1/18/14 Annual Meeting and Banquet

Dave Chadwick and Nick Gevock from Montana Wildlife Federation gave a short presentation about what the Montana Federation does and passed around an email sigh-up sheet for anyone wishing to receive email notifications from MWF. They also made themselves available both before and after the meeting to discuss MWF issues with anyone wanting more in depth conversations with them and to find out what issues hunters and land owners deal with in Eastern Montana that they don’t necessarily deal with in Western Montana. They put together an impromptu breakfast meeting Sunday morning with anyone who wanted to continue the conversation even more in depth.

Club President Todd Birch gave a brief President’s Report, highlighting some of the things accomplished over the last year, including purchasing a new mower for the trap range, securing the Yellowstone Caviar Grant which provided proper electrical to all the trap houses at Spotted Eagle, the new Action Pistol Shooting and improvements to the Sunday Creek range, etc.

Cheri Reed read the minutes from last year’s Annual Meeting, and the minutes were approved.

Cheri Reed gave the Treasurer’s Report which was approved.

Keith Hall made a motion that starting in Feb. the club puts $50 in a pot, and an additional $10 per month that the pot is not won. We will draw a members name at each monthly members meeting to determine the winner of the pot. If the member is not present at the meeting, the pot will carry over to the next month. This motion is with the intent to encourage members, other than just the directors, to attend the monthly meetings and get involved in the club activities, and in that spirit an amendment was added to bar club directors or officers from being eligible to win the pot since they are already attending the meetings. Both the amendment and the motion passed.

The following nominees were elected to the Board of Directors:
Club President – Keith Hall (2-year term)
Vice President – CJ Truesdale (1-year term)
Club Treasurer – Cheri Reed (2-year term)
Club Secretary – Jesse Smith (1-year term)
Director – Todd Birch (2-year term)
Director – Jim Keith (2-year term)
Director – Jeremy Kueffler (2-year term)
Director – Ken Boschee (2-year term)
Director – Jeff Williams (1-year term)

Erin O’Conner and Suzanne Seaba representing Pheasants Forever thanked the club for allowing them to use the trap range and clubhouse for their Youth Hunter’s program in 2013. They also said they are now seeking applicants for children to participate in the program this year.

Jim Posewitz, author of Beyond Fair Chaise gave a short talk about the conservation heritage of the Easter Montana area, and how living in the area inspired Theodore Roosevelt’s legacy of conservation.

The following door prizes were raffled off throughout the evening:
– rifle bore cleaning rod – won by Lawrence Torstenbo
– gift certificate for the Rib & Chop House – Won by Todd Birch
– S&W knife – won by Ron Hurr
– Ruger American .270 rifle – won by Dean Seifert