T'is a "calling"

Aye Mates,
The Connecticut Conservation Officer's Association (CCOA) is quickly closing in on our annual tribute to our Fallen Brother with the Conservation Officer James V. Spignesi Jr. Memorial Scholarship Banquet and Auction Fundraiser. The benefit will fund a $10,000 memorial scholarship at the UCONN School of Agriculture and Natural Resources Engineering in honor of C. O. Spignesi, a graduate of the school's wildlife biology / management program. C. O. Spignesi was shot and killed while conducting a foot patrol to combat illegal deer poaching. Jim and I were friends for o'er twenty years and served on the same squad when we lost him to this senseless act. T'was the worse day o' me career and will remain a horrid memory for all o' me days.

In addition to the Memorial Scholarship at UCONN, the CCOA and the Spignesi Scholarship Fund sponsors two annual $1000 scholarships at local high schools and conducts outreach initiatives to the families of law enforcement and military that suffer the line of duty death or killed in action loss of a family member. We also conduct a number of other initiatives in tribute to the legacy of generosity for which C.O. Spignesi was known. Our annual fundraiser banquet is based on a similar model to those held by Ducks Unlimited and features a great meal, silent and live auctions, and raffles throughout the evening.

A career as a Conservation Officer is far more than a job, t'is a "calling" - a way o' life. With that thought in mind, I am hereby highlighting the art o' Danny Dragon, a former Rhode Island Conservation Officer and a "call maker" o' extraordinary talent. A retired member o' "The Thin Green Line", Danny stepped right up to support the tribute to Jim with two beautifully crafted calls that we will be putting on the auction block at this year's event. Dan blends a high quality acrylic resin and exotic hardwoods into a mold under high temperature and pressure to form a "blank" with extraordinary color and figure, then hand turns the barrel on a lathe. The two calls depicted below are blue pearl and spalted maple, and a candy red with Japanese yew. Both calls are pure eye candy and sound "absolutely mallardesque" to me highly trained fowler's ear. Danny certainly has followed the "calling" with his donation of these beautiful hand made calls. Dan will be joining us at the banquet along with a number o' our fellow Game Wardens from the Rhode Island Environmental Police Officer's Association (RIEPOA).



Should any o' ye kind Mates wish to support this most meaningful and far reaching efforts with monetary or material donations in support o' the C.O. James V. Spignesi Jr. Memorial Scholarship, blast me a PM and I'll hook ye right up. I will report back on the outcome o' this year's effort once it has been tabulated. We miss Jim and will NEVER FORGET him as our Fallen Brother. We are proud that we have taken this tragic loss and have honored Jim year after year with these far reaching efforts in help to others.

Me deep gratitude out to C.O. Danny Dragon (RET), I am proud to call him me Brother.

Respectfully,
Irishwhistler

THE CALL MAKING ART O' DANNY DRAGON - Photo by Irishwhistler