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- Adrian Van de Sande - Antigonish, N.S.
- Bill Wells - Brooks, Alta.
- Cindy Alexander Clandeboye, Man.
- Claude Roy - Kapuskasing, Ont.
- Dennis Hopping - Kensington, P.E.I.
- Gail Budgell - Glovertown, Nfld.
- Jim Spinks - Fraser Lake, B.C.
- Linda Regush - Saskatoon, Sask.
- Stuart and Janet Blair - Fredericton, N.B.
- Nathalie Bernier – Saguenay, Que.
Dennis Hopping – Kensington, P.E.I 
Volunteering for full skies today, tomorrow and always
A retired helicopter pilot and avid waterfowler, Dennis Hopping can often be found standing quietly, his eyes fixed intently upon the sky. The Kensington, P.E.I. resident has had a lifelong fascination with flight and a deep-rooted passion for the living creatures that fill the skies. Having shared their bird's- eye view of the world, Dennis is committed to ensuring a sustainable future for waterfowl and the natural wetland areas they need to survive. And, by volunteering with Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) for the past 26 years, he’s helped to do just that.
“It’s important to me that waterfowl and other wildlife are around for future generations,” Dennis says. “Getting involved with DUC was a way I could contribute to conservation efforts that would make this possible.”
When Dennis moved to the Island in the 1980s, he noticed a substantial decline in duck populations – particularly in black ducks. Having been introduced to DUC when he lived in Winnipeg he wanted to start a volunteer chapter in his new home to raise awareness about the issue and generate much-needed funds that would make a difference.
“There were six of us who formed the initial committee,” he says. “We organized our plans in the control room of a local radio station where one of the fellows worked. In between his on-air bits we discussed our first event. It was a bit crowded and a bit of a challenge to get much decided before the next cut-in, but our first dinner in 1984 turned out to be a great success!”
The chapter has been going strong ever since. Dennis and the committed volunteer team on the Prince County Summerside chapter have raised nearly half a million dollars in their 25 years of fundraising for DUC. It’s an impressive accomplishment that Dennis says they’re all extremely proud of.
“I can’t say enough about Dennis and the work the Summerside chapter does,” says Jamie Young, DUC’s fundraising manager for P.E.I. “Dennis is a great leader whose passion for the wetland conservation cause has only gotten stronger during his 26 years of volunteer service. DUC owes a lot to Dennis and the Summerside chapter. The funds they’ve raised have played a significant role in DUC’s conservation success on the Island.”
National volunteer week, April 19-25, is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the work of volunteers like Dennis. Perry McCormick, DUC’s national manager of events says evidence of the outstanding work of volunteers can be seen across the country.
“We have volunteers to thank for the waterfowl flying overhead and the healthy wetland areas below our feet,” McCormick says. “I’d like to personally thank every one of our 7,400 volunteers. It’s your efforts that make DUC’s wetland conservation work possible.”
For Dennis, volunteering with DUC has been a way for him to give back to nature and share important conservation life lessons with his family. Dennis’s two adult sons grew up attending DUC functions and are still involved with the organization. He encourages anyone who is concerned about the depletion of natural areas to get involved and says people will soon become hooked, as he has, on the fun, friendship and feelings of satisfaction that come with supporting a good cause.
“I’ve been volunteering for 26 years and am still enjoying every minute of it.
” Today, as Dennis looks toward the sky and watches the flocks of waterfowl pass overhead, he can be proud in the knowledge that he’s continuing to play an important role in their journey.
