My First POWA Conference

The Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association (POWA) conducted it’s annual Excellence in Craft (EIC) Conference in Wilkes-Barre, PA last weekend. My Grandparents and I made the trip together because I wanted to attend my first ever POWA meeting. Last year, I sent in my application to join the organization and was accepted as a college student member just a few weeks before departing for my Manitoba Bear Hunt.

Ever since I was old enough to understand what POWA was, I had dreamed of being a part of the group of respected outdoors people. POWA’s slogan is “You love the outdoors. We tell the outdoor story.” I have always loved the outdoors, and have dedicated so much of my life to telling my outdoor stories.

My Pupup, Joe Workosky, has been a member of POWA for 45 years, and as a little girl, I would gaze in awe at the many paintings, photos, magazine covers, and POWA awards decorating the walls in his den.

My greatest passion in life is going on hunting and fishing adventures with my best buddy, Pups. Being able to stand alongside him, and a group of only the most experienced outdoorsmen and women in Pennsylvania is truly the greatest honor I have had in my 19 years of life.

The members of POWA have unique ways of telling the outdoor story, whether it be through written articles and books, paintings and photographs, video production, and so much more. I was so anxious, and excited to introduce myself to the entire membership. 

(This is an article, and magazine cover my Pupup did for Bowhunter Magazine.) 

We arrived at our hotel on Thursday and were greeted by a few members, and the association’s Executive Director, Paula Piatt, who has been so welcoming, and keeps everyone in the loop with her top notch planning skills. The whole weekend was organized very efficiently, with many speakers who touched on important topics dealing with the outdoors. I learned so much from members of the Pennsylvania Game Commission & Fish Commission, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR).

Paula Piatt and I. 

Our Susquehanna Bass Fishing guide, Dave McGovern who also works as a Geologist for the Department of Environmental Protections (DEP) gave us a tour of the Susquehanna hot spots..  

Speaking of unique outdoor stories, one member that I was happy to see was Brady Crytzer – A historian and accomplished author who spoke at Slippery Rock University in April. I got to sit in on his lecture about his new book, “The Whiskey Rebellion: A Distilled History of an American Crisis”. For POWA, he focuses on integrating history and the outdoors. Brady won first runner up for the Lantz Hoffman Broadcast Media Award, for his video production of William Bartram, “America’s First Naturalist”. 

The weekend was filled with fun conversations, countless learning opportunities, and meaningful connections with other people who can’t get enough of the great outdoors.

 

The highlight of the weekend for me was that my Pupup won First Place for the “Lantz Hoffman Broadcast Media Award” for our Manitoba Bear Hunt video, “Surrounded by Bears”. We had a fantastic time filming, photographing and produced this epic hunt together.   My Manitoba Bear hunt was the best hunt I have ever been on, and really was the best week of my life. I think, with this video, we showed just how amazing the trip was, for both of us! The fact that the judges and officials of the organization thought so too meant so much to me.

POWA President, Grey Barrier, pulled me into this Awards photo with my Pups, and noted “Ruby, you were the star of the show.” As the Awards were being presented, Paula asked me if I could help out taking photos of the winners with their awards. I ended up being POWA’s “Unofficial Official Photographer”, and I was so glad to do it. It was a hectic scene, herding the writers, while I was standing on a chair.

I couldn’t be more thrilled to be a member of The Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association and I am excited to keep growing in my “outdoor career”. More on the weekend, the informational presentations, and an awesome morning fishing on the Susquehanna River coming soon… Stay Tuned!

 

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