Events and Activities : Izaak Walton Easter Egg Hunt and Newsletter April 2 at Noon

The Izaak Walton League in Vinton will host an Easter Egg Hunt for children on April 2 beginning at 12:00 p.m.

There will be four age groups:

2-5

6-8

9-11

12 and above

A golden egg prize will be included in each category!

There will be lunch available on site.

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The Izaak Walton League of America is an organization steeped in a rich history and good deeds. Its history is also closely tied with our quiet little town. In 1922 the IWLA was formed by a group of concerned citizens in Illinois determined to stop the degradation of American waterways and our natural areas. The group was named after famed English author Izaak Walton. Walton wrote The Complete Angler, published in 1563, which is considered one of the most important environmental works in history.

In 1923, Vinton resident John Tobin merged his local conservation group with the IWLA, forming what would become the Red Cedar Chapter of the Izaak Walton League. One of Tobin's early projects was to introduce white-tailed deer to Benton County which would evolve into the local herd roaming our area today. In the 1950s, Tobin became the Izaak Walton National President while still maintaining his duties locally as a lawyer and later a judge. Tobin donated a large parcel of land and his fishing cabin to Benton County Conservation. This later became Winegar Park. He also left a sizable endowment to the IWLA and a recognition award is given to an outstanding member annually in his name.

That red building just north of town tucked back in the timber isn't just a dusty old gun club: it is the Red Cedar Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America. It's an important landmark and a local treasure. They host the high school trap team throughout their shooting season and manage an endowment earning them substantial funds annually. They help fund projects with Benton County Conservation including the brick oven at Rodgers Park and the Edna Shain Fen and Wildlife area in Mt. Auburn. They host local DNR hunter's education classes, police department weapons training, and BSA Troop 47 activities.

Admittedly, it is not the pillar of the community it once was. Like many membership-based organizations, interest in joining has been steadily declining for decades. Many conservation-based organizations such as Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, and The Wild Turkey Federation have taken a hit in recent years. In early 2020 the Red Cedar Chapter was placed on life support, kept alive by its leadership and the people willing to renew membership despite the circumstances. During the 2022 year the Red Cedar Chapter began their revitalization process. They are focused on becoming a common name in every Vinton household by hosting events, many of them free of charge, for members of the community.

In April of 2022 the Red Cedar Chapter hosted their inaugural Easter egg hunt for families and children in the Vinton area. This is a free event they plan to hold the Sunday before Easter annually. The Easter egg hunt was a huge success and one of the best attended events they had hosted in many years.

May marked the success of their first Sportsman's Day, an event aimed to get kids interested in the outdoors through activity and learning. This will be another annual event held in May with the collaboration of the Wild Turkey Federation. Activities will include archery, shooting sports, and camp demonstrations.

Halloween marked their first Trunk or Treat event. They plan to hand out candy right after the Vinton Parks and Rec (VPRD) costume parade every year. The community is encouraged to participate both by bringing their children and grandchildren to the event, or by contacting the Red Cedar Chapter and arranging to decorate their own trunk.

The event they have the most hope for in the future is the Thanksgiving Shoot. This is a black powder event where participants are asked to donate non-perishable food items as their entry fee. The donations are taken to the Vinton Food Pantry in time for Thanksgiving.

The Red Cedar Chapter hosts several public shooting and archery events throughout the year as well as public trap shooting every Thursday night from April to October.

Life is cyclical and patterns repeat. Almost four centuries ago, a concerned citizen wrote a book attempting to seek environmental change. Later, our water and natural spaces were threatened again prompting the formation of the Izaak Walton League. Great strides were made and spaces and waterways were cleaned and saved. Again in the 1960s, people had to fight for the passage of the Clean Water Act to remove pollution from streams and rivers. Then society became complacent and again we face the same threats as before. So please, consider supporting the Red Cedar Chapter either by becoming a member, by donating, or just coming out and enjoying the space we have to offer. Take your children or grandchildren to learn and build their love for nature so when history repeats and their time comes, they can be stewards of the environment.