destination, it is our intent to quickly secure a headquarters retirees hotel so reservations can be made early. As the planning unfolds, you will be provided the additional information.

Keep your eyes peeled for the NWR System's redesigned internet site which was launched recently. Log onto http://refuges.fws.gov and see what's new.

The Heritage Committee

he work of the Heritage Committee is to ensure that the history, memories, and former personnel of the Service are not discarded or forgotten.  Some of the significant accomplishments of the Heritage Committee include:

• Museum Collection. Encouraging contributions to further the extensive archival collection of historical artifacts, documents and photos now preserved in the Service’s state-of-the-art museum and storage which serves as a basis for creating displays showcasing the history of conservation in America, made possible by the oversight of an on-staff Historian and Museum Curator.
• Oral History Project. A living history documenting the lives and times of our retired peers and former colleagues to assure that their history, institutional knowledge, and memories are not discarded or forgotten by the making of digital recordings with over 150 collected and transcribed.
• Retiree Database. A growing address database of retirees is being gathered allowing the Service to re-establish this vital link with one of its most important resources -- its retired employees -- to keep them informed.
• Retirees Reunion. Four weekend retreats of former colleagues have been held. The social reunions provide the opportunity to renew old acquaintances and participate in workshops focused for the retired Government employee.
• Fallen Comrades Memorial. In May 2000 a new permanent memorial located in a courtyard at the NCTC was dedicated to formally recognize those employees killed in the line of duty. The wall of the memorial currently has 69 plaques, one for each individual, as a tribute to their sacrifice. (See next item)

BRONZE STATUE PLANNED

he memorial wall is completed and the names of our fallen comrades are mounted but the courtyard that will also house a statue commemorating those individuals who died protecting America’s Fish and Wildlife resources is incomplete. Your help to carry out the completion of this project is needed. To finish the courtyard and commission a bronze commemorative statue, we are asking those with a connection to the Service to help by sponsoring an inscribed brick. The Friends of the NCTC will complete the courtyard with inscribed bricks whose purchase will help build a bronze statue for the memorial. The cost of a brick is $50.  To learn more about how you might purchase a brick to support the memorial's completion, please contact The Friends of the NCTC at 304- 876-7781. An order form is included.

RETIREES HAVE NEW 800 NUMBER

number is now available for FWS retirees to obtain or to pass on information about former colleagues or events.. The number is 1 — 877 — 831 — 5591. It will connect with Denny Holland, retiree volunteer coordinating the colleagues’ reunions.

RETIREE CONTACTS

Holland, Denny & Kathy: Denny_Holland@fws.gov Ph: 1-877-831-5591. Denny is a refuge manager and who retired from the Washington Office and is now living in Chincoteague, Virginia, For the past 4 years he has been volunteering to bring together former FWS employees and collecting the snail-mail addresses, is an original member of the Heritage Committee member and is coordinating the annual colleague’s reunions. .

Grover, Jerry & Judy: Groverjerry.judy@att.net Ph: 503-684-1809. Jerry is a retired Fisheries / Ecological Services deputy living in Portland, Oregon, who is gathering and maintaining the e-mail address list, is a Heritage Committee member and is a Region 1 retiree representative, and has been serving as an unofficial ‘scribe.’ Judy retired as the Executive Secretary for the Regional Director, Portland.

Madison, Mark: Mark_Madison@fws.gov Ph: 304-876-7276. Mark is the resident historian at the NCTC and working with the Heritage Committee to preserve FWS history. He is also the NCTC on-site coordinator for reunion weekends.
 
 
 
 

This information prepared by Jerry C. Grover. 503-684-1809 e-mail: Groverjerry.judy@att.net
 
 

Dennis Anderson

Elmo Barney

Harold Benson

Jerry Bentley

Vic Blazevic

Jack Bodle

Walt Brost

Gene Buechner

Edward Carlson

Dean Chase

Mike Cleary

Richard Coon

Roger Copper

Earl Cunningham

George Divine

Don Dobel

Rick Dornfeld

Thomas Duncan

Dave Erickson

Bob Fields

Harvie Fowler

Jerry / Pat French

William French

George Gage

Brett Galyean

Lola Gannon

Chuck Gernes

Brent Giezentanner

John Green

Lynn Greenwalt

Jim Gritman

Jerry / Judy Grover

Leo Gully

Jim Hammer

Clay Hardy

Charles Hasty

Jerry Hearn

Roger/Carol Herman

Bill Hesselbart

Eugene Hester

Dennis / Kathy Holland

Fred Howard

Jim Hutcheson

Bob Jacobsen

Paul Janeke

Dave Janes

Kent Keenlyne

Dudley Korth

Howard Kunesh

Don Kuntzelman

John Kurtz

Jack Larmoyeux

Kenneth Larsen

Steve Leek

Calvin Leinsink

Tom Luken

James Lynch

Ron Majors

Jim Matthews

Joe Mazuranich

Dave McDaniel

Conley Moffett

Phil Morgan

Ed Moses

Jon Nelson

Dorothe Norton

Bill Ohnemus

Wayne Olson

Leo Orme

Wes Orr

Stephen Parry

Onnie Peffer

Edward Peterson

Larry Peterson

Ray Phillips

Bob Piper

John Popowski

Jo Quinter

Frank Richardson

Irvin Rostad

Al Sandavol

William Schmitz

Kenneth Schwindt

Larry Shanks

Hank Short

Rollin Siegfried

Lawrence Smith

Charlie Smith

Mary Smith

Jack Snow

Robert Stegman

Wally Steucke

Clarence Storbeck

William Swinehart

Bob Thoesen

Ralph Town

Arden Trandahl

Dean Tresch

Larry Visscher

Ron Wahlin

Earl Walker

Rolf Wallenstrom

Bill Walsdorf

Wayne Wathen

Hank Webster

Graden West

Jack West

Jackie Westberg

Pete White

Harvey Willoughby

Don Young

Robert Young
 
 

Name: ______________________________________________________

Address: ____________________________________________________

City: ____________________________________________________

State: Zip: _______________ ________

Phone (optional): _____ - ________ - _________

Email (optional): ______________________________________________

Is this order in Memory of:

Employee __________________________________________________________

Former Employee _____________________________________________________

Friend or Volunteer ____________________________________________________

FWS Station _________________________________________________________

Inscription

All Bricks are 4x8 and can contain a maximum of 39 characters (3 lines of 13). Please print your characters

carefully and note that spaces count as characters due to engraving needs.

Inscription on your brick:

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
 
 

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
 
 

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
 
 
 
 

Brick Prices are:

$50.00 for individuals purchasing bricks

$150.00 for Service entities purchasing bricks

Please enclose this order form and a tax deductible check or money order made payable to:

The Friends of the NCTC.

The mailing address is:

The Friends of the NCTC

National Conservation Training Center

Route 1, Box 166

Shepherdstown, WV 25443

(304) 876-7781

To learn more about the Fallen Comrades Memorial visit: http://www.nctc.fws.gov/history/fallencomrades.html