Ducks Unlimited recognizes top Illinois fundraising chapters

Ducks Unlimited recently announced the top volunteer chapters across the nation honored in three categories: Chairman's Roll of Honor, President's Elite and President's Roll of Honor.

Chapters that raised between $250,000 and $999,999 were recognized in the Chairman's Roll of Honor category, while those that raised between $100,000 and $249,999 were named as President's Elite chapters. Rounding out the four categories, President's Roll of Honor chapters raised between $65,000 and $99,999.

"These fundraising events are the backbone of DU's habitat conservation efforts, and the volunteers who make up these chapters are the force making a difference for North American waterfowl populations," said Ducks Unlimited President Rogers Hoyt Jr. "It takes a great deal of effort to achieve these levels, and these chapters deserve to be congratulated by every person who enjoys the outdoors."

This year's Chairman's Roll of Honor chapter from Illinois is the Freeport Chapter.

This year's President's Elite chapters from Illinois include: Chicago Downtown; Silver Creek Chapter, Mascoutah; Logan County Chapter, Lincoln; and McHenry Fox Flyway Chapter, Woodstock.

This year's President's Roll of Honor chapters from Illinois include: Peoria Chapter; North Shore Chicago Chapter, Winnetka; Quincy Chapter; and Sauk Valley Chapter, Dixon.

The chapters honored this year earned their spots on the nationally recognized lists out of more than 2,600 DU chapters nationwide that hosted more than 4,200 fundraising events. The event fundraising system has become a model for other conservation organizations worldwide and has helped conserve more than 14.5 million acres of waterfowl habitat since 1937.

"The hard work and dedication from DU's event system volunteers and staff drive the organization's conservation mission from a financial, membership and policy strength perspective," Hoyt said. "DU chapters across the country are showing that the future of waterfowl populations and the wetlands that filter our water and protect us from flooding are important to them and to their communities. The more money we raise, the more habitat we can conserve and the closer we are to preserving our waterfowl hunting heritage. I would like to personally thank our chapters for their achievements and look forward to seeing them among our distinguished chapters next year."

Ducks Unlimited Inc. is the world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America's continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 14.5 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, Ducks Unlimited works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever. For more information on our work, visit www.ducks.org.