Justin Whiteway – Volunteering with DUC – A Role Model for Young Canadians

Justin Whiteway is a young Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) volunteer whose enthusiasm for the outdoors is making a huge difference to wetland conservation. At 22-years-old, Whiteway is a role model for young Canadians. Not only does he work full-time at his parents’ outdoor supply store in Lewisporte, Newfoundland and Labrador, he is an avid waterfowler, fisherman and hiker. His passion for the environment and the outdoors is the perfect fit for his DUC volunteer efforts and he is doing his best to convince his peers of the same thing.

Whiteway was officially introduced to DUC in 2009 when a friend invited him to volunteer at the Waterfowl Heritage Day Program – an outdoor education program for youth aged 12 to 17. He found the experience so rewarding that he has been active on the program committee ever since. It inspired him to learn more about DUC work; Whiteway now sits on the committee for the annual DUC fundraising dinner in Lewisporte, assisting in ticket sales and helping to run the event. Whiteway has also extended his efforts by managing a DUC auction through his family’s local outdoor supply store.

“I am fortunate because my parents encouraged me to spend as much time outdoors as possible – hiking, fishing and hunting,” says Whiteway. “Being part of an organization like DUC is perfect because I get to do what I love and at the same time I know that I am helping to conserve habitat for wildlife and that’s a fantastic feeling.”

Whiteway feels lucky to be living his dream – both personally and professionally.

“Being part of DUC is one of the best ways for me to spend my volunteer time,” says Whiteway. “Not only am I learning a lot from the older volunteers, some of my friends have also seen how much I am enjoying myself and have now become DUC volunteers as well.”

“Justin is one of our most enthusiastic and helpful volunteers,” says Paul Wood, DUC fundraising manager in Newfoundland and Labrador. “Not only does he sell a lot of tickets for our dinner events, he is also introducing DUC to a relatively untapped volunteer demographic.”

“National Volunteer Week is our chance to honour our nearly 7,000 volunteers across Canada, and in particular, our young volunteers who are introducing a whole new generation to DUC,” says Loraine Nyokong, DUC national director of fundraising and membership. “Volunteers like them are the ‘rising stars’ of our organization. The fact that they recognize the importance of wetland conservation and are spreading the word is fantastic, not only for DUC, but for all Canadians.”

“For me, the best part of volunteering with DUC is seeing the results,” says Whiteway. “In Newfoundland and Labrador alone, there are dozens of DUC wetland projects, and that is something to be proud of.”

With the support of volunteers like Whiteway, DUC recently completed its Wetlands for Tomorrow campaign – the largest conservation fundraising campaign ever undertaken in North America. Working alongside Ducks Unlimited, Inc. in the United States and Ducks Unlimited Mexico, DUC contributed to waterfowl and wetland habitat conservation, water quality as well as recreational and learning opportunities for people of all ages.

DUC could have not achieved these conservation goals without the generous support of its volunteers and supporters. Whiteway and other conservation-minded individuals like him from across Canada will continue to be the driving force behind ongoing efforts to stop wetland loss.