The Botetourt Longbeards Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) presented scholarships to two seniors from Lord Botetourt and James River High Schools—including the 2017 Virginia Chapter scholarship for $2,500.
The Longbeards also presented its first Most Valuable X-treme JAKES Award and its 13th Lifetime Achievement Award during its annual Hunting Heritage Banquet Saturday, March 18 in Daleville.
The chapter awarded $500 scholarships to LBHS senior Maggie Quarles of Troutville and JRHS senior Sarah Harris of Buchanan.
Harris also received a $2,500 scholarship from the Virginia Chapter NWTF that puts her in the running for the $10,000 National NWTF Scholarship. It’s the second consecutive year that a Botetourt Longbeards’ scholarship winner has earned the state chapter scholarship as well.
Quarles will attend Lynchburg College where she will also play basketball.
Harris will attend community college in Oklahoma where she plans to start a degree program in agriculture communications and political science.
The Longbeards award two $500 scholarships each year—one to a LBHS senior and one to a JRHS senior, and each year the Virginia State Chapter awards a $2,500 scholarship from applications from among the various state chapters.
Brian Howard was presented the first Longbeards’ Most Valuable X-treme JAKES Award. Howard was recognized for his dedication to the chapter meetings and for helping with the various chapter programs throughout the year.
Longbeard’s member Ed McCoy was presented with the chapter’s Lifetime Achievement Award for 2017. The Longbeards started presenting the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005.
McCoy was recognized for his contributions to the chapter, its outreach events and the NWTF’s mission to promote hunting and conservation. He was instrumental in starting the Botetourt 4-H Shooting Education Club and the recently organized Botetourt 4-H Outdoor Skills Club to teach hunting, wildlife and outdoor skills.
Others Lifetime Achievement Award recipients include outdoor writer Bill Cochran, Trebark and Outdoor camo founder Jim Crumley, former Virginia Delegate the late Vic Thomas, call-maker Gerald Austin, former Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF) Board of Directors member J. Carson Quarles, NWTF volunteer the late Dr. Carey Quarles, DGIF turkey biologist the late Charles “Kit” Shaffer, retired conservation officer and co-founder of the Botetourt Longbeards Dennis Mullins, DGIF board member Leon Turner, retired DGIF biologist Joe L. Coggin, NWTF Lifetime member and volunteer Richard Pauley and NWTF National Board member and former DGIF Board of Directors member Sherry Crumley.