Greetings my fellow sheep enthusiasts! We are wrapping up a very successful 2026 Sheep Show. More to come on that in our in our February Newsletter
This is our inaugural monthly newsletter in our effort to better communicate with our members and fellow conservationists interested in the Southeastern chapter. I promise we will not SPAM your inbox. For those on Instagram, follow us @se_wsf. We will create a stronger social media presence moving forward thanks to some additional help from someone with expertise in this area…coming soon. Also, there will be more opportunities for live updates through shared BOD meetings and zoom calls every few months for those interested as well.
Accomplishments to date:
Thanks to all of YOU, we have raised close to $100k for the Southeastern Chapter of WSF over the last 12 months. From this, we have a 3-year operating plan for a sustainability model to ensure we have the financial runway to grow our chapter and aggressively contribute to conservation projects with our fellow chapter & affiliates along with WSF. Our culture as a board is to be frugal in our operational spending to maximize our conservation investment.
Conservation investment - Speaking of conservation project investment, we are helping to fund the on-going relocation of California Bighorns from Oregon to BC. Read more here. Additionally, in early February, Christin Mikeal from Auburn University, will be heading to Idaho to help Idaho WSF and Idaho Fish & Game with a wild sheep capture project. She was chosen and her involvement is funded by SEWSF as part of the 2025 Conservation Corp Grant.
Finally, our membership is currently at 150+ members (thank you!), but we need your help to grow it. I would challenge each of us, as a chapter, to be at 300+ members by the end of 2026. My ask is that each of you recruit at least 2 people.
As we roll into 2026, the SEWSF will focus on these specific things in the coming 6 months:
More engagement from members, finding future BOD members and committee leaders
Raise money and create a formal process to fund WSF/C&A projects
Launch Regional informal get-togethers/events to drive engagement/fundraising/membership within the Southeast.
Other Items:
We have 3 active raffles, having just launched 2 incredible new raffles for an Ibex hunt in Mongolia and a Chamois hunt in Spain. Our Moose Raffle is wrapping up very soon with only 47 tickets remaining (less than 10%). We will be drawing the winner of the moose raffle very soon.
Please help us by officially joining, recruiting new members, renew your membership or upgrade your membership. For new life members or founding life members, you will receive your choice of a SEWSF branded grey fleece zip-up jacket or SEWSF branded tumbler glasses. We have about 40 remaining founding life memberships available. Contact us if you have any issues as the online membership process can be clunky.
Finally, what would you like to see in newsletters or on social media? How would you like to be more involved? Drop us a note at southeastwsf@gmail.com or contact via the webform.
With Gratitude,
Jesse Riggleman
President – Southeastern Chapter of the Wild Sheep Foundation
