Louisiana Wildlife Agents Association Inc

TO FOSTER, PROTECT AND PROMOTE THE WELFARE AND INTEREST OF ALL CLASSIFIED COMMISSIONED WILDLIFE ENFORCEMENT AGENTS, ACTIVE OR RETIRED; TO ENCOURAGE AND PROMOTE THE CONSTANT IMPROVEMENT OF PUBLIC SERVICE RENDERED BY THE OFFICE OF ENFORCEMENT OF LA DEPT. OF WILDLIFE & FISHERIES; AND TO ENGAGE IN ANY OTHER LAWFUL ACTIVITY PERMITTED BY INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986 SECTION 501(C)(3).

PUBLICATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE LOUISIANA GAME WARDEN MAGAZINE: TWO ISSUES OF THE MAGAZINE WERE PUBLISHED AND DISTRIBUTED TO THE ORGANIZATION'S MEMBERS, RETIREES, ELECTED STATE DISTRICT COURT JUDGES, DISTRICT ATTORNEYS, STATE SENATORS, STATE REPRESENTATIVES, SHERIFFS, AND THE STATE GOVERNOR FREE OF CHARGE. BUSINESSES THAT PURCHASED AD SPACE IN THE MAGAZINE ALSO RECEIVE A COPY. THE MAGAZINE PROVIDES MEMBERS A FORUM TO SHARE EXPERIENCES ENCOUNTERED AS A WILDLIFE AGENT, EXPERIENCES AS LWAA MEMBERS, AND CURRENT ISSUES THAT AFFECT THE LOUISIANA WILDLIFE AGENT PROFESSION. THE MAGAZINE ALSO SERVES AS A TOOL TO KEEP THE PUBLIC AND PUBLIC OFFICIALS AWARE OF THE SERVICES THAT WILDLIFE AGENTS PROVIDE EACH DAY TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND GENERAL HUNTING AND BOAT SAFETY ISSUES THAT ARE BENEFICIAL FOR ALL INDIVIDUALS TO BE AWARE OF.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR SPECIAL NEEDS: FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS GIVEN TO VARIOUS INDIVIDUALS FOR NEEDS DUE TO CRITICAL ILLNESS, DEATH, OR OTHER CATASTROPHE.

CHILDREN'S T-SHIRT PROGRAM: WILDLIFE AGENTS HANDED OUT APPROXIMATELY 2300 FREE T-SHIRTS TO CHILDREN WEARING LIFE JACKETS THAT WERE ENCOUNTERED DURING RANDOM BOAT SAFETY INSPECTIONS ON THE WATER. THE T-SHIRTS ARE INSCRIBED WITH THE SLOGAN "I GOT CAUGHT WEARING MY LIFE JACKET." THE GOALS OF THE PROGRAM INCLUDE ENCOURAGING PARENTS AND CHILDREN TO PRACTICE SAFE BOATING HABITS AND TO SHOWCASE THE AGENTS' DUTIES IN A POSITIVE MANNER TO THE PUBLIC.

ASSISTANCE TO INJURED OFFICERS: FINANCIAL AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED TO LOUISIANA WILDLIFE AGENT OFFICERS THAT WERE INJURED IN THE LINE OF DUTY OR ARE FACING OTHER MEDICAL HARDSHIPS. CONTRIBUTIONS TO CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS: CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS WERE GIVEN TO NINE CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT BENEFACTOR OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS WAS THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS TO WHOM 5,000 WAS DONATED. CHILDREN'S T-SHIRT PROGRAM: WILDLIFE AGENTS HANDED OUT APPROXIMATELY 2300 FREE T-SHIRTS TO CHILDREN WEARING LIFE JACKETS THAT WERE ENCOUNTERED DURING RANDOM BOAT SAFETY INSPECTIONS ON THE WATER. THE T-SHIRTS ARE INSCRIBED WITH THE SLOGAN "I GOT CAUGHT WEARING MY LIFE JACKET." THE GOALS OF THE PROGRAM INCLUDE ENCOURAGING PARENTS AND CHILDREN TO PRACTICE SAFE BOATING HABITS AND TO SHOWCASE THE AGENTS' DUTIES IN A POSITIVE MANNER TO THE PUBLIC. FALLEN OFFICERS: FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND OTHER SUPPORT IS GIVEN TO IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS OF FALLEN OFFICERS. JIM MATKIN SCHOLARSHIP AWARD: AN ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP IS AWARDED TO CHILDREN OF MEMBERS IN GOOD STANDING UPON COMPLETING HIGH SCHOOL AND SHOWING PROOF OF ENROLLMENT IN COLLEGE, JUNIOR COLLEGE, OR TRADE SCHOOL. APPLICANTS MUST COMPLETE THE LWAA JIM MATKIN SCHOLARSHIP AWARD FORM. FIRST PRIZE IS 1,000. THE WINNER IS CHOSEN BY VOTE OF THE BOARD BASED ON THE AWARD FORMS SUBMITTED. ALL APPLICANTS NOT CHOSEN FOR THE FIRST PRIZE ARE AWARDED A LESSER MONETARY AWARD IN THE FORM OF A ONE-TIME GRANT. IN ADDITION TO THE 1,000 SCHOLARSHIP, SIX 500 SCHOLARSHIPS WERE AWARDED. SAFETY SEMINARS AND CAMPS: MEMBERS TAKE PART IN VARIOUS HUNTING AND BOATING SAFETY AND EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS AND CAMPS CO-SPONSORED BY THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES. ROUGHLY 5 SUMMER CAMPS AND SAFETY SEMINARS WERE HELD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS, INCLUDING SCHOOLS. VARIOUS PROMOTIONAL TRINKETS AND WARES ARE DISTRIBUTED AT SUCH EVENTS, WITH THE BULK OF THE FOCUS BEING ON CHILDREN. SPONSORSHIPS OF LOCAL SPORTING AND EDUCATIONAL EVENTS. FUNERAL BENEFITS: FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS MAY BE SENT TO FUNERALS OF MEMBERS' FAMILY. SUPPORT OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT TORCH RUN: FINANCIAL AND PUBLIC AWARENESS SUPPORT IS PROVIDED TO THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS OF LOUISIANA LAW ENFORCEMENT TORCH RUN BY PROVIDING SUPPLIES AND PAYING REGISTRATION FEES FOR LOUISIANA WILDLIFE AGENTS ASSOCIATION MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE RUN. THE TORCH RUN IS THE LARGEST FUNDRAISING EVENT AND THE MOST HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN OF THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS. OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS ORGANIZE HUNTING TRIPS FOR WOUNDED U.S. MILITARY VETERANS, AND THE LOUISIANA WILDLIFE AGENTS ASSOCIATION HELPS TO DEFRAY THE PARTICIPANTS' COST OF SUCH TRIPS BY PROVIDING HUNTING LICENSES, DRINKS, AND OTHER SUPPLIES. RETIREMENT GIFTS: DUE TO THE MEMBERS' EMPLOYER BEING UNABLE TO PROVIDE SUCH A TOKEN, WATCHES ARE GIVEN TO MEMBERS WHO RETIRE UPON REACHING YEARS OF SERVICE OR AGE OF RETIREMENT WITH THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES ENFORCEMENT DIVISION. RETIREMENT PARTIES: DUE TO THE MEMBERS' EMPLOYER BEING UNABLE TO PROVIDE SUCH EVENTS, UP TO 300 PER PARTY IS PROVIDED FOR A CELEBRATION TO SHOW APPRECIATION TO MEMBERS WHO RETIRE FROM THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES ENFORCEMENT DIVISION.