Award Winners 2021


2021 National Awards (for efforts in 2020)


Stanford Adams Memorial Award for League Leadership

This IWLA Executive Board’s award recognizes the national director or director-at-large for their continued commitment to the duties and responsibilities that come with their elected leadership position.

Jim A. Madsen of the South Dakota Division


Hall of Fame Awards

Recognizes a member’s outstanding accomplishments in furthering the mission and goals of the League.

George W. Coakley of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chapter (Maryland)

Lee Hays of the Rockville Chapter (Maryland)

Herbert W. Pritchett, Sr. of the Fredericksburg-Rappahannock Chapter (Virginia)


Conservation Awards

Recognizes member contributions to conservation in the name of the League. 

Arthur V. Belendiuk of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chapter (Maryland)

Noel R. Gollehon of the Rockville Chapter (Maryland)

William Iltzschee of the Porter County Chapter (Indiana)

Thomas J. Vegella of the Rockville Chapter (Maryland)


Save Our Streams Awards

Recognizes outstanding work in environmental education and citizen activism for clean water.

Jay Butler of the Fort Wayne Chapter (Indiana)

Susan Swarner of the Porter County Chapter (Indiana)

Save Our Streams Team of the Lois Green-Sligo Chapter (Maryland) – Co-chairs Dr. William H. Roberts and Duane Hovorka


Thelma "Pete" Reed Award

Recognizes the member who has volunteered in many conservation projects, educational efforts, community service, or chapter leadership development, and is not serving as a national leader of the League but is considered an “up and coming” future League leader.

Judy A. Danish of the Rockville Chapter (Maryland)


Outdoor America's Future Award

Recognizes the IWLA youth or student member who has volunteered in many conservation projects, educational efforts, community service, or chapter leadership development and is considered a young “up and coming” future League leader.

Gabriel Ballard of the Porter County Chapter (Indiana)


Shooting Sports Awards

Presented to individuals, groups, or organizations judged to have done outstanding work to promote shooting sports.

Richard C. Deibert of the Lancaster Red Rose Chapter (Pennsylvania)

Kenneth C. Mincks of the B.F. Carroll Chapter (Iowa)

Shooting Sports Program of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chapter (Maryland) – Committee chairs T. Steve Eschholz, Jr., Jack Mandel and Warner Parks


Outdoor Ethics Awards

Presented to individuals, groups, or organizations judged to have done outstanding work in outdoor ethics.

Mark A. LaBarbera of the Southwestern Wisconsin Chapter (Wisconsin)


Honor Roll Awards

Recognizes outstanding accomplishments in conservation, public education, and/or publicity in keeping with the League’s goals by an individual or organization.

Nicole Harmon of the Valparaiso Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center (Indiana)

John McAuliffe of the Honeywell Syracuse Onondaga Lake Cleanup Project (New York)

Rebecca Rolnick of the Central New York Young Naturalist Program (New York)

Neil Shaffer and Hunter Slifka of the Howard County Watershed Project (Iowa) as part of the Upper Mississippi River Initiative


Chapter and Division Awards


James Lawton Childs Awards

Recognizes chapter accomplishments in conservation.

  • Under 500 members: Porter County Chapter (Indiana)
  • Over 500 members: Loudoun County Chapter (Virginia)

Robert C. O’Hair Award

Recognizes outstanding chapter youth programs.

Rockville Chapter (Maryland)


Best Chapter Newsletter Awards

Based on appearance, originality, timeliness, and news coverage, including national and state news and community conservation.

  • Under 500 members: IWLA PCC Newsletter, Porter County Chapter (Indiana)
  • Over 500 members: B-CC IWLA Monthly Newsletter, Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chapter (Maryland)

Best Chapter Website Award

Based on appearance, originality, and news coverage.

Loudoun County Chapter (Virginia)


John C. Gregory Award

For the division with the overall highest numerical increase in members.

Indiana Division, increase of 506 members


Membership Achievement Award

For the chapters with the greatest numerical increase and percentage increase in members.

  • Greatest percent increase: Seward County Chapter (Nebraska), increase of 107 percent
  • Greatest numerical increase: McCook Lake Chapter (South Dakota), increase of 349 members

Membership Merit Awards

Recognize membership growth based on chapter size.

For the chapter with 50 and under members with the greatest percent increase: Fullerton Chapter (California)

For the chapter with 50 and under members with the greatest net gain: Tied – Wadsworth Chapter (Ohio) and Rochester Chapter (Minnesota)

For the chapter with 51 to 250 members with the greatest percent increase: Seward County Chapter (Nebraska)

For the chapter with 51 to 250 members with the greatest net gain: Miami Chapter (Indiana)

For the chapter with 251 to 500 members with both the greatest percent increase and net gain: St. Joseph County Chapter (Indiana)

For the chapter with 501 and more members with both the greatest percent increase and net gain: McCook Lake Chapter (South Dakota)


110-Percent Growth Awards

Further recognizes the chapters that grew by 10 percent or more in 2020.

  • California: Fullerton
  • Colorado: Pikes Peak
  • Florida: Cypress and Mangrove
  • Illinois: Decatur, Kewanee, Peoria and Woodford County
  • Indiana: Evansville, Fort Wayne, Miami, Michigan City #7, North Manchester, Porter County, Spring Lake, St. Joseph County and Terre Haute
  • Iowa: Ames, Anamosa, B.F. Carroll, Boone Valley, Emerson Hough, Mahaska County, Ottumwa, Three Rivers and Warren County
  • Maryland: Frederick #1, Free State, Lois Green-Sligo and Washington County
  • Minnesota: New Ulm #79 and Rochester
  • Nebraska: Freemont, Lincoln and Seward County
  • New York: Cortland
  • Ohio: Central Ohio, Fairfield, Fremont, Seven Mile, Tallawanda and Wadsworth
  • Oregon: Eugene
  • Pennsylvania: Allegheny County
  • South Dakota: Deuel County and McCook Lake
  • Wisconsin: A.D. Sutherland

Defenders Chapter Achievement Awards

This year, 44 League chapters were honored with a Defenders Chapter Achievement Award for their contributions to the League’s mission through their successful programs promoting membership, education, conservation, youth involvement, community outreach, and the principles of philanthropy.

  • Arlington-Fairfax (Virginia)
  • Austin (Minnesota)
  • Berkeley County (West Virginia)
  • Bethesda-Chevy Chase** (Maryland)
  • Bill Cook (Wisconsin)
  • Brown County** (Wisconsin)
  • Bush Lake (Minnesota)
  • Central New York** (New York)
  • Des Moines** (Iowa)
  • Dwight Lydell (Michigan)
  • Elgin (Illinois)
  • Frederick #1 (Maryland)
  • Fredericksburg-Rappahannock (Virginia)
  • Grand Island (Nebraska)
  • Hamilton (Ohio)
  • Kampeska (South Dakota)
  • Lincoln (Nebraska)
  • Linn County* (Iowa)
  • Lois Green-Sligo (Maryland)
  • Loudoun County (Virginia)
  • McCook Lake (South Dakota)
  • Mid-Shore (Maryland)
  • Minnesota Valley (Minnesota)
  • Mountaineer (West Virginia)
  • New London (Minnesota)
  • New Ulm #79 (Minnesota)
  • Owatonna (Minnesota)
  • Pikes Peak (Colorado)
  • Prairie Woods (Minnesota)
  • Rochester (Minnesota)
  • Rockville (Maryland)
  • Sioux Falls (South Dakota)
  • Sportsman's (Maryland)
  • Sunshine (South Dakota)
  • Tiffin-Seneca County (Ohio)
  • W.J. McCabe (Minnesota)
  • Walter J. Breckenridge (Minnesota)
  • Wapashaw (Minnesota)
  • Warren County (Iowa)
  • Warren County (Virginia)
  • Wayne County (Ohio)
  • Wes Libby - Northern Lakes (Minnesota)
  • Wildlife Achievement (Maryland)
  • York #67 (Pennsylvania)

* First-time recipient
** 20th consecutive year!