Welcome to Challenge the Outdoors, Inc.
JANUARY 2019 NEWSLETTER
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE – Carl Gierke
As we close 2018 and head into 2019, it’s fun to look back at the good times and great events we had this past year and be thankful we could share time with other CTO friends, members and volunteers. After all, CTO is an organization that focuses, not on disabilities or limitations, but on abilities and the many things we can do. It’s good for all of us to push ourselves, explore new opportunities and friendships and occasionally get out and see what we’re capable of. I hope CTO has helped you accomplish some of those things.
As I’ve said many times, these events wouldn’t happen without the help and participation of a lot of caring, dedicated volunteers. So many people help on so many levels and we can’t thank you enough for all your help. Your unselfish contributions mean a lot to many people and I hope you get as much satisfaction from giving to others as they get from receiving your assistance and encouragement.
We’re trying to line up events for 2019 as soon as we can so people can see what opportunities are out there and plan accordingly, so check out the calendar and see what might interest you. As always, please contact one of our directors or event coordinators if you have questions about anything. Thanks again for all your help throughout 2018 and here’s hoping that 2019 is a great year for you and those close to you. Hopefully we’ll see you at an event soon!
SPORTING CLAY SHOOT / FUNDRAISER – APRIL 6TH - Carl Gierke
Mark your calendar for CTO’s 21st annual fundraiser, which will again be held April 6th at J&H Game Farm near Navarino. This is a great opportunity for you to pitch in and help fund the events you take part in throughout the year. There are many ways you can help. You can collect donations for raffle prizes, sell raffle tickets, spread the word amongst your friends and family to come out and shoot, hang up posters in your favorite hang-out or watering hole, or help the day of the event. We’ll have raffle tickets available for distribution at the Holiday Party on February 16th, for those of you attending that event.
The Fundraiser Committee consists of Barb and Fred Kaun, Deb Pheifer, Jim Adamovich, Steve Harvey, Sharon LeFevre and myself. Thanks to all of them for their hard work and contributions. The event involves a lot of planning and hard work, but it’s always a lot of fun, too. If you’d like to participate in any way, please contact anyone on the committee and let us know what you’d like to help with.
AWARDS COMMITTEE – Carl Gierke
The awards committee and individual awards were developed several years ago to encourage disabled individuals to get outdoors and fish and hunt, not only at CTO events, but also outside the realm of CTO. The many awards that exist are listed in this newsletter and will be presented at our annual banquet in July. Steve Lang has graciously offered to head the awards committee, so any entries that you would like to have considered for an award should be sent to Steve at steve71099@yahoo.com (920-948-4847).
ANNUAL HOLIDAY PARTY – Deb Pheifer
Please join your CTO friends and family for the annual Holiday Party on February 16th, 2019 from 10AM until 4PM at Clintonville Lanes located at 250 County HWY I, Clintonville. Please bring a dish to pass such as your favorite salad, dessert or anything that tickles your fancy! The main dish will be provided. Each person will be issued tickets for two free nonalcoholic drinks. After the meal, please get your groove on with a game of cards, cribbage or bowling. Feel free to bring your cribbage boards or any games you would like to share. You must contact me to make sure I know how many will be attending, or let me know if you have any questions or concerns - deb57ncliff55@gmail.com or 715-412-1462 or 920-462-4405.
GREEN BAY GAMBLERS HOCKEY GAME – Steve Harvey
CTO is sponsoring an evening of Gamblers Hockey on Saturday, January 19h at the Resch Center in Green Bay. The game begins at 7pm and it is $2 night, which means sodas and Klement’s Jumbo Hot Dogs are only $2 each. CTO will cover the cost of the tickets and provide a $5.00 food card for each person. Participants will need to cover their parking cost and meet in the lobby by 6:40 to receive their tickets. Latecomers will need to ask for their CTO tickets at the Will-Call window. This is a fun event and a chance to see some great hockey. We have a limited number of tickets, so if you’re interested, please call Steve Harvey (920-494-3143) or Sharon LeFevre (920-615-2356) by January 15th to reserve a spot.
GREEN BAY BLIZZARD FOOTBALL GAME- Steve Harvey
On Friday, March 1st, CTO members are invited to attend the Blizzard football game at 7PM at the Resch Center in Green Bay. You will be provided a ticket and a $5 food voucher to use at the game. It is $2 hotdog and soda day. You will be responsible for paying for your own parking. Tickets must be ordered by calling Steve Harvey at 920-494-3143 or Sharon LeFevre at 920-615-2356. The deadline for ordering tickets is Monday, February 18th. Tickets will be given out by Steve Harvey the day of the game in the lobby of the Resch Center between 6 and 6:35PM.
SPRING PHEASANT HUNT AT J&H GAME FARM – Jim Adamovich
This event, which is scheduled for Sunday, March 3, 2019, starting at 8AM has become a very popular event. Some of the things we will be coordinating include ordering pheasants, dogs and handlers, machine operators, back-up shooters, cleaners and baggers. In addition, expect great food and a chance to get acquainted with other CTO members and listen to plenty of their stories. Each disabled hunter will be allowed two pheasants. If you don’t have your own gun, there will be guns available at J & H Game Farm for your use. John Kempen has donated 12 and 20-gauge shotgun shells. You should wear orange-colored clothing and have proper eye protection. Each hunter is welcome to bring family members or a friend to assist them, but pheasants are provided only for disabled CTO members. Food is being made by J & H, which is always delicious. Don’t forget to sign up by March 1st, 2019 if you are going to be part of this hunt. Contact information is: Jim Adamovich E-mail: adamovich0208@yahoo.com or call Jim at 920-722-2090.
CTO BOOTHS AT GREEN BAY HUNTING EXPO AND OSHKOSH FISHING EXPO – Carl Gierke
Hunt Expo - CTO will once again have a booth at the Hunting Expo at Shopko Hall in Green Bay on February 22nd (3-9pm), Saturday Feb 23rd (9am 7pm) and Feb 24th (10am-4pm). This will be our third year there and it’s a great opportunity to get the word out about what CTO does, meet some people and even sell some tickets for our upcoming sporting clay shoot / fundraiser. If you’d like to help staff the booth for a few hours during any of those days, please contact Carl Gierke at cgierke1@outlook.com or 920-986-3272.
Fish Expo – This will be our second year at the Fishing Expo held at the Sunnyview Expo Center near Oshkosh. The event this year will be Friday March 1st (3-9pm), Saturday March 2nd (9am-7pm), and Sunday March 3rd (10am-4pm). Similar to the Hunt Expo, we’ll be talking to people about CTO and its mission and selling raffle tickets for our upcoming fundraiser. Last year we had a great time at this event and met a lot of people who are interested in helping CTO and many donated prizes for our fundraiser in April. If you’d like to help out this year, please contact Tammy McFaul Kritz at 920-527-0696 or dantam2006@sbcglobal.net.
Helping during either of these events enables you to attend the expos free of charge and look around the events. Thanks to Keith Pamperin for making the contacts to set up these events and to Rob Posewitz and the good folks at SAJE Events for donating booths for CTO.
SPRING TURKEY HUNT- Tom Narmore
This coming May of 2019, Challenge the Outdoors is teaming up with Shadows on the Wolf for a spring turkey hunt for our disabled members. We are able to take approximately ten hunters and the hunt will be from May 17th through May 19th. Lodging for the hunt will be provided at the Christus Memorial Camp located just outside of Clintonville. Food will also be provided throughout the hunt; however we will be doing a potluck dinner on Friday evening. Since we are limited on the number of participants we can accept, we will be giving preference to those who have never turkey hunted and to those who have not harvested a turkey. If you have forgotten to send in for your spring turkey permit application, you can still purchase one over the counter sometime near the end of March 2019. Make sure you obtain a tag for Zone 3 period E if you would like to participate in the hunt. Please contact Tom Narmore by email narmore1988@yahoo.com or call at (920) 410-4436. (Please leave a message). Sign up will begin March 1st, 2019.
WHITETAILS UNLIMITED BANQUET FEB 9th – Carl Gierke
On Saturday, February 9th the Black Creek / Seymour Chapter of Whitetails Unlimited will be holding its banquet at Romy’s Nitingale in Black Creek. Once again, CTO director Gary VandenHeuvel is the coordinator for the event and he and WU are graciously donating a portion of the proceeds for the evening to CTO. Gary has asked CTO to provide about a dozen volunteers for the evening to help with raffles, ticket sales, etc. The event starts with social hour at 5:30 and dinner is at 7:00, so volunteers would need to be there by about 4:30 to help set up. Admission and dinner are included for volunteers. You can also help spread the word about the event to your hunting buddies – tickets are $45 or $25 for juniors (15 & under) and there are a lot of guns and nice prizes included in raffles. It’s a fun event with good food, so if you’d be willing to help out that evening, please contact Carl Gierke at 920-986-3272 or cgierke1@outlook.com. If you or someone you know would like tickets, contact Gary VandenHeuvel at 920-205-2758 or glvanden15@hotmail.com.
CTO BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING HIGHLIGHTS – Barb Kaun
October- Outagamie Conservation Club waived all fees for the day of this year’s End of Summer Party as a donation. They appreciate the priceless work CTO, Inc. does, and they wanted to give back to our organization.
CTO has donated two trees which were planted in memory of Peter Lathrop and Rita Adamovich at Outagamie Conservation Club, with stone markers by each, in their memory.
Peter Lathrop Memorial received from his former classmates. Challenge The Outdoors, Inc. wishes to express thanks to them.
A new cargo trailer was purchased with insurance proceeds to replace the storm-damaged trailer. The hunting trailer, also damaged, will be repaired by Keith Hartjes. Thanks Keith.
About 30 hunters attended the Special Deer Hunt, with 15 deer harvested. Watch for more info on the 2019 hunt scheduled for October 5th & 6th, 2019, at Lessor Town Hall.
November - Thank you to Tammy McFaul Kritz for organizing the Navarino Senior Safari Ride. Twenty people enjoyed the balmy day, feasting on sub sandwiches and cookies before the ride.
Honorary Lifetime Membership was granted to faithful volunteer Randy (Chouse) Hartlaben.
Jim Adamovich reported the Pheasant Hunt involved 18 shooters on a rainy day, but fun was had by all, shooters and volunteers alike.
December - The board approved the purchase of a 5 x 8 ft. aluminum trailer, to be used for the pheasant hunts, and other CTO events. Thank you to Jim Adamovich for finalizing the deal.
Steve Lang offered to be coordinator of the Awards Program and his offer was accepted by the board.
CTO, Inc. was awarded a $1,000 grant from Unison Credit Union as part of their 12 Days of Christmas Giving program. Thank you to all CTO members who nominated us!
DONATIONS WANTED FOR LARSEN-WINCHESTER LIONS CLUB - Barb Kaun
The Larsen-Winchester Lions Club is in need of new or used medical equipment which may be donated to their organization. They loan out thousands of items to over 2000 people in need each year at no cost to them. Any of the following donations will help:
* Hoyer Lifts * Canes and Crutches * Wheelchairs and Cushions * Commodes * All types of Walkers
* Hearing Aids and Batteries * Electric Lift Chairs * Eyeglasses and Cases * Grab Bars * Sit to Stand Lifts & Slings
* Depends/Adult Diapers/Pads/Chucks * Hospital Beds and Vinyl Encased Mattresses
Note: Only accept brown or white metal frame hospital beds that have removable head and foot boards and a drive rod/bar underneath the bed.
Donations can be dropped off on Tuesday between 10-1 or Saturday between 12-1 at the Medical Equipment Loan Locker located on Trailhead Drive in the Town of Larsen (920) 427-3244.
SAVE THE DATE, APRIL 6TH
SPORTING CLAY SHOOT FUNDRAISER, J&H GAME FARM,
HWY 156 NAVARINO, WI
CHALLENGE THE OUTDOORS AWARDS PROGRAM 2018-2019
The 12th Annual Awards will be given out at the 2019 CTO Annual Banquet on July 21st, 2019. Time frame to submit an entry for an award is from July 1, 2018 thru June 30, 2019. Procedures, Rules and Details:
All the categories (Except Volunteer of the Year Able-bodied) entrants must have been a CTO DISABLED member before submitting an entry. The definition of a disabled member should meet at least one of the following requirements:
1. Have a Class A, B, or C hunting permit from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
2. Have a disabled fishing license from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
3. Other individuals can become qualified on a case-by-case basis. Contact Awards Administrator
The CTO Board of Directors shall appoint a CTO member as “Awards Administrator”. In this capacity, this person will oversee tiebreakers, choose award winners in the “Honor” categories and otherwise administer this program. Send entries for the award categories to Award Administrator, Steve Lang at steve71099@yahoo.com or 920-948-4847. Feel free to ask questions.
A CTO disabled member can only win one of the hunting, fishing, or shooting categories in any one year. You may enter as many categories as you’d like so you have a better chance at winning. Always include the date that the activity was completed; and whether you were on your own, or during a CTO sponsored group event.
A CTO disabled member can only win a Biggest Challenge Overcome Outside Award and a Deep Doo- doo Award twice, and Volunteer of the Year Award once for the life of this Awards Program. A CTO able-bodied member can only win a Volunteer of the Year Award once for the life of this Awards Program.
Winners in these Honor categories might have their stories and photos published on our website and other publicity tools as are feasible. The winners might be notified of their Honors a few days before the banquet so they can prepare a brief presentation to the banquet attendees. The reason for this is to strive to show the group what a “real” winner does to gain such high recognition and provide inspiration for others to reach for similar achievements.
Volunteers and others will be encouraged to remind or make entries for disabled members with or without the member’s knowledge. For example, boat captains on the Shawano Lake fishery will be advised to measure fish that might be award eligible.
All award winners in the categories below will receive a gift card for a retail store and a certificate for display.
AWARD CATEGORIES:
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR (ABLE-BODIED): For the CTO member who best embodies the spirit of giving to help others enjoy the outdoors. A person must be nominated by someone else. Past Winners include Bill Mayville, Larry Zander, Karen Baehr, Rod Barkhaus, Tony Gehr, Gary Thyes, Carl Gierke, Rita Adamovich, Jane Day, & Bill Baehr. Award = $100 gift card.
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR (DISABLED): For the CTO member who best embodies the spirit of giving to help others enjoy the outdoors. A person must be nominated by someone else. Past winners include Jean Chapman, Judy Paluch, Toby Malchow, Larry Laehn, Mark Baehr, Peter Lathrop, Cliff Pheifer, Steve Harvey, Bob Day, & Patrick Nieuwenhuis. Award = $100 gift card.
BIGGEST CHALLENGE OVERCOME OUTSIDE: One year, a CTO member overcame his quadriplegia to hunt turkeys on his own. He set and reset his blind to get the best spot; he got in the blind and set up and after several exciting close calls was able to bag a turkey. Try and top that one to win. A person can nominate themselves or be nominated by someone else. Past Winners include Mark Baehr, Steve Lang (twice), & James Luedke.
DEEP DOO-DOO AWARD: For the CTO member who takes the biggest challenge in the outdoors to overcome a difficult situation. One winner was a wheelchair user who dropped a goose in a muddy cornfield. After his able-bodied buddy could not find the goose, he crawled through the mud to find it himself. While the mud got washed off in a hot shower, the glow of the satisfaction of his achievement will last much longer. So, get out there and expand your limits. A person can nominate themselves or be nominated by someone else. Past Winners include Steve Lang (twice), Roger Mateer, Keith A. Pamperin, & Lauri Dubord.
LONGEST FISH, BY THE FOLLOWING SPECIES. During a CTO event or on your own: (length in inches) No photograph required, but it would be helpful. Great Lake/Green Bay Trout or Salmon, Inland Trout, Walleye, Musky, Northern, Perch, Small and Large Mouth Bass, Bluegill, Crappie, Rock Bass, White Bass, Catfish, Whitefish, & Rough Fish (Bullhead, Carp, Dogfish, Sheepshead, etc.). There will be one winner for the longest rough fish of all of the rough fish species. Award = $15 gift card for the longest fish in each species.
CHASING RAINBOWS - LONGEST TROUT: (length in inches) No photograph required. There will be one award for each of the Chasing Rainbows events. Award = $15 gift card.
BIGGEST WHITETAIL BUCK HARVESTED DURING A CTO EVENT OR ON YOUR OWN: Number of Points longer than one inch x maximum inside spread in inches. No photograph required, but it would be helpful. In case of ties or near ties, antlers will be re-examined in more detail by CTO Award Administrator. Award = $25 gift card.
BIGGEST TOM TURKEY HARVESTED DURING A CTO EVENT OR ON YOUR OWN: Length in inches of spurs and beard. The weight of the turkey is also required. No photograph required, but it would be helpful. Award = $25 gift card.
TOP SCORE FOR DISABLED SHOOTER AT THE J&H SPORTING CLAYS FUND RAISER: Bust the most clay pigeons and win. Top score = 50. Award = $25 gift card.
TOP OVERALL TRAP SHOOTER: Top 3 rounds times the distance for the year. Top score would be a score of 25 times the maximum yardage of 27 yards times 3 = 2,025. Award = $25 gift card.
TOP OVERALL SKEET SHOOTER: Top three rounds for the year. Top score would be a score of 25 times 3 = 75. Award = $25 gift card.
TOP OVERALL SPORTING CLAYS SHOOTER: Top three rounds for the year not including the J&H Sporting Clay Fund Raiser. Top score would be a score of 50 times 3 = 150. Award = $25 gift card.