Yesterday reminded me once again why I love being a member of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. Every year, we hold our annual chapter board meeting for the Mid-Atlantic Chapter, bringing everyone together in person. Given that our chapter encompasses Virginia, Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Delaware, it’s not always easy for us to gather for in-person events. This meeting is always a special occasion because it allows us to connect face-to-face.

This gathering allows us to sit down and discuss the year ahead—reviewing our chapter plan, refining event details, and setting our goals. Beyond the logistics, it’s a chance to strengthen our camaraderie and collaborate on our shared mission. This year, we also had the opportunity to get out in the field for a pheasant hunt. As always, it was a rewarding experience, and everyone went home with some extra meat in the freezer.

Working with board members from across our chapter’s region helps us balance the needs of different areas while ensuring the success of our initiatives. Whether we are organizing a fishing event, conducting a stewardship project like trash cleanup, or engaging in policy advocacy, all of these efforts require careful planning and resource allocation.

Typically, we conclude the day with a dinner, providing time to relax and enjoy each other’s company after a productive day. This year, we took it a step further by combining the evening with a Pint Night at Vibrissa Beer in Winchester, Virginia. This gave us an opportunity to engage with chapter members from the area and introduce potential new members to BHA. We set up a space with our merchandise, flyers, and information about our mission, and we had a great turnout of about two dozen people. It was an excellent way to share our passion for conservation and public land advocacy with a broader audience.

Adding to the significance of the night, we were fortunate to have a couple of BHA staff members in attendance: Chris Hennessey, the Eastern Field Director, and Kaden McArthur, the Director of Policy and Government Relations. Their presence allowed members to interact with leadership and gain deeper insight into BHA’s broader efforts.

Another highlight of the evening was the presence of Beau Beasley, author of Healing Waters, present for a book signing of this new book. Beau was recently on Episode 192 of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers Podcast and Blast with Hal Herring and is a member of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter. Healing Waters is a must-read for those interested in fly fishing and its therapeutic benefits for veterans. As a veteran myself, I deeply appreciate the work he has done to highlight the healing power of the outdoors.

Looking ahead, I am already excited for next year’s chapter planning meeting. This year’s experience reaffirmed that our work isn’t just about policy advocacy, social media engagement, or fundraising—it’s about people. It’s about our shared goal of advocating for wild spaces, protecting public lands, waters, and wildlife, and ensuring that future generations can enjoy these resources as we do today.

To those who attended the Pint Night, thank you. You are the lifeblood of this organization, and I look forward to seeing you all again soon.

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