Released by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission …
At its December meeting in Panama City, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved a measure to name its volunteer hunter safety instructor award to honor the important contributions of Victor Heller, former assistant executive director of the FWC. The newly named Victor Heller Hunter Safety Instructor of the Year Award will continue to annually recognize a volunteer who significantly advances the cause of safe hunting through extraordinary service in training and education.
Heller, who passed in November, was a passionate supporter of the FWC’s hunter safety program. He understood the value of volunteer hunter safety instructors’ willingness to teach new hunters how to be safe, responsible, knowledgeable and involved. In 2001, after presenting awards to the outstanding volunteer hunter education instructors in each of the five regions, Heller suggested staff select a single instructor to receive statewide recognition. Since that time, the FWC’s Commission has acknowledged a statewide volunteer hunter safety instructor of the year at one of its meetings.
In 2004, while serving as assistant executive director, he completed the requirements to be a volunteer hunter safety instructor. For the next 10 years – even after his retirement from the agency – he assisted teaching hunter safety classes offered at FWC’s headquarters in Tallahassee.
Learn more about Florida’s hunter safety program at MyFWC.com/HunterSafety.