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| FishTails |
Matuga and Lawrence Named WVBF "Members of the Year"
Summers and Travis honored for exemplary service
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| Chris Lawrence (l) and Jim Matuga are presented with the 2003 WVBF
"Members of the Year" Awards. |
Two members of the West Virginia Bass Federation walked away from the February banquet in astonishment at the high
honors bestowed upon them by their bass fishing brethren. Jim Matuga and Chris Lawrence were named the West Virginia
Bass Federation Members of the Year for 2002.
West Virginia Bass Federation President John Burdette lauded the accomplishments of both members for their incredible
efforts to promote the Federation.
"One of the goals I had when I took office was to create a newsletter." Burdette told the crowd as he
led up to the award. "The first effort didn't work out, but then Chris took the bull by the horns and said
he'd see to it that one got going."
Burdette remembered the first issue was a work in progress.
"The first one was kind of rough, but if you look at that one and what we have today, we have a newsletter
that is as good if not better than any in the nation."
"A few years later, Jim Matuga convinced me that we should have a website. I was skeptical, but said okay
and today WVBass.com is as good or better than any Federation website in the United States."
Neither Matuga nor Lawrence had any idea they were to receive the award. Each sat in stunned silence as Burdette
heaped praise upon their work.
"I'm the only one who knows about this award." Smiled Burdette through a grin. "The hardest part
was deciding which one of them to give it to. I thought I might base it on who's the better fisherman, but then
I'd have to give it to Director (Ed) Hamrick."
Both Matuga and Lawrence were clearly overwhelmed by the distinction.
"I love doing this stuff and trying to make the Federation better." Said Matuga. "I didn't need
any recognition, but it's very nice for the Federation leadership to think enough to do this for us."
Lawrence echoed the sentiment.
"I guess paybacks are the dickens!" Lawrence told Burdette who won the National Federation Member of
the Year after Lawrence and Matuga submitted his name for consideration without his knowing about it. "I really
don't deserve such an honor, but I'm very appreciative. I simply do what I think every Federation member should
do, and that's contribute as much as I can with the talents God gave me."
"It's a good thing John didn't base it on fishing ability or Jim would have taken home all the hardware."
Laughed Lawrence. "The Federation is a very special organization to me and I hope it will only continue to
grow so my kids will know the love for fishing I have and will be able to join B.A.S.S. and derive the same pleasure
I do from matching wits with a fish and fellow anglers."
"I think Stacy (Twiggs) said it best tonight when he said 'What a great country to live in.'" added Matuga.
"I'm just so thankful we can be here tonight talking about bass fishing that we all love. In some countries
they're sitting around tonight wondering where their next meal is coming from---or even if they're about to eat
their last meal."
Burdette told the nearly 200 in attendance that his success as president wasn't because of him, but because of
the people he'd surrounded himself with.
"The first thing I did when I became president was to ask Sarge Travis to take over the youth program."
Said Burdette. "He's built it up to a huge thing that will only continue to grow."
Travis, who retired as WVBF Youth Director in 2002, was presented with the 2002 Federation Youth Award.
Travis thanked Burdette, but gave most of the credit to the kids themselves and used the opportunity to promote
his latest service, the Junior Club he's helping sponsor.
"Them boys went to Delaware last year for the Eastern Regional and although they finished seventh, they wouldn't
have had a better time if they had won the thing."
Burdette had one final award to hand out, which he passed on to Federation Conservation Director Jim Summers.
"Jim's been with me from the beginning and by my side the whole time. There have been a lot of times he's
gone to Charleston to testify before the legislature when I couldn't go. Another goal I had when I was first elected
was to improve the horrible relationship we had with the DNR. Jim's had a big hand in getting that in place."
In accepting his second conservation award of the evening, Summers noted he had only one goal left.
"I want to win a National Award for Conservation for the Federation. Then I'll retire."
"Let's hope you don't win that anytime soon." Joked Burdette. "We want to keep you around for a
long time."
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| John Burdette, WVBF President (l) Presents Jim Summers, WVBF Conservation
Director with the 2003 "Conservation Member of the Year" award. |
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