The Botetourt Longbeards Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) awarded two scholarships during the chapter’s regular April meeting. The two $500 scholarships were awarded to Alleson Rupp (left) and Paul Theimer (right) by Longbeards President Richard Pauley. Theimer is a senior at James River High School and will attend Virginia Tech in August. Rupp is the first Botetourt home school student to receive one of the Longbeards’ scholarships. She is finishing classes at Virginia Western Community College and was accepted at Virginia Tech during early admission where she will also begin studies in August. The Longbeards have awarded over $20,000 in scholarships to graduating high school students from Botetourt County as part of the chapter mission since it was first organized. The Longbeards chapter was also recognized for the 17th consecutive year with the top Turkey Hunters Care award by the Virginia State NWTF Chapter. The Longbeards raise funds to provide frozen turkeys to Botetourt’s food pantries. In 2023, the chapter provided 805 frozen turkeys to the local pantries at Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Longbeards were also recognized by the state chapter for having the best Women in the Outdoors (WITO) event in the state. The event was held last August at Blue Ridge Vineyard in Eagle Rock.
~ Botetourt Longbeards
