So now they are pre selling you more chit you don't need for the already high priced weekend, imagine that!!!Ralph if it were not for JAKES day I would have quit participating more than 10 yrs ago. We just had our 15th annual JAKES event with 101 kids attending. We gave away 8 - .22 rifles and 2 - 20 gauge shotguns, 3 bicycles and 6 Rod-n-reel combos with tackle boxes full of tackle. We purchased over $700 in T-shirts as well so each child would have one.
I helped form this chapter 17 yrs ago and it was easy then to get someone to come to a banquet as they could see their dollars spent towards things like the trap and transplant program which was a good thing.
Now that turkey's are flourishing people ask what does the NWTF do in the area now? I can not say it is the JAKES event that they do as they don't provide pooh without charging you!
They provided us with a check for $350 to hold our event, pretty generous when you consider they charge us $10 for each JAKES membership (as I mentioned above we had 101 kids for a total of $1010.00 in membership fees which our chapter pays).
I mention the amount of items given away because we raise the $$ to purchase these items in outside raffles, chicken-n-beer dances etc.. In my opinion the total you spend on JAKES day should be deducted from the next years banquet net and deposited into an account for the expenses of the following years JAKES event. There should have to be no outside fundraisers to provide the things we do on JAKES day.
The annual Chapter banquet grossed just over $36,000 and our chapter's share was just under $260!!!!
Close to $10,000 was banquet expenses so the net was in the $26k range. It is a disgusting amount of money that goes to the National and State chapter to pay the big salaries for Regional directors and employees on up the ladder.
I went to the National convention in 2003 and again this past February of 2011 only because I enjoy being around other turkey hunters and seeing what is new in the turkey hunting world.
My biggest enjoyment though is meeting and visiting with all of you custom call makers. I agree that the calls you make and enter into the contest are a big $$ portion of the weekend revenue and most go without the credit deserved as it seems the NWTF only cares about the net $ they are making off of you and me!
As I mentioned previously, turkey's are now abundant in most areas of the country so the big question most ask is "What do we need the NWTF for now?". People are tired of giving when they can not see it coming back to the area.
I am sure it was a lengthy rant to read, thanks if you took the time as I am not a great writer and hope I got my point across.
