ROSCOE – On Sunday, March 22, 166 outdoor enthusiasts gathered at the Rockland House for the National Wild Turkey Federation’s (NWTF) Sullivan County Longbeards (SCLB) New York Chapter’s 23rd Annual Heritage Banquet. The rainy weather didn’t put a damper on the day, with guests lining up outside the restaurant at 12:30. This year, the banquet had over 30 volunteers who helped put the event together. The festivities began with raffles and a silent auction. Many of the raffle items and prizes were donated by local businesses, and some members made donations. “We went door-to-door,” shared Donna Kortright secretary for the SCLB. A wide variety of outdoor gear, including compound bow sets, knives, firearms, and more. Bidders on the silent auction carefully considered their bids for their favorite items. 

The banquet welcomed familiar faces and many new guests. Hugo Ramirez, a 28-year retired service member, attended the banquet for the first time and said, “The NWTF does a lot for the veterans,” and was glad to be able to come and enjoy the experience. At the same table, guests could be heard chatting about visiting from Pennsylvania. Kyle and Whitney Nason attended with their daughter, just a toddler. Whitney, a big outdoor enthusiast, has been coming to the banquet since she was 12 years old. “I’ve known Butch [Kortright] for a long time. The SCLB does 

a lot for the JAKES” (a program dedicated to educating youth 17 and younger in wildlife conservation). Attending with our daughter is like a full circle moment,” she said.

Butch Kortright, president of the local chapter, is well known in the area as a top steward who gives back to the community through SCLB by educating, especially youth, and offering programs for veterans, as evidenced by the turnout at the crowd that filled the rooms. “We’re strongly connected to the community,” Kortright said. When I’m out in the community and get received the way I do, it makes me happy. 

In a touching moment, the room stood still to honor the loss of two avid outdoorsmen and big supporters of the Sullivan County chapter, Bill Sutherland and master falconer Brian Bunce. 

Back as MC of the event was the Regional Director of the SCLB Chapter, Carter Heath, whose charm and wit kept the afternoon running smoothly. A special raffle drawing was held for the service members in attendance; the prize was a Freedom Slate, created by previous chapter president Eric Davis.

After all the raffle items had been distributed, Butch Kortright expressed his gratitude, echoed by his wife Donna, “We’re thankful for all of the donations. It’s not an easy program to run, but with the help of all our volunteers, it makes everything work.

Proceeds from the banquet benefits the NWTF (SCLB) locally to nationally with their programs and goals with an emphasis on habitat, education, outreach and preservation of the wild turkey and our hunting heritage.  The NWTF has many new programs on the horizon. To find out more information on how to get involved with your local chapter, go to https://www.nynwtf.org/sullivan-county-longbeards or call (845) 292-4325. Or go to https://www.nwtf.org/