April Wilken received the Burel Goodin scholarship during the Ducks Unlimited Carlyle Lake chapter banquet. Pictured with Wilken is chapter chairman Joe Wilkerson. Photo by Matt Wilson Two special presentations were handed out during the Ducks Unlimited Carlyle Lake chapter banquet on Saturday, March 28, at the KC Hall in Carlyle.
Steve Spihlmann was recognized for being an outstanding mentor.
Central Community High School senior April Wilken won the $1,000 Burel Goodin Scholarship.
Goodin was a great friend of Ducks Unlimited who passed away in 2017. His son, Burel Jr., wanted to preserve his dad's memory by establishing a scholarship in his name.
With the help of the Ducks Unlimited Carlyle Lake chapter, a $1,000 scholarship was created.
There were eight applicants this year, which is the most they have ever had. Wilken had a lot of competition this year. The names were blacked out and a scoring rubric was made to make sure they selected the best applicant.
"April is an excellent student and is involved in many extra curricular activities," Ducks Unlimited Carlyle Lake chapter chairman Joe Wilkerson said.
Steve Spihlmann, LEFT, was recognized as being an outstanding mentor during the Ducks Unlimited Carlyle Lake chapter banquet. Pictured with Spihlmann is Ben Huels and Nick Sphilmann. Photo by Matt Wilson
"She was a greenwing in her youth and her and her family have been coming to these banquets for many years."
Ben Huels gave a speech and presented a plaque to Spihlmann.
Huels said Spihlmann has had a huge impact on his life and on the lives of a lot of young hunters over the years.
Spihlmann has been hunting Carlyle Lake since the mid 1970s and for nearly five decades he's been doing what great mentors do best — showing up. Huels said Spihlmann would normally wake up before 3 a.m., in the cold, and with a boat full of kids who may or may not remember to bring gloves.
Spihlmann has taken about 50 youth duck hunting, and that does not include his own kids or grandkids.
"All of his sons friends ended up hunting," Huels said. "If you were around long enough, you got handed a pair of waders, a handful of shells, and a seat in the boat. Some of those kids are now grown adults bringing their own kids out to the blind, including me, which means what started as a simple morning hunt has turned into something truly multigenerational."
Huels said what makes Spihlmann special is that he isn't just taking kids hunting, he teaches them everything that comes with it. He teaches the important things like how to call ducks, how to build a blind, and the very important rule of keeping your head down when the birds are working. But he also teaches the things only learned from someone who has spent a lifetime chasing sunrises at Carlyle Lake.
"He teaches things like how to cook breakfast in the boat, and how to pack enough snacks to survive a cold morning," Huels said.
Huels said mentors like Spihlmann doesn't just teach the sport, they teach the whole experience.
Outside of the blind, Spihlmann has made sure future generations have a place to learn by continuing to support the Lifetime Greeenwing program, helping ensure that kids always have opportunities to learn about hunting, conservation, and the outdoors.
Huels said none of this happens without support at home. His wife of 47 years has patiently dealt with early alarms, muddy trucks, wet gear hanging everywhere, and a steady stream of young hunters coming and going during duck season.
Huels said this past year reminded everyone what kind of a man Spihlmann is. In December, his family experienced the tragic and heartbreaking loss of his grandson, Christian. And the morning after the funeral, Spihlmann still got up and went hunting with his daughter and continued taking kids out.
"Because for him, hunting has never just been about the ducks," Huels said. "It's about time together, teaching experience, building character, and passing something meaningful on to the next generation."
Spihlmann is not only a father and grandfather, he's also a great-grandfather. The legacy he started out in the early mornings at Carlyle Lake continues to grow.
"For nearly 50 years he has given kids a place to learn, to belong, and to fall in love with the outdoors, one cold morning on Carlyle Lake at a time," Huels said. "And I can tell you personally, as one of those kids he took hunting years ago, that those mornings meant a lot more than we probably realized at the time."
Wilkerson said it is special to have someone in the community like Spihlmann who gives back to the youth. Those in the audience who had been on a hunt with Spihlmann stood up.
Wilkerson said the night was about conserving wetlands. Ducks Unlimited has saved over 18 million acres of wetlands. He said that is because of the grass roots of organizations like the Ducks Unlimited Carlyle Lake chapter.
"They may be small, but there is enough of these chapters around that we do make enough money to make a difference," Wilkerson said.
Wilkerson thanked the staff at the KC Hall. This was the first year the banquet was at the KC Hall.
