A friend maps our way to Field and Stream

Back in April, I received a phone call from a gentleman by the name of Tom McCafferty, a conservation writer for Field and Stream magazine. He informed me that I had been nominated for what the magazine calls their “Heroes of Conservation” program; the nomination had come from our good friend Joe Rauscher at Joe's Sporting Goods. Joe was at a trade show earlier this year, and came across the Field and Stream booth promoting the Heroes of Conservation program.

Early in the call, Tom started a line of questioning that turned into a full a half-hour telephone interview. He asked for sample maps, photographs and other materials… so I gave him a quick tour of our blog and suggested a few online videos he might benefit from seeing. Tom called again in early May, to let me know that upon further review by the editorial staff, I had indeed been selected, and would be included in their Heroes of Conservation section in the July 2009 issue of Field and Stream.

This recognition has important ramifications for our humble little project… but more on that later. For now, I would simply like to thank Joe Rauscher for the time and thought required to submit our project nomination. CleanUpTheRiver.com certainly has a friend in Joe’s Sporting Goods. Not a financial sponsorship, but a relationship that is even more valued and important: Informed advice, and authentic friendship. Everytime we hit the river, we feel like Joe's team is with us. Thanks, Joe. And thanks to Tom McCafferty and the editors of Field and Stream, as well as your national sponsor for this program, Toyota. I think this is a great thing you're doing... and I appreciate it.

Click here to see a scanned advance copy of the Hero’s of Conservation write-up that I received by email today.

© 2009 Mike D. Anderson, St. Michael, MN. All rights reserved.