Contact:  Ellen Quinn, Public Information Officer, 1-218-726-2621

NEWS RELEASE

Sportsmen’s Club to Receive Volunteer Recognition Award

     St. Louis County will present a Volunteer Recognition Award to the Sportsmen’s Club of Lake Vermilion on Tuesday, September 25, 2007 at 9:30 AM at the Morse Town Hall as part of its regular St. Louis County Board meeting.  Fourth District Commissioner Mike Forsman will present the St. Louis County Volunteer Recognition Award to the Sportsmen’s Club of Lake Vermilion.  The Morse Town Hall is at 911 South Central Avenue East in Ely, Minnesota.

     The Sportsmen's Club of Lake Vermilion was founded in 1968 and has over eighteen hundred members. Their mission statement is “To promote and enhance the enjoyment of Lake Vermilion for present and future generations, to protect and improve the water quality of Lake Vermilion, and to educate Club members and the public regarding issues that impact Lake Vermilion”.

    All duties of the Officers of the club, all ongoing projects, and all of their special projects are performed by volunteers without remuneration of any kind except for an appreciation dinner each spring to recognize and thank them for their efforts.

OFFICERS:

Walt Moe, President

Mel Hintz, Vice President

Paula Bloczynski, Secretary

Bob Wilson, Treasurer

Mardy Jackson, Membership

Dale Lundblad

Ray Harris

Ed Zottola

Ed Tausk

Judy Moline

Gary Lundquist

Jeff Lovgren

ONGOING PROJECTS:

1.) Test and monitor water quality using Secchi disk.

2.) Night navigation lights.

3.) Day use picnic sites (7) in conjunction with the DNR and USFS.

4.) Work with DNR at Pike River Fish Hatchery during spring spawning run.

5.) Work with DNR on rough fish removal during spring spawning run (sucker sales).

6.) Conduct yearly loon count for the State Non-Game Wildlife program.

7.) Provide boat for DNR Creel survey (fish count) 2 yrs out of every 5 yrs.

8.) Work with DNR at Northern Pike spawning area on West Vermilion.

9.) Scholarship programs for Tower/Cook area students pursuing college degrees in fields related to the environment.

10.) Aquatic Invasive Species monitoring and boat and trailer inspections at public launches.