Livelys Earn National Conservation Award

“Terri and I are honored to have been chosen for the Roger Latham Award,” Gerald Lively said. “The NWTF has given us the opportunity to pursue our passion of introducing new people, especially youngsters, to hunting and the outdoors. We love to witness the excitement and appreciation they achieve on that first hunt. We also feel those types of experiences are the best way to promote the goals and mission of the NWTF. After all, how can you convince someone to support your position when they do not understand what you are advocating?”

The NWTF presents Roger M. Latham Sportsman Wild Turkey Service awards to members who are not employed as professional wildlife managers but have made significant contributions to wild turkey conservation.

For decades, the couple’s combined efforts have helped deliver the NWTF mission in Illinois in many ways, including serving as a treasurer for the state chapter, as well as current state chapter president. They have also administered the state’s calendar raffle and served on the Illinois State Super Fund Committee, for which they were instrumental in helping create more detailed criteria for ranking Super Fund projects. They administer one of the state’s two JAKES Take Aim trailers and help run the 501 auction program at the state awards event and their local event. They have stayed engaged with Illinois Federation for Outdoors Resources and are willing to step into the policy arena when necessary. They also serve on the committee to select Illinois’ Officer of the Year Award.

In addition to contributing at the state level, they also stay engaged at a high level in their local chapter. Their JAKES events are always met with success, in both the number of youth participating and the activities they help provide.  

They have donated their time and merchandise from their taxidermy business for a multitude of fundraisers and auctions are always positive representatives of the hunting-conservationist community. For instance, two Land of Lincoln scholarship winners were awarded for graduate research on buffalo gnats’ effect on the wild turkey population. Gerald and Terri Lively hosted them and helped with the research just out of altruistic passion.

“Gerald and Terri are a conservation dynamic duo,” NWTF co-CEO Jason Burckhalter said. “For their decades of delivering the NWTF mission – in all its facets – we are pleased to honor them with a Roger Latham Award.” 

About the National Wild Turkey Federation

Since 1973, the National Wild Turkey Federation has invested over half a billion dollars into wildlife conservation and has conserved or enhanced over 22 million acres of critical wildlife habitat. The organization continues to drive wildlife conservation, forest resiliency and robust recreational opportunities throughout the U.S. by working across boundaries on a landscape scale.

2023 is the NWTF's 50^th anniversary and an opportunity to propel the organization's mission into the future while honoring its rich history. For its 50^th anniversary, the NWTF has set six ambitious goals: positively impact 1 million acres of wildlife habitat; raise $500,000 for wild turkey research; increase membership to 250,000 members; dedicate $1 million to education and outreach programs; raise $5 million to invest in technology and NWTF's people; and raise $5 million to build toward a $50 million endowment for the future. Learn how you can help us reach these lofty goals.