Each year, TU hosts events in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and New York, celebrating leaders of the conservation community while raising money for our many initiatives. The funds raised at these events enable us to conduct important conservation work, undertake groundbreaking research on coldwater fisheries, and connect anglers with one another in local communities. Detailed information for the 2012 events can be found at www.tu.org/events [1].
Veterans Service Program Dinner - Washington, D.C. - March 1, 2012
This dinner honors wounded servicemen and women and supports TU's Veterans Service Program (VSP). The VSP is a nationwide effort, initiated in 2011, to engage our 400 chapters and 140,000 members in the good work of bringing rehabilitation, healing, and hope to our nation's recovering soldiers and disabled veterans. Thanks in large part to the support of the program's lead partners, the Telos Corporation and the Goyanes Family Foundation, TU is bringing its vast grassroots capability to the table in working with Project Healing Waters, Wounded Warriors, and other organizations that use fishing and conservation as a way for wounded veterans to heal and rehabilitate.
The dinner will be co-hosted by Admiral Dennis Blair, US Navy (retired), the former Director of National Intelligence, and Gordon England, former Deputy Secretary of Defense and Secretary of the Navy. Out hosts are avid anglers who believe that the cathartic experience of a day on the river can help with the healing process for our wounded veterans.
We hope you will join other patriotic and conservation-minded supporters from the greater Washington, DC area in supporting returning veterans and TU's Veterans Service Program by joining us on March 1,2012. Arnold & Porter, LLP, are most generously providing their Washington, DC offices for this year's venue. For more information please contact Nancy Bradley at nbradley@tu.org [2] or (208) 552-0891. Learn more about the [3]Veterans Service Program Dinner [3].
San Francisco Gala - San Francisco, CA - March 22, 2012
Trout Unlimited's 2012 San Francisco Gala will honor 1% for the Planet founders Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, Inc. and Craig Mathews, owner of the legendary West Yellowstone fly shop Blue Ribbon Flies. Both men are conservationists who run successful businesses, and they came together through a love of fly fishing. With this in common, they created a plan to encourage more businesses to give more, protect natural resources, and engage in conservation. Since 2002, 1% has grown to have more than 1,500 members and total giving to conservation surpassing $100 million.
TU is pleased to present our Conservation Leadership Award in 2012 to Craig and Yvon in honor of their efforts to protect trout, salmon, and the natural world, and to illustrate that good business decisions can make a difference for our natural resources. For more information contact Sarah Davies at sdavies@tu.org [4] or (406) 522-7077. Learn more about the San Francisco Gala [5].
New York Spring Dinner - New York - May 3, 2012
On May 3, 2012, TU will host the ninth-annual Spring Dinner in New York at the beautiful Central Park Boathouse. This year, we continue our longstanding tradition of honoring conservation leaders when we recognize Ted Turner, whose contributions to native trout restoration and land protection, particularly in the West, have been remarkable.
We hope that you will join the 200+ philanthropists and conservationists from the greater New York area to celebrate TU's work for North America's trout and salmon and their habitat. For more information about Trout Unlimited's Spring Dinner in New York, please contact Nancy Bradley at nbradley@tu.org [2] or (208) 339-2566.
Trout Unlimited Annual Meeting - Asheville, NC - September 13-16, 2012
Each year, TU members gather to set the direction for the organization in the coming year. Chris Wood, TU's President and CEO, kicks off the meeting with the "State of TU" address, which is followed by the highly-anticipated awards luncheon where TU bestows awards in recognition of the outstanding achievements of its members, chapters, and councils that best have embodied the spirit of TU, and the contributions and accomplishments of individuals and groups outside the organization that have demonstrated significant leadership and success in the world of coldwater conservation. The event is also for the annual business meetings of the National Leadership Council (NLC) and council chairs, NLC workgroup meetings, and workshops to provide ideas on how councils and chapters can successfully tackle tough conservation challenges in their area. The meeting concludes with a banquet, at which the Mortensen Award, TU's highest honor for an individual, is presented. Other featured activities include hosted fishing trips, conservation tour, and barbeque. This meeting is open to all TU members and their spouses.
Utah Single Fly - Dutch John, UT - September 27-28, 2012
On September 27-28, 2012, Trout Unlimited will again host a fly fishing tournament to benefit Utah's coldwater fisheries. Participation will be limited to 15 teams of four anglers each, and will take place on Utah's fabled Green River. This two-day event will bring together the river's finest guides and some of the country's best fly fishing conservationists.
A reception dinner will be held on Thursday, September 27 to welcome participants and kick off the tournament. Competition days feature two members of each team fishing one of two sections of the Green in the morning, and then fishing the alternate section in the afternoon. An awards dinner and fundraiser concludes the event. Awards are given to the top anglers and teams, and prizes will be given for a variety of other categories as well. Proceeds from the event directly support Trout Unlimited's work to protect and restore stream flows in Utah, and to fight the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS). If you have any questions about Trout Unlimited's events or have an interest in being an event sponsor, please contact Nancy Bradley at nbradley@tu.org [2] or at (208) 552-0891.
Links:
[1] http://www.tu.org/events
[2] mailto:nbradley@tu.org
[3] http://tu.org/dcdinner12
[4] mailto:sdavies@tu.org
[5] http://tu.org/sfgala12