I want to thank WITU and our members for giving me the opportunity to serve as your TU National Leadership Council (NLC) representative for the past six years. It was a phenomenal experience meeting all the TU staffers and having a chance to see the hard work they put into their jobs. I would never trade this opportunity to meet, work and learn from them. The same goes for all of the amazing members I met who are doing wonderful things for our chapters and councils.
This was and has been a most rewarding and enjoyable experience for me. I have learned so much about myself and Trout Unlimited. I thought I was well versed on the TU community, but as I got more involved with several of the NLC workgroups it was eye opening the depth that these workgroups go into covering their respective issues. These workgroups spend a lot of time helping chapters and councils grow and succeed. Please take the time to check out these work groups.
When I first took the NLC rep position, I was confident in myself and where I was going in my TU career. But in time I realized there was more I needed as a person and a member of TU. I got involved with three of the workgroups that interested me: Youth Education, Great Lakes and Mining. I also tried to get involved with the TUDARE Steering Committee. I truly enjoyed it, and I was involved with a lot of great work.
With the Youth Education Workgroup, which I chaired, just like our previous NLC Rep Kim McCarthy, we developed educational programs on TIC, Stream Girls and the Costa 5 Rivers programs.
I was involved in the development of handbooks for the Great Lakes and Mining Workgroups. The latter was a great collaboration on steps a chapter/ council would need in the fighting of a mine coming into their area. It was a great experience working with TU staff and TU members, including our own past NLC Reps Kim McCarthy and Bill Heart.
For all these great experiences, I thank you for the opportunity. I would encourage anyone wanting to make a change in their chapters or the State Council to get involved now and work towards this goal. There are many opportunities, and TU can always use your experience.
Lastly, good luck, Scott Allen, in your journey with the NLC. I know you will do well and enjoy it.
Former Council Chair Linn Beck is the outgoing National Leadership Council Representative for the Wisconsin Council of Trout Unlimited.