2010 Mentor of the Year

Phil McAmis lost his son, and best hunting partner, Zac, only a few years ago when Zac was 13 years old. In response to this, Phil continues to take kids into the outdoors to teach them as he did with his own son. He gives more than he can afford to give but does this in honor of his son.

Phil does not just talk - he backs his words of encouragement through action. Phil now takes many kids out turkey and deer hunting every year, and in fact pays for most of their licenses, as they cannot afford them in most cases.

In addition, Phil founded the Zac McAmis Annual Memorial Turkey Hunt to not only memorialize his son, but more importantly to get more youth involved in the outdoors in a family oriented, no-pressure atmosphere.

Phil is also heavily involved in 100,000 Kids In The Outdoors, an organization designed to inspire hunters to mentor youth and in turn inspire future generations - both in the United States and across the world. Because of Phil, the cause is growing rapidly. Phil is not only a mentor at heart, he expends tireless efforts to incubate other mentors.

Phil and his family have a love for everyone around them and a passion inspired by his son that in extremely addictive. Spending even a little time with Phil inspires others to be better people and more enthusiastic hunters and outdoorsmen so that they will help spread the word to others.

You can read the story that Phil wrote about Zac, which has now helped to inspire literally thousands of people at www.thehuntisnotover.com.

From Phil: "Thank you - what an honor. This nomination is more than just recognition for something I have done... it's a reminder to me and everyone else that the average guy can make a difference in the life of a child. The smile on the face of a child the first time they hit the target, or discover a new creature scurrying in the woods, is more precious than anything. Or, the first chance a new has to see a tom at full strut, or a white-tailed buck walking through the open prairie, brings a world of wonder to young minds and makes me smile in return.

"Being able to show a child what a real conservationist does to help our natural world ensures generations to come will enjoy God's outdoors. Fighting for the hearts of our children is, in my opinion, the single most important thing we can do as outdoorsmen and women. Teaching the next generation to respect the land they are allowed to hunt, and honor the animals they harvest, is one of life's great lessons. Teaching them the kill is only the beginning of the hunt, and the fruit of our labor can feed the multitudes if they are taught that our outdoor paradise deserves to be treated with love.

"To me, this nomination hopefully means someone will be encouraged to join the excitement of a child's first trip to the woods. Someone will be touched by the story of my son, Zac, who, at the young age of 13, passed away doing what he loved more than anything: living his outdoor dream.

"My son was my mentor in life and in death. The day my son laid his head down on that creek bank and closed his eyes for the last time started the wheels in motion for a new dream, a dream to get 100,000 kids outdoors who don't have anyone to take them. A dream to share the same outdoor Zac loved with every child I can. I will not fail the children of this country - they are too important for that.

"The lives we change today will change lives tomorrow. Our children deserve to be outdoors and our outdoors deserve our children. This nomination means no child has to do without our beloved outdoors. This nomination means the outdoors people of this country haven't forgotten our children, and our children will forever be a part of God's great outdoors."

Harry Fox, Sr., has been hunting on our family farm and surrounding areas for many years. As a heavy-equipment operator, he often had to work away, but he had four children and made the time to teach all of us to shoot, hunt, reload and to do them all safely, at a very young age.

Some of Harry's happiest hunting experiences have been helping his grandchildren carry on the hunting tradition. He already has one 4-year-old daughter practicing with her BB gun so she will be ready to go hunting with the rest of the family in a few years!

Harry has been mentoring young hunters for more than 55 years, with his first mentoring starting when he was just 16 years old as he carried his 5-year-old brother, Tom, on his shoulders through the hills of Pennsylvania, teaching him to hunt deer and turkeys. His family always joked that Tom would have to return that favor and carry his brother on his shoulders when he was much older.

Unfortunately, Harry's family lost Uncle Tom this year to cancer at the age of 60. But he had shared his love of hunting with both of his sons and his grandson. Last October, Harry and family had the chance to hunt together one last time with Tom. Harry walked through the woods that day with three generations of hunters, all of whom he had mentored.

Harry's reach, however, goes beyond just family. This spring, Harry took a young college student out for his first successful spring gobbler hunt. Last year he helped a family friend, who was only 10 years old, kill his first gobbler. A few years ago, Harry helped Mark, a nurse he met while his wife was hospitalized, start hunting for the first time. Mark is now a seasoned deer hunter who speaks with amazing passion at everything he learned from Harry.

According to family members, "mentoring" probably isn't the word Harry would use to describe what he does - it's just who he is. From creating food plots to working with the youngsters on their shooting, reloading and safety skills, to finding the perfect spot for the deer blind or tree stand - it's a labor of love for him that he shares with everyone around him.

Harry has done more than mentor an individual or two - he's mentored generations.

Eddy Corona is the co-founder and President of the Outdoor Experience 4 All (OE4A). Eddy and friend, Chris Denham, started the OE4A in 2007. The idea was build an organization that would change lives, "One adventure at a time."

After a successful career in the automotive industry, Eddy met is lifelong goal of retiring early and now dedicates his time and energy to helping others learn to enjoy the outdoors. He is an Arizona native, an avid angler, hunter and committed mentor. Few people in Arizona have committed more time and energy to promoting and supporting the future of hunting, fishing and wildlife conservation than Eddy has over the past the last several years.

The OE4A Mission is true to the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, and has helped his organization become a statewide leader in promoting hunters and anglers as conservationists. Eddy's unwavering belief in the ideal that hunters and anglers have a positive story to tell has led his organization into a leadership role around the Southwest. The beneficiaries of his work include children, patriotism and humanitarian efforts.

Through Eddy's leadership, OE4A has become the leader in Arizona for transferring big game tags to children with life-threatening illnesses. Eddy has transferred more than 100 tags through this program, supporting life-changing outdoor experiences for youth and their families. His efforts truly are changing lives, one adventure at a time!

OE4A has promoted and participated in at least four youth mentoring hunting camps each year in Arizona. Eddy's efforts are helping lead improvements to the camp experience across Arizona. In addition, Eddy has developed mentored outdoor experiences to benefit children of soldiers or law enforcement who have been killed in the line of duty. OE4A also supports programs for Wounded Warriors.

Eddy also leads a magazine drive and blood drive at the Arizona Game and Fish Department's (AZGFD) deadline days. The magazine drive encourages sportsmen to donate outdoor magazines, which are then boxed up and sent to our soldiers overseas. The idea is that it will give our soldiers and the public who become aware of this effort, a positive view of sportsmen in our communities. Thousands of magazines have been sent overseas as a result of his efforts, and the magazine drive has received nation-wide recognition.

The blood drives Eddy works with have continued to grow, too. The benefits of a sportsmen-led blood drive to benefit children with life threatening illnesses have further contributed to the positive image of sportsmen in our community.

But Eddy hasn't stopped there. He's a director on the Board of the Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife Conservation. He's a member of the Arizona Heritage Public Advisory Committee and is also on the AZGFD's Hunting Heritage Work Group (HHWG). Prior to his arrival, the HHWG was an internal AZGFD work group. His vision was that outdoor organizations should be more involved in the AZGFD's efforts to recruit and retain more hunters and anglers, so at his prodding, the HHWG was expanded to include outdoor organizations and retailers.

Today, the HHWG represents a cohesive partnership of agency, industry, and more than 30 outdoor organizations. The reach of the HHWG has expanded greatly as a result of Eddy's vision, and many more youth, who are the future of wildlife conservation, have had a chance to experience the out of doors as a result.

From Eddie: "I've always said that children are 25 percent of our population and 100 percent of our future. Investing in them is investing in our future. I believe that every day, and having been nominated for this award and recognition is humbling. When we do things for others and expect nothing in return, it's because we also had great mentors and mine were my grandfather, my football coaches, teachers, neighbors and my mom.

"My father passed away when I was 4 year old and I needed mentors in my life. When nominated for such an award it's because of them believing in me and teaching me how to believe in myself and how to lead. I'm just one of many trying to make a positive difference in a young child's life. I wish it was easy to make that happen then we wouldn't have a lot of the issues in our society today. I'm grateful to be nominated by a group of my peers; there isn't any award more rewarding than a pat on the back from those around me every day.

"Finally, I would like to share a secret that keeps me motivated to stay up front of all that I do. It's a little saying that a good friend shared with me: 'The speed of the leader determines the rate of the pack.' Thank you for the nomination recognition."

Mark Charbonneau spends countless hours as a hunter education instructor for New Jersey and is certified to teach field in the archery, shotgun, rifle and muzzleloader categories. Mark also organizes and supervises the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife annual youth bird hunt while volunteering all year long at statewide events to instruct shotgun shooting.

During hunting season, many non-hunting adults inquire about hunting and Mark has converted quite a few over the years to become hunter certified. Cautious parents call Mark regularly and trust him to take their children hunting, whether it’s for their first hunt or for general guidance and knowledge.

As an accomplished hunter and instructor, he has been asked to assist in Wounded Warrior Hunts, where Mark has worked along side a soldier during his hunt.

Mark’s proudest moment, however, came this past year. As a Trustee for Hunters Helping the Hungry, his non-profit organization served 1,000,000 venison meals to those in need in New Jersey. The news captured the attention of the “Friends of NRA” TV show. The show’s host, Matt Duff, and producer, David Abbot, came to Mark’s home with their film crew to interview and discuss Hunters Helping the Hungry. The show will air in the Outdoor Channel in January. Mark’s passion and commitment remain strong all while balancing the demands of a career and a family.

From Mark: "Being recognized from the North America Hunting Club as a finalist for the honor of mentor of the year is indescribable. This is a very proud time for my family and I. The support my wife and children show me due to the hours sacrificed away from them, the encouragement and thank you responses from grandparents, parents and students of the shooting and hunting sports, and last but definitely not least, helping those not as fortunate as most be able to make sure their children do not go to bed hungry makes it all worthwhile."

John Clites is a NRA certified range officer as well as a rifle and shotgun instructor. He works with sportsman’s clubs in Pennsylvania and Maryland on their Youth Field Days or Youth Hunter Field Days, and has done so since 1984. He works with 300-400 youth each year to favorably influence their perspective of the hunting and shooting sports. He uses his own .22 rifles and sometimes his own ammo for these programs.

Since 1984, John has worked with and coached more than 8,000 young people during this time. Because he has an opportunity to guide this many toward hunting and shooting activities, to say that he has touched a lot of lives regarding the shooting sports would be an understatement.

One time, when asked by one of the youth’s parents at a Field Day as to which of the children were his, “Uncle” Johhny replied, “My wife and I don’t have any children of our own, so I guess you could say that all of the kids here today are mine!”

I know many occasions where Uncle Johnny has passed up shots on game to allow others to take the shots. He once did this with his best friend in Colorado on an elk hunt. He found a big bull elk, left the area and returned with his friend to let him shoot his first bull. When he was asked about it he said, “I wanted Chuck to experience that which I have enjoyed in the past!”

When it comes to his work with the Youth Field Day Programs, John’s reply is, “I have always enjoyed hunting and shooting all of my life and this is my choice to give something back and help others enjoy that which I have been lucky to experience!”

Uncle Johnny has guided many friends and family through hunting adventures and as an avid hunter of small and large game in Pennsylvania. He’s also hunted extensively in Colorado, West Virginia, Ohio, Maine, Kentucky, South Dakota, Wyoming, Maryland, and South Carolina. On a personal note, Uncle Johnny was with me when I took my first white-tailed buck! Thanks again, Uncle Johnny!

From John: “I’m quite pleased to have been chosen for this honor as a finalist, but of all the awards that I cherish, the ones that mean the most to me are the expressions and smiles on the faces of the many youngsters that I’ve worked with when they hit one of my biathlon-style targets or a clay bird—and it falls. There’s something about hitting a reactive-type target (sight/sound) that just lights up a kid’s face. The enjoyment that they feel is just my small way of giving back to others that which I’ve enjoyed so often and for so long!

“I’m very surprised to have been notified about being selected as a finalist for the NAHC Mentor of the Year Program. I would like to thank the NAHC and the many co-sponsors of this program for recognizing the many sportsman and sportswomen who try to present the shooting sports in a positive and enjoyable aspect. I’m especially proud that my nephew, Eric, thought enough of me—and that which I’ve done—to nominate me. Thank you, Eric! Now let’s go hunting!”