Belinda Prudhome wins NWTF's Annie Oakley Award

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — “A fiercely independent woman who lives life to the fullest,” said Terri Cedars, in describing her friend Belinda Prudhome, recipient of the 2010 Annie Oakley Award.

Belinda Prudhome. Photo courtesy of NWTF.

Louisiana’s Belinda Prudhome was all smiles after she received the NWTF’s Annie Oakley Award, the Federation’s annual award for the top Women in the Outdoors volunteer. Prudhome accepted the award at the 34th annual NWTF National Convention and Sport Show.Prudhome accepted the award during the National Wild Turkey Federation’s National Convention and Sport Show. The convention is sponsored by MidwayUSA and is taking place through Feb. 21 in Nashville.

Those same words could be used to describe the award’s namesake Annie Oakley, the world-famous sureshot who spent the better part of her life as an ambassador for shooting sports. Both spitfires — Prudhome and Oakley — have inspired women to pick up a gun and shoot for fun, many of whom never thought they’d ever pull a trigger.

Known as “B” to her friends, family and the hundreds of people she’s introduced to hunting, the spunky redhead from Frierson, La., makes a lasting impression on anyone she meets. Her energy and enthusiasm have spilled over into her efforts with the NWTF’s Women in the Outdoors program; as chairperson for the Bodcau Purrin’ Hens Chapter, she and her committee host hands-on educational events in her home state, where women ages 14 and older try their hands at shooting, camping, fishing and other outdoor pursuits.

“I have heard story after story from women who say `B took me on my first hunt,’ or `B taught me how to skin a deer … tie a knot … build a fire,'” said Chad Bowen, NWTF regional director for Louisiana. “Countless women have come to know the outdoors through her unselfishness and willingness to give back.”

According to Bowen, Prudhome is dedicated not only to the Women in the Outdoors program, but to the NWTF as a whole: “She will do anything asked of her to assure the NWTF’s mission is carried out,” he said.

For the past decade, Prudhome also has volunteered through the NWTF to help with events for children, people with disabilities and the needy. Her passion for ensuring that North America’s hunting heritage is preserved is best reflected by her efforts to take others to the woods.

“The first Women in the Outdoors event that I went to, I didn’t have a clue that I would ever go turkey hunting,” said an emotional Prudhome. “I took a turkey calling class and got my first turkey call at the first Women in the Outdoors event in Louisiana. Three years later I called in my first turkey. Since then, I have taken my two best friends and all four of my grandchildren turkey hunting, and have sat beside them as they each harvested a bird. If it wasn’t for the Women in the Outdoors program, I never would have made those memories.”

Prudhome is an example that the NWTF is more than turkeys. It’s the people — and their giving spirits — that make the Federation a success.

To learn more about the NWTF’s National Convention and Sport Show, visit www.nwtf.org or call (800) THE-NWTF.

2010 Convention Sponsors:
Affinity4, ATK/Federal Premium Ammunition, Bank of America, Bass Pro Shops, Benelli, Browning, Call Makers and Collectors Association of America, CamoFX, Chevrolet, Farm Service Agency, Foxy Huntress, Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, HuntVe, Knight Rifles, Leupold & Stevens, Marlin Firearms Company, MeadWestvaco, MidwayUSA, Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau, National Band & Tag Co., O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc., Mossy Oak and The Pursuit Channel, The Outdoor Connection, Remington Arms Company, Inc., SHE Outdoor Apparel, TriStar Sporting Arms, USDA Forest Service, Weatherby, Inc., Wild Turkey Bourbon, Winchester Division/Olin Corp.

About the NWTF: The National Wild Turkey Federation is a nonprofit conservation organization that works daily to further its mission of conserving the wild turkey and preserving our hunting heritage.

Through dynamic partnerships with state, federal and provincial wildlife agencies, the NWTF and its more than 350,000 members have helped restore wild turkey populations across the country, spending more than $306 million to conserve 14 million acres of habitat for all types of wildlife.

The Federation works to increase interest in the outdoors by bringing new hunters and conservationists into the fold through outdoor education events and its outreach programs – Women in the Outdoors, Wheelin’ Sportsmen, JAKES and Xtreme JAKES.

The NWTF was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Edgefield, S.C. According to many state and federal agencies, the comeback of the wild turkey is arguably the greatest conservation success story in North America’s wildlife history.

Visit www.nwtf.org or call (800) THE-NWTF for details.

  • About The WON

    The Women's Outdoor News, aka The WON, features news, reviews and stories about women who are shooting, hunting, fishing and actively engaging in outdoor adventure. This publication is for women, by women.

     

The Conversation

One Comment