Earlier this month I attended the fall conference of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association in Carlisle, PA, along with fellow writer and organization member Brad Isles. We drove in on a Friday afternoon, and, as soon as we arrived, I was told by Chairperson of the Board Linda Steiner that I had been elected to serve on the Board of Directors. That’s going to require some extra time and work, but I’ve been a member for 13 years, so I guess it’s about my time.
     That evening Brad found out he was appointed Editor of the organization’s quarterly newsletter and Director of the Web site. So we both ended up attending the tri-quarterly Board meeting that night. It lasted from 8:00 p.m. until midnight, during which time the hospitality room was open and busy with free drinks and snacks, so it was quite the little sacrifice to attend the meeting and miss all the fun.
     On Saturday mornings at these conferences, there are always educational seminars going on, and Brad attended one on enhancing Photo Shop skills. I traveled around the hotel button-holing writers who have regular newspaper columns and convincing them to do book reviews of my upcoming book The F-Troop Camp Chronicles. That was pretty successful, since they all agreed to write about it. I’m eager and impatient to get the book out. It goes to the printer next Monday and will be released around the end of October.
     Saturday evening the Game Commission gave out their big-game recognition awards at our semi-annual POWA banquet, and we conducted our usual raffles and auctions. For the first time in years, I didn’t win a single prize, probably because my lucky charm, fiancée Donna Rai’, did not make the trip. Brad took home a beautiful woodcock painting by wildlife artist Gerry Putt, and I was jealous.
     Good luck out there. And have a great week outdoors.    

~ Don Feigert, 9-27-08